(pic: jason guthartz)
right, so this is not the promised encore from the moers '74 quartet(t)... that'll follow when i get round to it! this is something i hope you'll like as much as i did, a braxton solo piece from the cecil taylor historical quartet - as it was apparently billed, i.e. the same line-up that played london last july, that is taylor with braxton, wm. parker and oxley... i'm sure you all know that this group played several concerts in italy later in the year, and indeed everyone probably knows that the gigs didn't go too well overall... some, ah, cognitive dissonance between the players perhaps. BUT this recording of b's solo from the reggio emilia gig (angelica festival, 13th oct 2007) is lovely anyway. early on he does something very impressive... which may distress any wildlife in the immediate vicinity.
thanks for this go to mr improv, our man on the spot with the minidisc, and to king kennytone... who provided said hardware in the first place, and sorted out the recording at this end. click here to hear it:
Anthony Braxton - Reggio Emilia 13.10.07
* * *
update ... kk's version of the full concert is now up at the inimitable japanese knotweed preservation society: http://tinyurl.com/2azyeq
(a different recording of the same concert is also up, at inconstant sol)
right, so this is not the promised encore from the moers '74 quartet(t)... that'll follow when i get round to it! this is something i hope you'll like as much as i did, a braxton solo piece from the cecil taylor historical quartet - as it was apparently billed, i.e. the same line-up that played london last july, that is taylor with braxton, wm. parker and oxley... i'm sure you all know that this group played several concerts in italy later in the year, and indeed everyone probably knows that the gigs didn't go too well overall... some, ah, cognitive dissonance between the players perhaps. BUT this recording of b's solo from the reggio emilia gig (angelica festival, 13th oct 2007) is lovely anyway. early on he does something very impressive... which may distress any wildlife in the immediate vicinity.
thanks for this go to mr improv, our man on the spot with the minidisc, and to king kennytone... who provided said hardware in the first place, and sorted out the recording at this end. click here to hear it:
* * *
update ... kk's version of the full concert is now up at the inimitable japanese knotweed preservation society: http://tinyurl.com/2azyeq
(a different recording of the same concert is also up, at inconstant sol)
27 comments:
and thanks *also* to kk for that nice little string of html!
the whole concert did get recorded btw... in case you were wondering. the quartet pieces suffer a bit from being (understandably) "taylor-centric"... the sound isn't stellar either, as is always the case with these things... rumour has it that there was a radio broadcast of this gig (? or at least of one of the italian gigs), but otherwise look out for all the music at kk's blog in the near future. i will update the post if he puts up the files...
ps i'm sorry, i can't remember where i found the photo, it had no credits attached to it and i'm not implying that it was taken at this concert..!
That photo is one I took at the 15-Sep-2005 solo concert at Wesleyan; more here.
(You probably found that cropped version here.)
Nice work you cats.
Jason, man... BEAUTIFUL pictures, dude.
Cent: just because I never leave comments, don't you go thinkin' I don't READ this stuff...
I'll post the set next week.
Ahem, yes, by the way, the er... wireless broadcast I know of was of the CT/Brax/WP (trio of solos + aborted ensemble) set, another date that week... it's gotta be circulating somewhere.. it went out sometime pre-Jan 12th I believe...
xxx
KK
heh heh :)
jason - oops {blush} yes, that page does indeed look familiar, that would, i guess, be where i found it... when trawling for pics recently, possibly somewhat inebriated at the time... ahem. thanks for the link to the other pics! i'll be in touch soon...
Hello Mr. Centrifuge,
I have been meaning to write you for a while now - since last October even: when I read your review of "Conference of the Birds" (which was the most insightful review of that recording that I have ever read)- but I didn't want to get in the way of anything, and as such, I hesitated to approach you. Even so, somehow today it feels right to drop you a line or two, and so here is a communication from "an old friend" (even though we have never met).
I don't have to tell you that we are living in complex times - and this is true across the board (in every direction). If the subject is creative music journalism/scholarship or insight, we find ourselves at a very interesting paradox (juncture): that there are more sources to read about creative music than ever before - but less real information on this subject than ever. For the serious subject of creative music, one has to go "underground" to really find people who have a real perspective on this subject (a real love about this subject) - that is life affirming rather than two diminsional. I am very grateful that a person of your caliber would find my work to be of substance, and I am grateful that friendly experiencers interested in my work, either in this time period or in the future, will have the Braxtothon to draw on. I am writing this message to say thank you for your work and good luck to you and your family.
At this point in time, when I think of writers/scholars who have real insight into my work, I think of Graham Lock, Mike Heffley and you, Mr. Centrifuge. My hope is that when this body of writings is complete, that you will then publish your work in book form (although some of my students have said my interest in CD's and books are twentifh century proclivities (in other words, I'm a senior citizen and fading) and that the third millineum will only require the internet. They're probably right, but I'm from the old LP generation (where Stockhausen's LP's had great liner note insert booklets). I loved it.
For a guy who likes to be "sitting on chillin like Bob Dillon" you have a wonderful way with words and thoughts. I'm sorry about the mess I made with the titles on "For Alto". What can I say. From the beginning I started messing up things (smile) and this trait has only increased in time. Even so, I still have my sense of humor (I guess). If there is anything I can do to assist you with your work (without getting in the way of anything) I'll do it. In the future my hope is to meet you and have a wine/beer or two ... (or three). From time to time in your post, you give the impression that you wonder if anyone is reading your blog - and I can most certainly relate to that feeling. Possibly the best thing that ever happened to me when I turned forty'esh, was to learn that there really are people who can hear my music work, and that my efforts aren't in total vain. That realization had a profound impact on me, and as since helped me to continue my work (through good and bad times). From the beginning it was always clear that this area of inquiry (music) was for a special group of friendly experiencers who were not neccesarily on the most traveled pathway - not everyone could hear this stuff (smile). But this group was the group I had been looking for all my life. There is a vibrational family of our types all over the planet - one or two here; one or two there (it all adds up).
Good luck to you sir, and thank you for your connection to me (which also means, my connection to you - because it's all the same thing). My e mail address is abraxton@wesleyan.edu , and should you ever come to visit the good ole USA, please send me a message and maybe we'll come together for a lunch/brunch/flunch or dinner or something. Please know that I value your work - in every way; and I have gone through all of the entries (several times even). You are a music guy in every way, and you bring a deep insight and penetration into the art of music scholarship and sonic wonder.
Music, friendship and respect to you Mr. Centrifuge, and have a good weekend sir.
Anthony Braxton
i am in shock :-O
doubtless anyone who's reading can guess that the above is more valuable to me than words can express - at the moment i'm not even going to try! mr braxton - thank you very much indeed for sharing your thoughts here, and of course for all your kind words.
now (all) please excuse me if it takes me a while to get over the shock...
I' m also a big fan of Braxton. Great blogspot. If you like check the www.yannislivadas.blogspot.com
Best always,
Yannis Livadas /Poet / Athens / Greece
Centrifuge
It is unlikely you receive enough feedback on your blog, but I want to say that it's not going unnoticed. I have been a religious reader since you started from c#9, and as an avid collector of Braxton's music (150+ recordings), your blog has been invaluable to helping me penetrate and appreciate the man's music. It will take a lifetime.
Not wanting to sound like I'm gushing - but thanks and keep up the good work. There are those of us truly enjoying it.
-RN
He's one of these people with a broad spirit of generosity; I've met more than one in the world of jazz/improv.
I got that impression when he signalled his approval of a bunch of Oxford musicians called 'The locals' doing slightly funky (albeit predominantly acoustic) versions of his music.
They made it to the Nickelsdorf festival last year or the year before.
Oh yes, I appreciate the solo from Reggio Emilia too. Was he changing horns during those verbal interludes? I thought I heard some kind of soprano, then maybe alto in F, then the standard E flat alto.
Why couldn't we have had solo spots from all 4 musicians in London last July, instead of that embarrassing shite as opener?
wow... four comments in 24hrs?! my cup runneth over ;-)
yannis: thanks for dropping in. i have checked your blog this morning, but alas i don't read greek :( - good luck, anyway!
roches noires: thanks for your support! it is much appreciated... and please do feel free to volunteer your own thoughts on any of the recordings discussed, or on anything else... (your braxton collection is bigger than mine, then! of course i'm always looking to add to mine, and it continues to grow...)
ubu xxiii: hmm, yes, anything would've been better (london opener) than what we got, really... i do hope that none of the headliners had to sit through the warm-up.
not sure about the horns; but as far as i know the f-alto was stolen in transit in 2005 and never replaced (depressing isn't it...), so i doubt it was that one.
the locals - yes, that's pat thomas and alex ward isn't it, they did indeed play nickelsdorf in 2006, and highlights of the set were played on jazz on 3 last year. having only heard those two numbers, i can but repeat what i said at the time (on the bored): that it's wonderful to think of a group playing a repertoire consisting entirely of braxton compositions, but i really wasn't sure about the way they went about it (on that occasion at least). the "funky" backing - i.e. static grooves on the drums, bass and guitar while the two leaders went mad over the top - didn't really seem to do anything for the music... but i would be interested in hearing a full set from these guys sometime!
|``¬\` _-
this is a reply to UBU XXIII....
Ubu, man, I asked mr improv what horn Braxy plays at the start of that solo, & he replied thus>>>>
"I think he switches between sopranino and alto
Or maybe even plays soprano cos he was playing that in italy
I will listen again and try to define it
I can sometimes mistake his soprano for soprannino
But I can usually tell alto alright
I’m fairly positive he switched on that solo
But not at the gig the night before"
<<<< end quote.
yep.
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nice one, thanks both {beer}
well, centrifuge - proof that your blog is getting attention! and a just reward for all your hard work here. I must say, I find it hard to find the time to check out every post, but at least the people who matter are, in fact, doing so! keep up the good work.
cheers david :)
jeez mr braxton has spoken to us
this is a beautifull message
and along side the music
mr braxton causes me to believe
this world is ok to go on being in
for the time being after all
i will listen to the reggio thing
and check my memory against my ears
sweep man, i understand you might not wanna use those short stories/
reviews i sent you so maybe
send em here??????
cripes yes i am overwhelmed
to be hearing in this way from
mr braxton, cent man you is
one beautiful cat and mr braxton
thinks so too, so how good is that?
big love to you all innit
mr improv
Hi mr imporv, far, from it, I defintely want to use the cecil/braxton stuff. It's just that I'm pretty busy at the moment and still in the process of getting everything fully arranged. It's going to be done as an e-zine, so when I finally get it finished I'll put it up somewhere (as a PDF probably), and then the link can be posted here.
hello mr improv! welcome... i feel honoured for the second time in a few days - i've never yet seen you leave a comment ;-) (here or anywhere!)
yes indeed, never could i have imagined such a thing, it's a great honour and i will do my very best to live up to it.
as regards the writing - david, this includes you too i think! - as i said to kk i'd be very interested to read it. if david is going to publish it soon anyway, i'm happy to wait and read it there, but if there's likely to be a a longer wait then sure, please feel free to mail me, braxtonhead@gmail.com
we can all figure it out, one way or another... i'm sure :)
um, centrifuge ? i wish you all the best in the world, but feel compelled here to strongly suggest to you that (unfortunately), the comment above is NOT from A Braxton. I would love to be proven wrong - but this just FEELS wrong... i think maybe someone knows you quite well and enjoys er "a joke". (Read it again?) If it were me, I'd delete all comments on this page
Sorry to be so negative .
Like i said, I'd love to be wrong - but......
what, you think i only read it once?
anon, there's not really any doubt about the authenticity of the prof's gracious comment... i must confess on the other hand to having entertained doubts about the authenticity of your good wishes.
in any case you aren't me, and the comments will stand - including yours.
congratulations on your newly expanded readership mr. centrifuge!
it just goes to show that there really are some thoroughly good human beings in this music, great stuff
massimo - cheers :)
"there really are some thoroughly good human beings in this music" - did we ever doubt that? i think that may be one of the things which keeps (some of) us coming to it..?
"did we ever doubt that?"
No, I suppose not, but it's always good to see it affirmed!
i shan't disagree with you there :)
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