Manafonistas

on life, music etc beyond mainstream

cannot say how much i love the EXPOSURES boxset by Mr. Fripp circling the years between 1977 and 1983. Frippertronics, Exposure in four editions, Surround, Stereo, and, well well well, God Save The Queen / Under Heavy Manners in toto, with never released tracks is one of the best surround experiences I ever had. Don‘t hesitate to enter Fripp‘s world on our blogroll.

And, in regards to my number two: Steve Tibbetts‘ oeuvre is criminally undersung. For its openness to distant horizons, its exploration of studio technology’s imaginative potential, its instrumental facility and sheer beauty, Tibbetts‘ music deserves much wider recognition. That said, no guitarist got more airplay on my Klanghorizonte nights between 1990 and 2021.

 

 

 

And, well, well, I imagine a listener who is adventurous and never before has encountered the music of Meredith Monk. Shangrila might be waiting for him. For this unknown reader I put Meredith‘s ECM box on Number 3. I never stopped returning (from time to time) to albums like Do You Be, Dolmen Music, Book Of Days and and and. Lifers!  Here‘s something about Meredith, Ingo‘s film.

 

Nothing is complete. Life a history of holes anyways. Thank you, and dance.

 

  1. Robert Fripp: Exposures Boxset
  2. Steve Tibbetts: Hellbound Train
  3. Meredith Monk: The Recordings
  4. Grounation: The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari
  5. Julie Tippetts: Sunset Glow
  6. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Toast
  7. The Beatles: Revolver (2-cd-set)
  8. Kevin Rowland’s Dexy Midnight Runners: Too Rye Ay*
  9. Brötzmann & Bennink: Schwarzwaldfahrt**
  10. XTC: Mummer (vinyl edition, 2022)
  11. Sun Ra: The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra 
  12. Branko Mataja: Over Fields And Mountains***
  13. Jonathan Richman: Modern Lovers 88
  14. Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto: Insen
  15. Various: United Dreadlocks Vol. 1 & 2
  16. Beverley‘s Rocksteady: In A Rocking Mood (1966-1968)
  17. Norma  Tanega: I‘m In The Sky****
  18. Albert Ayler: The 1970 Fondations Maeght Recordings
  19. David Blue: Stories
  20. Mavis Staples & Levon Helm: Carry Me Home

 

 

* „Let’s make this precious! Having twice before revisited Don’t Stand Me Down, Kevin Rowland now presided over a “director’s cut” of Dexys’ 1982 opus. Rowland’s plan, it transpired, was to reframe specific moments – backing vocals brought down an octave, a female speaking role replaced by Rowland, a trombone instead of a pennywhistle – as well as a general clean-up that added warmth and intimacy to their creator’s Celtic soul vision.“ (Uncut)

** a classic of FMP Records in the 70‘s, now wonderfully put together again, from the Viennese label for free music, TROST RECIRDS: the music, a book with a lot of unseen photos from that legendary trip to the Black Forest, and an insightful essay by David Keenan. i will probably celebrate this re-discovery and extended edition in my JazzFacts Magazine on January 12, 2023.

*** „Born in 1923, this Yugoslavian guitarist and luthier ended up in Hollywood, where he built guitars and recorded his own versions of the folk songs of his childhood land, unheralded as an artist in his lifetime. This first compilation of his wildly inventive work, however, revealed it to be strikingly ahead of its time, with the likes of “Duboko Je More” delaydrenched instrumentals that deserve to stand alongside the work of Eno, Lee Perry and Vini Reilly.“ (Uncut, thx for letting me discover this! – Steve T., you should listen to this one😉 – the last comparison is slightly over the top, but fascinating it definitely is. m.e.)

**** It’s been rewarding to observe, over the past half decade, blossoming interest in the songs and life of Norma Tanega. Her body of work was slight – two solo albums, plus a third, unreleased – but as this anthology confirmed, there was a lot there: an elliptical writer, with songs that mosey and meander, her tenderness and grasp of melody was nonetheless effortless. (Uncut quote  again, and every word is true)

 

This entry was posted on Samstag, 19. November 2022 and is filed under "Blog". You can follow any responses to this entry with RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

5 Comments

  1. Norbert Ennen:

    Reissues & Archivals

    David Sylvian: Blemish

    Gnawa Music Of Marakesch: Night Spirit Masters

    Tia Blake: Folk Songs & Ballads

    Jonathan Richman: Modern Lovers 88
    Broadcast: Maida Vale Sessions
    Julie Tippets: Sunset Glow

    Count Ossie: Grounation

    Sun Ra: The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra

    Dennis Bovell: The Dubmaster

    Augustus Pablo: Thunder & Lightning

    Alice Coltrane: Ptah The El Daoud

    Compilations

    V. A.: Ghost Riders (Efficient Space) (Moody Psych Folk and the best version of Here There And Everywhere ever)

  2. Susanne L.:

    Wie immer eine Fundgrube für Inspirationen, Micha!

    Die Modern Lovers 88 sind sowas wunderbar, wie fast immer….

    Steve Tibbetts, da mussten wir zulangen, und haben jetzt auch Life Of. Grandiose Musik!

  3. Olaf Westfeld:

    Beide Listen sind sehr inspirierend und den feinen Meredith Monk Film habe ich mir bei der Gelegenheit gleich ein 2. Mal angeschaut. Warum ich mir das Grounation Album nicht gekauft habe, weiß ich aber nicht… na ja, noch nicht.

  4. Kerstin Kilanowski (SWR):

    Meredith Monk: Sängerin, Tänzerin, Filmemacherin, Choreographin und Komponistin

    „Ich saß am Klavier mit meiner normalen westlich-europäischen Gesangstechnik. Eines Tages kam mir die Erkenntnis, dass die Stimme wie ein Instrument ist. Dass ich mit der Stimme genauso wie mit meinem Körper arbeiten kann, mit meiner eigenen Art von Choreographie. Dass es Männliches und Weibliches in der Stimme gibt, Tiere, Pflanzen, Mineralien, Landschaften – Gefühle, für die wir keine Worte haben. Ich war mir der uralten Kraft der Stimme sehr bewusst.“

    https://www.swr.de/swr2/musik-klassik/meredith-monk-tanzende-stimme-singender-koerper-swr2-thema-musik-2022-11-23-100.html

    Der SWR lässt – anders als der DLF – auch die längeren
    Musikfeatures eine Weile im Netz.

  5. Michael Engelbrecht:

    @ Kerstin K.: danke für den Link!


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