::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
  ::                                                              ::
  ::                     - WHAT'S RATTLIN'? -                     ::
  ::     The Weekly (or so) Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts   ::
  ::                         Issue # 178                          ::
  ::                   Thursday, March 8th, 2001                  ::
  ::                                                              ::
  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          A SPECIAL FEATURE
                     ON THE NEW CARAVAN REISSUES


Opportunities to discover over two hours of unreleased top-quality material by one of your favourite bands are very rare, but this is what has just happened with Decca/Universal Music's Caravan reissue programme. February 26th saw the release of 6 CDs, which cover the entire output of the band on Decca/Deram between 1970-75. In addition to remastered album material, each CD contains a wealth of bonus material which is detailed below. For this we have to thank in particular Mark Powell, mastermind of this project and author of the extensive booklet liner notes, as well as remix engineers Paschal Byrne and Julian Hastings (son of Pye). In the second part of this feature, Mark tells us more on how this all came to fruition, and what else we can expect of future Deram reissues.

               THE BONUS MATERIAL - DETAILED REVIEW

IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I'D DO IT ALL OVER YOU (1970)

* A Day In The Life Of Maurice Haylett (5:40)

This outtake from the If I Could sessions was already included on the Where But For Caravan Would I compilation issued last summer, but reappears here as it should have, since it is a song that largely deserves to be heard in conjunction with the album. If I Could... was quite a long album for this time period, and there was no room left to include it. Why it was never used until now remains something of a mystery, apart from the fact that everyone seemed to have forgotten about its very existence. Apparently there was no shortage of material during this period, and unlike later outtakes, most of which surfaced on subsequent albums, this didn't. A Day... is very typical of early 70s Caravan, in that it starts very quietly and then builds into something much bigger, culminating with a classic Sinclair organ solo. Excellent stuff.

* Why? (demo version of And I Wish I Were Stoned) (4:22)
* Clipping The 8th (demo version of Hello Hello) (3:13)
* As I Feel I Die (demo version) (4:39)

These are pro-quality studio demos dating from the period between the first and second Caravan albums, at at time when the band was without a label and self-financed recordings of then-new material with a view to getting a new contract. These versions are very similar to those which appeared on the finished album, just a bit less polished, especially in the vocal department. And I Wish... has Pye singing lead all the way through, rather than Richard. Understandable since this is his song, but with the lack of any songs by Richard on the album, it was later decided that he should perform the lead vocal (in contrast, the demo of Hello Hello, yet another Hastings song, already has him singing lead).

IN THE LAND OF GREY AND PINK (1971)

* I Don't Know Its Name (alias The Word) (6:12)

One of this set of reissues' most enjoyable revelations - a totally unknown Caravan song written and sung by Richard Sinclair. Being quite similar in structure to Winter Wine, and not a major departure from Caravan's style at the time, it's understandable why it was left off the album, although on the other hand it's a minor tragedy that it has remained unheard until now. Classic Caravan, and along with A Day In The Life Of Maurice Haylett, one of the two major album outtakes from the original line-up.

* Aristocracy (3:42)

This is one of Pye Hastings' shorter songs on the subsequent album Waterloo Lily, heard here performed a year earlier with Dave Sinclair still in the line-up. The arrangement is quite similar apart from the obvious difference in keyboard instrumentation, but the overall performance, vocal and instrumental, is less assured than on the WL version, as exemplified by the final collapse.

* It's Likely To Have A Name Next Week (instrumental demo of Winter Wine) (7:48)

While not as fantastic as the released version (especially in the organ department - Dave's solo on it seemed to capture the very best of hundreds of improvisations, which is not the feeling you get here), this is interesting since it featured Richard humming the tune rather than singing the lyrics, which were penned some time later. The opening section is totally different to its final incarnation, but other than that the structure of Winter Wine is already in place, only waiting for the extra touch of Caravan perfection to become the classic it remains to this day.

* Group Girl (first version of Golf Girl with slightly different lyrics) (5:04)

Very similar to the final version, with the exception of the wind instruments (John Beecham's trombone on the intro - who remains uncredited for his performance except for the Canterbury Tales compilation which restored his credit - and Jimmy Hastings' flute and piccolo) and some early lyrics that were later considered too personal and abandoned in favour of a more 'universal' story (of the "Pat" in the song, Richard sings that she "became a Missus", and that they "had a son... called Jason"). An interesting alternate take, in much the same way as a lot of the stuff on the Beatles' "Anthology" series.

* Disassociation / 100% Proof (new mix) (8:35)

This is an attempt to illustrate the amount of instrumental contributions committed to tape during the sessions for Nine Feet Underground, the final result being assembled from countless different takes in order to create the best possible performance (an easy process nowadays with the computer technology, an unbelievable mess of master tape thirty years back!!). Even Richard Sinclair's vocals are slightly different, with a couple of minor changes in the lyrics. The most obvious addition in the final jamming section is an energetic guitar solo by Pye, which is fine but certainly not up to the level of Dave's organ solos, but still an interesting alternative to the version we know so well.

WATERLOO LILY (1972)

* Pye's June Thing (2:57)
* Ferdinand (2:57)

These two solo voice/guitar performances by Pye Hastings date from the last days of the original line-up, in early June 1971. Pye's songs from this period have a certain charm that is particularly in evidence on these stripped down (except for some lead acoustic guitar overdubs), acoustic takes. Very much in the style of The World Is Yours or Aristocracy, and equally attractive.

* Looking Left, Looking Right (5:37)

An outtake from the early sessions for Waterloo Lily, in November 1971, with Steve Miller's unique electric piano playing well to the fore. The song itself, written by Pye Hastings, I find more typical of late-period Caravan (it especially brought to my mind Make Yourself At Home from The Album), with a slightly funk-rock feel and bluesy structure. It is also notable for a guest appearance by trumpet player Mike Cotton, who also plays on part of The Love In Your Eye. Not an unforgettable classic but certainly a complete song that fully belongs with the rest of the album.

* Pye's Loop (1:21)

Actually segued to the previous track at the mastering stage, this is a riff from Looking Left used as the background for a trumpet solo by Cotton which makes use of the delay pedal in the manner of some of Miles Davis' work from that era. Nice.

FOR GIRLS WHO GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHT (1973)

* Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss (US Mix) (9:18)

The US single of the duo of songs that still opens Caravan's shows to this day, has a significantly different mix to the original. No alternate solos or vocal takes, but a different focus on the wealth of instrumental layers committed to tape - especially on Memory Lain, Hugh, in which Jimmy Hastings floating flute solo is heard better than ever before.

* No! / Waffle (aka Be Alright / Chance Of A Lifetime) (5:10)
* He Who Smelt It Dealt It (aka Memory Lain, Hugh) (4:43)
* Surprise, Surprise (3:15)
* Derek's Long Thing (11:00)

Possibly the most exciting stuff to appear in this series!!

These four tracks amount to about 25 minutes of material recorded by the previously unheard line-up of Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, Geoff Richardson, Derek Austin and Stuart Evans, which existed between August 1972 and February 1973. These tapes were the original sessions for what was to eventually become the "For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night" album, and were recorded at Chipping Norton Studios between December 1972 and January 1973. That line-up disintegrated following a tour of Australia and New Zealand, and the album was started again with John G. Perry and David Sinclair.

Apart from the one totally unreleased piece, these early versions are sometimes significantly different (Memory Lain... is noticeably slower than the known version), especially so since these recordings are instrumental - with the exception of a wordless vocal by Pye Hastings, singing the melody line on Surprise, Surprise. Overall, I'd say these recordings are a welcome rehabilitation of a line-up that, in this writer's eyes, had every right to call itself Caravan. In the liner notes, Pye Hastings is quoted as saying that he didn't think Derek Austin's compositions, of which Derek's Long Thing is a prime example, was Caravan music, nor was his organ playing. This is probably true to the extent that Caravan can't really be Caravan without Dave Sinclair, but other than that, this long instrumental epic is Caravan at the peak of its prowess - Richardson and Austin's solos are excellent, and the general atmosphere of quiet, elegant jamming is a classic example of the band at its prime. Let's note that, while this is the same piece, this is not the same recording as Austin Cambridge on the Canterburied Sounds series, which was probably a (good) rehearsal tape. This version is slightly shorter, sometimes different, and has top-notch sound quality.

CARAVAN & THE NEW SYMPHONIA - THE COMPLETE CONCERT (1973)

One of the major achievements of this series, and a dream come true for a lot of Caravan fans - the complete concert with the New Symphonia. In truth, the extra 'symphonic' material is limited to the encore, A Hunting We Shall Go, which many in attendance that night said was the peak of the evening. And it is indeed a superb piece, although not a major departure from the album version.

The 'original' album is of course included, but with the original order in which the songs were performed at last restored, and the between-songs 'banter' included as well. This part of the CD has only been remastered, not newly remixed as the rest, but the mixing engineers at the time did a fine job and it sounds really great.

Those present at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane that night will remember that Caravan began their performance with a 'solo' set, without the orchestra. This 20-minute section has been mixed from the original tapes, as for A Hunting We Shall Go, and it is quite typical of Caravan's concerts from that period (setlist: Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss, The Dog The Dog He's At It Again & Hoedown). It's the first release of (non-orchestral) live material featuring what Pye Hastings has described repeatedly as the best performing line-up Caravan ever had in its career.

The CD clocks in at 78:20 - enough extra stuff to justify buying this album again if you already had the original CD reissue (I didn't - seems it's been out of print for years).

CUNNING STUNTS (1975)

* Stuck In A Hole (single version) (3:11)

Well, this is longer than the album version by 3 seconds, but I personally can't tell the difference. For completists only.

* Keeping Back My Love (5:15)

This one sounds vaguely familiar... doesn't it? In fact this is an early version of Behind You from Better By Far, with completely different lyrics. This is an outtake from the early sessions for Cunning Stunts, in August 1974, so it has David Sinclair and Mike Wedgwood on keyboards and bass respectively, rather than Jan Schelhaas and Dek Messecar, but other than that the performance is largely similar (an exception being the synth solos, played here by Richardson on viola and, later in the track, Sinclair on organ). All in all, an extreme example of how Caravan songs are first and foremost tunes, with lyrics often an afterthought - or a set of words that can later be dropped altogether in favour of something else.

* For Richard (live at Fairfield Hall 1974) (18:33)

Fans of The Best Of Caravan Live, rejoice - this is the best you can expect at this time as far as a CD reissue of this album is concerned. The legal situation surrounding this double-LP, a French-only release from 1980, is quite complex (although I understand there is hope for an eventual reissue), but this excerpt, which had appeared some four years earlier on the original Canterbury Tales compilation, is free for Decca to use and appears here in pristine digital sound quality. This concert, one of the first played with Mike Wedgwood in the line-up, arguably captures Caravan at its peak, so let's hope the remainder follows... The spoken introduction by Geoff is quite hilarious.

                     AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK POWELL

Q: Was this reissue project, in the form it has eventually taken, your idea or Decca/Universal's? Were you instrumental in making it more ambitious?

A: It was always my intention to find all unreleased Caravan material in the Decca archives and Andy Street at Universal music was also of the opinion that bonus tracks make for a better product. When I discovered the wealth of unreleased Caravan material on multi-track tape I persuaded Universal to allow the remixing of it by Pye Hasting's son Julian. It's to Universal's credit that they allowed such time and expense to be incurred on a back catalogue project.

Q: Was it a particular thrill to be able to enter the vaults of Decca and look for (& find quite a lot of) unreleased stuff? Was it hard work or are their archives well sorted?

A: I've been a Caravan fan for nearly seventeen years and it was a pleasure to listen to all the multi-tracks in search of any lost gems. On the whole, Decca's tape library was well indexed, but in some cases (ie. "Maurice  Haylett"), the song wasn't listed on the tape box and wasn't on any index cards. Pye and I discovered it by accident when we listened to the outtakes from "If I Could Do It All Over Again..." and left the tape running. On closer examination, Maurice Haylett was credited as a backing singer on the sessions, obviously a mistake by Robin Sylvester, the engineer of the sessions! After that I called up all the album multi-track masters and found other unreleased and uncredited songs such as "Keeping Back My Love". Archives are only as good as details written down by producers and engineers!

Q: Can you briefly describe the phases of the project, which took about a year to come to fruition, and your involvement in them?

A: I got involved with the project when I asked Universal on behalf of the band what they were planning to do with the Caravan back catalogue. From there I had a meeting with them and they asked me to work on the project as they preferred to have the involvement of the band.

Pye and I first listened to the initial unearthed material in February 2000, but the reissues were delayed due to the decision being taken to release an Anthology first. Then after more investigation I unearthed the surviving masters for the "New Symphonia" concert, something I'd been hoping to find all along. I have to thank the dedication of both Paschal and Jayne Byrne of the Audio Archiving company in London for their dedication to this project. Paschal was a Decca engineer and his expertise was invaluable in restoring recordings that were showing signs of wear and tear and he was responsible for the remastering of each CD. Jayne was Decca's tape librarian for many years and was able to point me in the right direction when it came to sourcing tapes. I'm very pleased with the comments I've had from Caravan afficianados and I really appreciate your kind comments on the CDs. It makes all the time, effort and hard work all worthwhile. Let's hope they sell well and raise Caravan's profile, which hopefully thanks to your Calyx website and WR they will!

Q: Can you update on the other upcoming reissue projects, such as the Egg and Khan albums? I think a lot of people in particular are desperate to get CD reissues of Egg's "Polite Force", which only ever came out on CD in Japan...

A: I'm in discussions with Dave Stewart about adding extra bonus material to each CD that is outside of Decca's contract. The albums will be released as soon as clearance can be sorted for this material. Dave is also keen to get involved in the same way Pye Hastings did with the Caravan CDs. After much searching in tape libraries in Germany, UK and the USA, the original Stereo master for the first Caravan album has been located. The CD will feature both stereo and mono versions and possibly the single mixes of "Place of My Own" and "Ride". This will be the first time that the original master has been used for a CD release of this album as the one used for the HTD CD was a 15ips copy and not of good quality which is one of the reasons we used the original Mono master on the anthology last year - a June release is pencilled in for that. I'm also working on a 4 CD boxed set which will cover Decca's "Underground" years from 1967-1974 and will include tracks by Caravan, Camel, Egg, Khan, Keef Hartley Band, Moody Blues, Ten Years After, Curved Air,  Darryl Way's Wolf, Pete Brown, Aardvark, The End, Thin Lizzy, Savoy Brown, Trapeze, T2, Human Beast and many others. That's nearly sorted legally and will probably be released in the Summer. In addition, the Camel back catalogue is also being looked at for revamping in the same way as Caravan's.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Kenneth Egbert" <invizzigoth@earthlink.net>
Subject: Phil Miller's IN CAHOOTS web site
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 17:33:25 -0500

Hello, Aymeric:

You have probably already put this in the next CALYX Newsletter, but just in case not, Phil Miller's web site is now up:

http://www.philmiller-incahoots.co.uk

and it features a wonderful bunch of photos and historical data and other bits (including an interview with Phil from TONE CLUSTERS Issue 64 we did in 1996 to celebrate the release of PARALLEL).

The site is great ful and (truth in advertising) we would recommend it even if the interview wasn't on it.

Oh, by the way, the brand new In Cahoots CD, OUT OF THE BLUE, is another dandy one, but no one was overly surprised to hear that, I don't think.

All for now, and regards to all Rattlers.

Ken Egbert
Publisher, TONE CLUSTERS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Age Rotshuizen <age@cable.a2000.nl>
Subject: New Soft Machine compilation
Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 13:00:28 +0100

Hello there,

Mooncrest Records just released a 2CD Soft Machine Anthology comprising the years 1963-1970: Man in a Deaf Corner. Most material is available elsewhere: tracks 1 & 3-6 have been released on the Canterburied Sounds CDs Vol. 1-4; track 2 on the Daevid Allen Trio CD - Live 1963. Tracks 10-19 are from the Live in Paradiso CD; tracks 20-21 from the Live 1970 CD.

The interesting stuff is tracks 7-9 & track 22-26.

We Know What You Mean & I Should've Known are listed as from 1967 with Daevid Allen still in the band. These are not the infamous VPRO Dutch TV Hoepla recordings. Hope For Happiness is also from 1967 but without Allen. Sound quality is awful, but for those who'd like to have some live recordings from this period, this is a good start, 'cause the music is beautiful (or, well, at least has its great moments).

Tracks 22-25 are from a concert in Fairfield Halls Croydon (26/4/1970), but not from the same concert (in the same venue) as can be found on Noisette (4/1/1970). These recordings feature the classic quartet line-up of Dean, Ratledge, Hopper and Wyatt.

As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still is a brand new recording by Hopper (bass), Jakszyk (guit/voc), Stewart (keys), Brooks (drums) & Gary Barnacle (sax/flute). Very close to the original, but nonetheless completely different, mainly due to Jakko Jakszyk's vocals.

It's nearly impossible to find out when and where most of this stuff was recorded, but I suspect there will be more available as soon as Voiceprint releases a CD called "Middle Earth". FYI, I don't think this CD has been released yet, alhough I saw it listed at some online CD-stores.

BR,

Age

Tracks Man in a Deaf Corner (Mooncrest CRESTDCD 026):

Disc 1 :
1 Belsize Parked
2 Dear Olde Benny Green Is A Turning In His Grave
3 Frenetica
4 Orientasian
5 Bolivar Blues
6 Man In A Deaf Corner
7 We Know What You Mean
8 I Should've Known
9 Hope For Happiness

Disc 2 :
10 Hulloder
11 Dada Was Here
12 Thank You Pierrot Lunaire
13 Have You Ever Bean Green?
14 Pataphysical Introduction Part 11
15 Hibou Anemone And Bear
16 Pig
17 Orange Skin Food
18 A Door Opens And Closes
19 10.30 Returns To The Bedroom
20 Face Lift
21 Moon In June
22 Mouse Trap
23 Noisette
24 Backwards
25 Mouse Trap (Reprise)
26 As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still

Tracks Middle Earth (Voiceprint VP231):

1 Love Makes Sweet Music / Soft Machine
2 Feelin Reelin Squeelin / Soft Machine
3 I Should've Known / Soft Machine
4 Clarence In Wonderland / Soft Machine
5 We Know What You Mean / Soft Machine
6 Hope For Happiness / Soft Machine
7 Certain Kind / Soft Machine
8 She's Gone / Soft Machine
9 Save Yourself / Soft Machine
10 Lullabye Letter / Soft Machine
11 Hope For Happiness / Soft Machine

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Albert Bergemont <Albert_Bergemont@maximhq.com>
Subject: Great Winds
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 14:36:53 -0800

GREAT WINDS, A division of MUSEA Records
Executive Producer: Albert_Bergemont @ maximhq.com
Albert Bergemont
4145 Byron Street
Palo Alto, CA 94306

Musea Records is pleased to introduce a new jazz & experimental sublabel "Great Winds". This label will mainly concentrate releases and reissues from the French and British jazz scene, as well as world music.

Already out:

* FATON Cahen's (ex-Zao/Magma) "Great Winds"  

With Miroslav Vitous (ex-Weather Report), drummer Jack DeJohnette and Michel Seguin ( percussions) gave the name to the label. A world of improvised music at the crossroads of African, European and American sounds.

* FATON "Calme dans les etoiles"

In 1999, FATON recorded "Calme dans les Etoiles" (Calm in the stars), a
piano solo album, bringing to mind both Keith JARRETT's "Koln Concert" album and the dreamy melodies of Erik Satie. The magic of this music will obviously enchant a diverse audience; an album to find dream and calm along beautiful melodies full of subtlety and nuances. This CD is also accompanied with a beautiful booklet from the famous painter/cartoonist MOEBIUS, including 13 original illustrations.

* FATON "la fievre monte"

The latest album from Francois "FATON" CAHEN, entitled "La Fievre Monte"
(Fever rising) is a 1999 live recording at the famous Jacky Barbier's club "A l'Ouest de la Grosne". With Thierry Golson on bass, Charly Doll on percussion, Olivier Bonny on drums and Nicolas Krassik on violin, FATON enchant with the magic of some of the melodies from his previous solo album "Calme dans les etoiles" (Calm in the stars). After "Calme" which was an invitation to calm and dream, now an invitation to joy and dance...

* Doudou Gouirand "Forgotten tales"

Doudou Gouirand started seriously in jazz music when the great trumpet player and composer Don Cherry gave him the opportunity to study and work with him. At his contact, he developed an interest in Indian and African music and world music in general and go further in the realms of improvised music. In 1986 he recorded "Forgotten Tales", again featuring
Don Cherry. The "World music suite" brings to mind gospel (on the introduction inspired by Coltrane's "Welcome"), orient (with the accordeon of Salis), South America (with the voice of Gouirand), Middle East (with the trumpet of Cherry), all this punctuated by the sensibility and lyrics of Gouirand on soprano and the magnificent guitars of  Pansanel and Dorge. The rest of the album is equally outstanding : fragile melodies on "Saga", romance on "Shade of blue", Latin feelings on "El Golea", not forgetting the intensity and mystery on "Forgotten tales suite"

Orders through Web Site @ http://www.id-net.fr/musea  

Future CDs
* MICHEL MARRE " Mendelo" (March 2001)
* UPSALLA (April 2001)        
* CHRIS MacGREGOR BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH "Country Cooking" (May 2001)
* EQUIPE OUT "LIVE A L'OUEST DE LA GROSNE" (July 2001)    
* JOHN GREAVES "LIVE A L'OUEST DE LA GROSNE" (August 2001)

GREAT WINDS , A division of MUSEA Records
Executive Producer : Albert_Bergemont@maximhq.com
Tel 650 8131137

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Gary Davis <artshop@artist-shop.com>
Subject: Canterbury releases
Date: Sat, 03 Mar 2001 13:06:00 -0500

Hi, folks:

The latest Artist Shop newsletter is out and you'll find it in its entirety at <http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm>. Meanwhile, here are some excerpts for Canterbury fans!

Available now from Phil Miller's Crescent Discs
<http://www.artist-shop.com/crescent>

Phil Miller and In Cahoots/Out of the Blue
Brand new album from Phil Miller and In Cahoots!  Phil Miller played in Delivery along with his brother Steve and Pip Pyle. The band relied heavily on the blues as its starting point and their album 'A Fools Meeting' was recently re-released by Cuneiform Records. After Delivery Phil played in Matching Mole with Robert Wyatt, and joined Canterbury legends Hatfield And The North with Dave Stewart and later joined the band In Cahoots. 'Out Of The Blue' was written by Phil during the period when his brother Steve Miller became ill with the cancer which eventually killed him. This album in many ways is a tribute to Steve and is dedicated to his memory. With a brilliant lineup of Phil Miller (guitar, synth guitar), Fred Baker (fretless bass guitar), Elton Dean of Soft Machine and In Cahoots (alto sax, saxello), Peter Lemer of In Cahoots (keyboards), Jim Dvorak (trumpet), and Pip Pyle of Gong and Hatfield And The North (drums) and Doug Boyle (guitar), this album is sensational. This is also Phil's first venture into Blues for 30 years but it also carries the natural development that the band has been following over the past few years.
soundbite - <http://www.artist-shop.com/crescent/blue.ram>

Coming soon on our Discipline page <http://www.artist-shop.com/discipln>

Bill Bruford's Earthworks/The Sound of Surprise
Bill Bruford's Earthworks/The Sound of Surprise +1 (Japanese)
Following a gruelling, profitable, well organised and frequently hilarious 18 date tour of the UK, covering, remarkably, some 3000 miles, Bill took the band into Livingston Studios in London for four days to record " The Sound of Surprise". With essentially the same team as recorded "A Part and yet Apart", the new CD has nine full-blooded tracks of hard-hitting acoustic jazz weighing in at some 63 minutes, and represents the fruit of some 9 months focussed endeavour, with work starting on the writing in January 2000.

The Japanese release will also have an extra bonus track, as appears to be the custom, and at time of writing it is proposed that this enhanced CD will also include footage of the band live in concert.

Available now from Cuneiform <http://www.artist-shop.com/cuniform>
(note - full length tracks from these releases can be heard at Artist Shop Radio!)

National Health/Playtime
Although the lineup of Alan Gowen, John Greaves, Phil Miller and Pip Pyle were together longer than any other version of National Health, there has been no recorded evidence until now. Recorded at two concerts in 1979 - including one show that features the addition of guest guitarist Alain Eckert (Art Zoyd) - the majority of this CD freatures compositions never before heard from National Health. With previously unpublished photos and a history of this final period of the band, written by noted 'Canterbury' expert Aymeric Leroy.
soundbite - <http://www.artist-shop.com/cuniform/playtime.ram>

Elton Dean/Moorsong
This British jazz saxophone legend first came to prominence as a member of Soft Machine. A unique voice on alto sax and saxello, he is a pioneer in the 'Brit-jazz' realm and has appeared as a leader or featured side man on dozens of albums. Joining him on this introspective and melodic venture are his fellow In Cahoots member bassist Fred Baker, drummer Liam Genockey, guitarist Mark Hewins, Alex Maguire on Hammond organ, and percussionist Mark Sanders.
soundbite - <http://www.artist-shop.com/cuniform/moorsong.ram>

Available now from Kit Watkins <http://www.artist-shop.com/linden>

Kit Watkins/Rolling Curve
Rolling Curve is Kit Watkins' release for 2001 as he jumps headlong into the world of ambient music with the help of such friends as Steve Roach and Brad Allen.  This special release also contains multi-media material and mp3's of all tracks.
soundbite - <http://www.artist-shop.com/linden/curve.ram>

Kit Watkins/Beauty Drifting
Beauty Drifting was Kit's release for 1996 now newly remastered for 2001! This is a collection of contemplative piano works, generally mellow in flavor, but ranging from dark to light. Superb music, suberb artwork, superb release! This one is really outstanding, I love the acoustic piano and the VL1 parts. ... I'm struck by perfect balance of all elements: notes, space, tone color, and ambience. Please continue to rain these stunning works of art down upon us from your mountaintop in Virginia! -- John A. Trevethan, Antarctica Media
soundbite - <http://www.artist-shop.com/linden/drifting.ram>

Coming soon and listed on our Camel page <http://www.artist-shop.com/camel>

CAMEL-SNOW GOOSE   (Japanese with mini-LP sleeve)
CAMEL-MOONMADNESS  (Japanese with mini-LP sleeve)
Japanese reissues of Camel's classic 1975 and 1976 albums originally released on Deram. Packaged in a miniature LP sleeve, these CD's are scheduled for a late March/early April release. Be advised that other such releases in the past have been limited to the first run only! As such they become collector's items as soon as they're released. The down side to that is that they also tend to disappear shortly after they're released as well. The best strategy is to pre-order these so you're guaranteed to get yours when they're released!

Coming soon from Voiceprint <http://www.artist-shop.com/voiceprt>

Keith Tippett/Blueprint
Keith Tippetts 1972 album "Blueprint" is a complete contrast to the big band explosion of the highly acclaimed Centipede which was his previous release. Blueprint is a small chamber piece hovering somewhere between music and silence. Although the initial calm of the album is baffling, Tippett and the other musicians take a microscope to music examining the details to be found in the small inner worlds which exist between the notes and the players and the listener. If Centipede's "Septober Energy" was principally Keith Tippett's vision of what a Jazz orchestra might achieve then the key to Blueprint lies in its democratic, collective view of playing. Tippett, with bassist Roy Babbington, drummer and percussionists Keith Bailey and Frank Perry, along with his wife and vocalist, Julie, laid down a series of improvisations in London's Command Studios over a couple of days. Working quickly and without fuss the team (with King Crimson's Robert Fripp in attendance as a trusted pair of ears) produced a series of clean, uncluttered pieces which are possessed with a disarming simplicity. If this suggests an album of spartan, earnest austerity then prepared to be surprised. Emerging from the shimmering gossamer of bells and tones (alternately provided by Bailey and Perry) are moments of crystalline beauty where traces of haunting ballads are fleetingly outlined, underscored by Babbington's poignant, inquisitive bass. It is hard not to be impressed as one hears Julie Tippetts conjuring a haunting half-song from the air. The urgency with which she issues her breathless dispatches is nothing short of thrilling. They glide and soar in a cascading gush of hybrid syntax, twisting and turning the ensemble in unexpected directions.  Unbound, uncompromising and free of stylistic constraints this is music of real commitment and humility. Historically, "Blueprint" marked the passage of a truly gifted player and the musicians of his choice, moving from one area of interest to another, and in doing so, laid the foundations for what would become Ovary Lodge and beyond.

Peter Blegvad/Choices Under Pressure
Peter Blegvad formed Slapp Happy with Dagmar Krause and Anthony Moore in 1971. A witty and eccentric act, they soon became cult favourites in avant-garde circles, working with Faust and Henry Cow. Slapp Happy recorded several albums for Virgin and found themselves respected by Robert Wyatt, John Peel and an influential section of the music press.  Once the band split in 1975, each of them embarked on various collaborations and solo projects. Blegvad collaborated with Faust, John Greaves, Andy Partridge and The Golden Palominos, releasing the critically acclaimed "King Strut & Other Stories" on Silvertone in 1990.  The following year saw Peter start his successful cartoon strip "Leviathan" in the Independent On Sunday newspaper. A new book of Leviathan cartoons has just been issued and Matt Groening, who created the Simpsons, stated that it was 'one of the greatest, weirdest things I've ever stared at.' Choices Under Pressure is an acoustic retrospective of some of Peter's finest songs and includes two unreleased tracks written with Andy Partridge. The album features other musicians including Jakko, John Greaves and Danny Thompson.

Harry Williamson/Life in the World Unseen
Harry Williamson has worked with great talents over the years and this album includes a good representation of these musicians. From Harry's earlier years during the Mother Gong days there is Didier Malherbe, Guy Evans and from later years Gilli Smyth, Rob Calvert, Rob George (Mother Gong) and Conrad Henderson (Mother Gong). More recent projects have included Liz Van Dort (Faraway) and Miles McNicholl and Harry's daughter Bee who also contribute to this brilliant album. Harry left Gong in 1993 and has pursued his own musical career and this CD is a collection of previously unreleased tracks which he has gathered together covering a 20 year span. The Highlands suite for example captures the Australian landscape with its beauty in desolation quite unlike the European experience. Tibetan instruments, combined with a didgeridoo and angel guitar create a unique mood which is developed by the haunting simple guitar melody. This is by and large an ambient carefully crafted and unusual CD, mainly instrumental and quite unlike anything Harry has released before musically. There is however a few elements from the later Mother Gong recordings and from Tarka the album he recorded with Anthony Phillips.

On our import pre-order page at
<http://www.artist-shop.com/catalog/imports/preorder.htm>

CARAVAN-IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.....  
Remastered reissue of the British progressive rock act's 1970 album.  'If I Could Do It All Over Again I'd Do It All Over You' will include demo versions of 'And I Wish I Were Stoned', 'As I Feel I Die' + 'Clipping the Eighth'.

CARAVAN-CARAVAN & THE NEW SYMPHONIA  
Remastered reissue of the British progressive rock act's 1974 album. Caravan & The New Symphonia includes the 'warm up' tracks of Memory Lain Hugh, Headloss, The Dog and Hoedown, as well as the orchestral version of 'A Hunting...'

GONG-CAMEMBERT ELECTRIQUE
UK reissue of their third album, recorded in 1971. A skillful blend of jazz-influenced space rock, unconventional psychedelia and bizarre experimentation, it includes their classic 'Foghat Digs Holes In Space'.

Gary

**************************************************************
                          Gary Davis
The Artist Shop                              The Other Road
http://www.artist-shop.com          artshop@artist-shop.com
phone: 877-856-1158, 330-929-2056       fax:330-945-4923
              INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE MUSIC!!!
**************************************************************
     Artist Shop Radio <http://www.artist-shop.com/radio>
       Check out the latest Artist Shop newsletter at
            http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*               FORTHCOMING CANTERBURY-RELATED CONCERTS                 *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

        [for more info : check out the 'Concerts' page of CALYX]
         http://perso.club-internet.fr/calyx/index/concerts.html

==> CARAVAN <============================================================

Jul 22 - BURG-HERZBERG Festival (Germany)

Info: mailto:think.progressive@t-online.de

Held between July 19-22, 2001, the festival will also feature Magma, Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles, Anekdoten, Keef Hartley Band, Embryo, RPWL and Birth Control.

Aug 18 - CANTERBURY Festival

Other plans for CARAVAN include dates in Italy and Southern France during the Spring, and an appearance at MexProg Festival (Mexico) in September 2001.

Line-up: Pye Hastings, Dave Sinclair, Richard Coughlan, Geoff Richardson,
         Doug Boyle, Jim Leverton, Simon Bentall

==> GONG <===============================================================

Apr 15 - OSAKA (Japan), Club Quattro / Apr 16 - TOKYO (Japan), Club Quattro /  Apr 17 - TOKYO (Japan), Star Pine's Cafe

==> DIDIER MALHERBE & HADOUK TRIO <======================================

Mar 09/10 - PARIS, Sunset / Mar 23 - VILLEBON-SUR-YVETTE, MJC Bobby Lapointe / Apr 05 - TRAPPES, Le Grenier A Sel / Apr 24 - QUIMPER, Theatre de Cornouailles / May 20 - MANTES-LA-VILLE, Festival Ventissime / May 31 - PARIS, Auditorium St.Germain

with Loy Ehrlich (hajaj & synth) & Steve Shehan (percussion)

May 06 - PARIS, Haute Foire (Fete des Jazz)

with Patrice Meyer (guitars), Philippe Foch (percussion)
     & Loy Ehrlich (synth)

More info: http://www.malherbedidier.com

=========================================================================

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*                        AND OTHER GOOD GIGS...                         *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

==> BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS <==========================================

Info: http://www.bbprod.demon.co.uk/news.html

==> JOHN ETHERIDGE [ex-Soft Machine guitarist] <=========================

Info: http://www.johnetheridge.f9.co.uk

==> FRED FRITH <=========================================================

Mar 28/29 - PARIS, Festival Banlieues Bleues [world premiere of new choral composition, "Landing"]

Apr 05/06 - SAN FRANCISCO (CA), Yerba Buena Arts Center [The M'ad Din]

Apr 07 - OAKLAND (CA), Mills College [w.Amy Denio & Contemporary Performance Ensemble] / Apr 24 - OAKLAND (CA), Mills College [Contemporary Performance Ensemble, directed by Fred Frith & Steed Cowart]

May 21 - VICTORIAVILLE (Quebec), FIMAV [Frith-Zorn-Laswell-Lombardo]

May 23 - LONDON, Spitz [solo]

Jun 02 - PORTO (Portugal) [Frith-Drouet-Sclavis]

Jun 16 - BASEL (Switzerland) [with Arte Sax Quartet and Urs Leimgruber]

==> SCOTT McGILL's HAND FARM <===========================================

Apr 03 - PHILADELPHIA (PA), Pontiac Bar and Grill / Apr 04 - NEW YORK CITY (NY), Wetlands Preserve / Apr 07 - BALTIMORE (MD), Orion Sound Studios

Line-up: Scott McGill (guitar), Michael Manring (bass),
         Vic Stevens (drums)

These shows coincide with the release of the band's new album "Addition By Subtraction", released on The Laser's Edge. (http://www.lasercd.com)

Percy Jones will support on all three shows.

Band info: http://www.ghostland.com/handfarm

==> ALLAN HOLDSWORTH TRIO <==============================================

Mar 19 - VIENNA (Austria), Reigen / Mar 20 - NANCY (France), Academie Internationale de Musique / Mar 21 - HELLENDOORN (Netherlands), De Lantaarn / Mar 22 - ZOETERMEER (Netherlands), Boerderije / Mar 24 - BERLIN (Germany), Quasimodo

Mar 26-31 - LONDON, Ronnie Scott's Club

Apr 01 - CORTEMAGGIORE PC (Italy), Fillmore / Apr 02 - INNSBRUCK (Austria), Treibhaus /  Apr 04-05 - ROMA (Italy), Big Mama /  Apr 06-07 - STOCKHOLM (Sweden), Fasching Jazzklubb / Apr 08 - GOTEBORG (Sweden), Nefertiti Jazz Club

with Dave Carpenter (bass) and Joel Taylor (drums)

Info: http://www.allanholdsworth.com

==> MAGMA <==============================================================

Mar 30 - FRIBOURG (Germany), Fri-Son / Mar 31 - VITRY LE FRANCOIS (France), L'Orange Bleue / Apr 19 -  NANCY (France), Salle Poirel

Apr 20 - St.PETERSBURG (Russia), Festival

Apr 27 - BORDEAUX (France), Salle du Vigean

May 27 - OSAKA (Japan), Club Quattro / May 28 - KYOTO (Japan) / May 30/31 - TOKYO (Japan), On Air West

Jul 21 - BURG-HERZBERG Festival (Germany)

More info: http://www.seventhrecords.com

==> PRESENT <=============================================================

May 11 - RALEIGH (NC), Berkeley Cafe [support: Polydactyl] / May 12 - COLUMBIA (SC), University of South Carolina / May 17 - PHILADELPHIA (PA), The Upstage [support: North Star] / May 18 - NORTH PLAINFIELD (NJ), Sound Studio [support: North Star] / May 23 - ATLANTA (GA), The Earl / May 27 - LOS ANGELES (CA), Knitting Factory [support: Upsilon Acrux] / May 31 - PORTLAND (OR), Berbati's Pan / Jun 04 - DENVER (CO), venue tbc / Jun 06 - CHICAGO (IL), Martyr's / Jun 08 - ANN ARBOR (MI), Firefly Club / Jun 09 - KENT (OH), Robin Hood / Jun 10 - LOUISVILLE (KY), venue tbc

Jul 22 - WURZBURG (Germany), AKW / Jul 27 - LIPNO FESTIVAL (Czech Rep)

with new 8-piece line-up [feat.Dave Kerman on drums]

Updates/info: http://www.totalzoo.com/present/concerts_data.htm

==> SOTOS <==============================================================

Mar 08 - PARIS, Olympic Cafe

Two rare Parisian appearances for this excellent zeuhl/avant group from Toulouse

==> SUPERSISTER <=========================================================

May 02/03 - DEN HAAG (Netherlands), Koninklijke Schouwburg / May 04 - GRONINGEN, Oosterpoort

Line-up:  Robert Jan Stips (keyboards/voc), Marco Vrolijk (drums),
          Ron van Eck (bass), Sacha van Geest (flute)

More info: http://www.stips.net

==> B.THOMPSON'S PARAPHERNALIA <=========================================

Mar 08 - KLAGENFURT (Austria), Kamot / Mar 09 - OSLIP (Austria), Cselley-Muhle / Mar 10 - St.POLTEN (Austria), Buhne im Hof / Mar 12 - VIENNA (Austria), Szene / Mar 13 - SPIELBERG (Austria), Kulturzentrum / Mar 14 - GRAZ (Austria), Orpheum / Mar 15 - LINZ (Austria), Posthof / Mar 17 - ZWETTL (Austria), Gasthof Dichter Hamerling / Mar 18 - BUDAPEST (Hungary), Darshan Culture Centre

Mar 20 - ROTH (Germany), Kulturfabrik / Mar 22 - TUBINGEN (Germany), Mensa / Mar 23 - STUTTGART (Germany), Liederhalle-Mozartsaal / Mar 24 - ELSOFF (Germany), Lasterbachhalle / Mar 25 - KARLSRUHE (Germany), Tollhaus / Mar 26 - FRANKFURT (Germany), Mousonturm / Mar 27 - WOLFSBURG (Germany), Congress Park / Mar 29 - KIEL (Germany), Pumpe / Mar 30 - HANNOVER (Germany), Pavillion

Apr 02-07 - LONDON, Ronnie Scott's Club

==> THEO TRAVIS <========================================================

Info: http://www.travis33.demon.co.uk

=========================================================================
=========================================================================

                          END OF ISSUE 178
_________________________________________________________________________

WHAT'S RATTLIN'?     -      WHAT'S RATTLIN'?      -     WHAT'S RATTLIN'?
_________________________________________________________________________

CALYX - The Canterbury Website
http://perso.club-internet.fr/calyx

WHAT'S RATTLIN'? BACK ISSUES - ONLINE ARCHIVE
http://musart.co.uk/watrat/watrat.htm
+ search engine : http://musart.co.uk/ssearch.htm

BACKWARDS - LISTE DE DISCUSSION 'CANTERBURY' EN FRANCAIS
Pour s'abonner: mailto:backwards-subscribe@egroups.fr

* To subscribe, send me an e-mail with 'WR sub' in the subject line.
* To send a message for inclusion in the next issue, send it with 'WR: [subject]' in the subject line.
* If your e-mail address changes, please notify me and mention both your old and new addresses so I can remove the former and add the latter.
* If you can no longer receive WR or don't want to anymore, don't forget to unsubscribe! (i.e. let me know)
* All contributions are welcome! Please write to: CALYX@club-internet.fr
_________________________________________________________________________