WR

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - :: :: The Weekly Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts :: :: Issue # 83 :: :: Friday, February 6th, 1998 :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Age Rotshuizen <age@xs4all.nl> Subject: Reviews Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 17:28:56 +0100 (CET) [In WR#82, Aymeric Leroy wrote:]>Thanks, David, for these mini-reviews. You are all welcome to send some, I >think this would make WR even more interesting ! OK, here it comes - some CDs I've recently acquired: * Richard Sinclair - R.S.V.P.It's always a pleasure to listen to Richard's voice and it's a shame he doesn't sing more on this album - IMO the production is a bit slick - still, a great 90s Canterbury release... * The Muffins - Open CityIf I had to locate Canterbury in the USA, it would be in The Muffins' backyard. This CD contains outtakes from 77-80 and it's all great! * Samla Mammas Manna - MaltidNot really Canterbury, although they played on one side of Frith's Gravity as backing band, but all together a nice alternative... (I won't 'review' Coltrane's Meditations, that I recently purchased, don't be afraid). * Supersister - Present from Nancy/To the Highest BidderAnother one of those not-really-Canterbury-but-they-sound-the-same-sometimes. Sounds a bit like Soft Machine, but not as good. * Fred Frith - GravityThe first Frith solo-record I've bought. Great music, great performance, except for his version of "Dancing in the Street". * The Amazing Band - RoarFinally on CD! The legendary - never released - Amazing Band! Well, it wasn't that good after all. This is free jazz. And I really mean FREE jazz. I'm starting to grasp it bit by bit, but it'll take a while.... * Carla Bley - Music MecaniqueNot really Canterbury? Well, it features Mike Mantler, Gary Windo, Roswell Rudd & special guest Charlie Haden and it's in the vein of "European Tour 1977"... * Elton Dean - Two's and Three'sThis is a beautiful record - Elton's competeing with some of the topmusicians in the English jazzscene like Keith Tippett, Mark Hewins, Paul Rogers, Howard Riley, Paul Dunmall & Tony Levin: mostly Elton wins...... * Mujician - BirdmanTippett's improvisation band - free jazz, but not FREE jazz like The Amazing Band...... Age [Thanks, Age. Everyone is invited to follow your example ! - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Feddo Reniers <freniers@solair1.inter.NL.net> Subject: addition - radio show Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 15:46:32 +0100 HiMy name is Feddo Renier and I run a radio show called 'Psychedelicatessen' on radio Tonka. Radio Tonka is situated in the Hague, Holland and can be reached at 104.7 fm.I've been doin' this show sinds 1994 and I'm broadcasting every monday from 10 pm till midnight or from midnight till .....?The kind of music I'm playing is mostly psychedelic, progressive(not in the symphonic sense of the word!) rock, non-traditional folk and Canterbury music.In relation to the latter I play acts like Soft Machine (old), Caravan, Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt, Egg, Hatfield & the north, Gong, Arzachel, Matching mole and Gizmo (any canterbury fan knows Gizmo?).Preferably I'm playing unreleased stuff by these kind of bands, such as live concerts, demos, BBC-sessions etc. If anyone can help me to get this stuff, e-mail me at: Feddo.Renier@akam.nl ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: en146 <bienvenu@epi.roazhon.inra.fr> Subject: Robert Wyatt interview Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 15:52:10 +0100 Dave,Thank you so much for the interview (Robert Wyatt, of course).I am happy he talked about Karen Mantler. Her last record is really good. WR #82 was really a big event for me today ! Manuel Bienvenu ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Biffyshrew <Biffyshrew@aol.com> Subject: Lol On Tenor Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 10:54:55 EST [In WR#82, Dave Cross quotes Robert Wyatt:] >Lol Coxhill is a wonderful musician. I've heard him, I'm sure - playing>tenor. I asked him about that and he says "Oh no, no I don't do that." So what does he call that thing he's blowing in the "checked jacket" photo on the back of _Fleas In Custard_? :-) Thanks very much for the fascinating interview, Dave. I was shocked to hear the sad news about Lindsay Cooper's illness. I've always been a great admirer of hers, and my thoughts and best wishes for the future will certainly be with her. Your pal,Biffy the Elephant Shrew @}-`--}----...visit me at http://members.aol.com/biffyshrew/biffy.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Hampton LeGrand III <rhl0940@cs.tamu.edu> Subject: Egg CDs Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 12:39:54 -0600 (CST) Howdy! I'm having trouble finding Egg's Polite Force CD and Matching Mole'sself-titled album. If anyone knows where I might be able to get one, please e-mail me at robl@tamu.edu. Thanks. Rob LeGrand III Texas A&M computer science | | |robl@tamu.edu Zips 1998 progressive rock | | | crickethttp://http.tamu.edu/~rhl0940/ Republican Party | | | _ _Rob LeGrand III Texas A&M computer science | | |robl@tamu.edu Zips 1998 progressive rock | | | crickethttp://http.tamu.edu/~rhl0940/ Republican Party | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Peter Carlton" <pcarlton@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Caravan video Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 22:07:36 -0000 I have had no response to my e-mail of a couple of weeks ago. I would be grateful if you could respond. I should point out that I am authorised by the band and, if you wish to check out my bona fides, please speak to Richard Coughlan or Pye Hastings. Time is passing by and I wish to have everything in place by July. You would be credited for any contribution you make to the video/programme. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dave Wayne <d-wayne@lanl.gov> Subject: Mini-reviews Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 17:08:34 -0700 [In WR#82, Aymeric Leroy wrote:]>[Thanks... for these mini-reviews. You are all welcome to send some, I >think this would make WR even more interesting ! - AL] OK, you asked for it! ...every once in a while, a good scouring of the 'bargain bins' in your local CD store pays off. A couple of weeks ago, i found a CD by a Mexican group called 'Banda Elastica' in the $1 bin. A peek at the booklet revealed a dedication to Frank Zappa... so i bought it. My lucky day! Recorded in 1994, it's called "Los Awakates de (something... i forget exactly what)" Tremendous stuff!! Reminds me of The Muffins ca. 'Open City' & maybe Henry Cow in spots. A bit more 'jazzy'-sounding, though. I would buy anything by this band! ...on a distantly related note, i was moping through the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly while eating my lunch & noticed a review of Robert Wyatt's 'Shleep". They gave it an "A". Congratulations, Robert!! (hahaha) >From 'Entertainment Weekly' #416, January 30, 1998 >(a starved-looking starlet on the cover...) ROBERT WYATT - "Shleep" (Thirsty Ear)"For someone whose music is often labelled 'progressive', Wyatt has progressed little in the past 30 years. The onetime singer & drummer for the Soft Machine refines and expands on the distinctive art-rock sound he helped pioneer in the late '60s. 'Shleep' unfolds like a blissful dream, with Wyatt's hynotic voice and fluid percussion wrapping themselves around his oddball compositions. The result is beautifully skewed and not a bit dated. grade: A" ---- Rob Brunner ...so there you have it, misconceptions ('Wyatt progressing little'? I think not!) and all! Approval from the US mass media. I can only hope the European press takes a similarly enlightened view!! ; - ) take care, dave ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Davidkow@aol.com Subject: Uriel/Khan/Egg Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 17:40:56 EST [In WR#82 someone asked:]> I'm trying to find out if any of the following have been released on CD: > Uriel: Arzachel > Khan : Space Shanty > All the Egg albums Not sure if it's the same album but Dave Stewart and some of the other Egg-ers recorded a disk under the name of Arzachel somewhere around 1969 (used a different name because of contractual issues). It's very much NOT like Egg (I frankly think it's horrible). It is availble on CD but if you're expecting anything like Egg or Stewart's later work, don't hold your breath (it's mostly a bunch of very "pschedelic" jamming...pretty heavily guitar-oriented as I recall). I have the Civil Surface on CD and know that there are Japanese pressings (on Deram) of Egg and The Polite Force. Some of the larger online shopping surfaces (like CD Universe) have Egg (you have to search carefully, there are a LOT of bands out there with similar names, including a current one called The Egg) but I've never seen anyone list Polite Force. If you do find it, expect to pay $20-$30 for it. [There is no album by Uriel, but the Arzachel album was recorded in 1969 by all three members of Egg with Steve Hillage, thus recreating the Uriel line-up of 1967-68 - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gogolla@t-online.de (Martin Gogolla) Subject: midi files of Caravan Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 09:40:54 -0800 Hallo Aymeric, Your site about the Canterbury Scene is great! Do you know also know a place where to find midi files of these groups? Kind regards Martin Gogolla [I don't know of any MIDI files of vintage Canterbury bands, but there are quite a few on the Musart site, courtesy of Mark Hewins, Hugh Hopper and others - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Age Rotshuizen <age@xs4all.nl> Subject: Dean/Hopper CD? Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 16:33:40 +0100 (CET) Hello, I saw that Blueprint is planning the release of a Dean/Hopper CD called "Minds of/in a tree/street" (not sure 'bout the title) containing unreleased recordings - does anyone know what this is? Also discovered a CD by Dean called "Three's a company, Two's a...." (not sure about the title either), details, anyone? Age ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Julian Christou <christou@as.arizona.edu> Subject: Recent Aquisitions .. Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 14:28:15 -0700 Hi Aymeric and the rest of you. Well, Looks like the New Year is coming in with a bang (or a BigBang? - know, a lousy pun!) Anyway I picked up the US domestic edition of "Shleep". Like with all of Wyatt's albums it's one that definitely grows on you. After listening to it a few dozen times in the course of a couple of days I realized that this must be one of his best (and that's a difficult choice to make). If "Dondestan" can be compared to "Rock Bottom", then "Shleep" can be compared to "Ruth is stranger than Richard" (By the way who are "Ruth" and "Richard"). Listening to it, one realizes the wonderful production of Brian Eno, something which has been missing from Bob's recent output. This should be an accessible album for the Wyatt Neophytes and I hope that it actually gets "pushed" here in the US. Maybe Eno's name will help and then the music will "speak" for itself. Also, listening to it recalled the sounds of Gary Windo and Mongezi Feza. It's good to hear Wyatt with reeds/brass again. "Blues in Bob Minor" hits instantly - hopefully the indie radio stations will play that. A great album. All this and Wyatt performing with the Softs on the Virtually CD which I've just ordered. So a couple of questions for Mike king, when do we get the "Drury Lane" concert and all the BBC Symbiosis sessions? Also, I picked up a couple of new releases by Jon Hiseman's Colosseum. For those who don't know, Jon Hiseman, a Jazz/Rock drummer connects with the Canterbury axis through Ian Carr and Nucleus on one hand. He produced Carr's "Belladona" and plays with him in "The United Jazz + Rock Ensemble". His post Colosseum band "Tempest" featured the guitar talents of Allan Holdsworth and then Ollie Halsall. The two albums are both German imports where Hiseman is very popular. The first is the Colosseum reunion concert from 1994 and is as good if not better than the Colosseum Live from 1971. Compare the two versions of "Stormy Monday" and "Lost Angeles". Chris Farlowe's voice is still in fine form. The other CD is a recent studio release, "Bread and Circuses" from 1997. Also worth checking out. One final question, any chance of the Ayers/Eno sessions from Capitol radio ever seeing a CD release? And finally, the first Soft Machine single "Love makes Sweet Music" has still yet to see a CD release. However, a cover of it from 1968 by the Mark Leeman 5 is available on a "See For Miles" compilation CD. So Aymeric, any chance of setting up a page of covers of Canterbury songs/tunes. Belated Happy New Year to all Rattlers Julian ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Otherroad@aol.com Subject: New Cuneiform releases in The Artist Shop Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 01:21:25 EST Hello Friends: In the progressive vein, Cuneiform Records amazes us again with another quartet of releases by Soft Machine, Miriodor, Present and Curlew! 'Virtually' was recorded by the classic Soft Machine line up of Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper and Elton Dean on March 23rd, 1971, during what proved to be the quartet's last European tour. Professionally recorded for radio broadcast before a small invited audience, Virtually is an excellently recorded and accurate portait of what the band sounded like live during this period, featuring live versions of most of the pieces from Third and all the works from Fourth. After completing this European tour, Dean, Ratledge, Hopper and Wyatt toured the United States in the summer of 1971. Immediately after the US tour, founding member Robert Wyatt left Soft Machine, thus bringing to an end a particularly notable version of a particularly legendary band. 'Certitudes' features the first studio recordings by a full band version of Present in almost 15 years. It reuinites Roger with bassist Guy Segers and drummer Daniel Denis, his former bandmates in Univers Zero, for the first time since Heresie. It also reunites him with keyboardist Alain Rochette for the first time since Le Poison Qui Rend Fou. Present's music is a striking blend of heavy rock with classical and jazz influences. The compositions, penned by Trigaux, utilize complex counterpoint, intricate interplay between the two guitars and bass, rapidly shifting time signatures, and a strong instrumental attack. The final result is blindingly precise works of syncopated instruments, all seemingly coming from different angles but ultimately working together as a cohesive whole. With the release of Certitudes, Present are preparing North American and Japanese tours. Scheduled for May and June of 1998, these tours will be the band's first-ever appearance in the United States, Canada and Japan. Present is also planning further European shows. Miriodor originally formed in the early 1980's in Quebec City, Canada as a mostly instrumental sextet. They self-produced their first lp, Rencontres, in 1985. Released in a vinyl-only edition of 500 copies, Rencontres was the sole recording from the band's early, Quebec City years and soon became a prized collectorís item among fans of progressive music. Its music is more squarely in the progressive rock vein than Miriodorís later releases, featuring elements of the unique Quebecois symphonic sound and lovely melodies performed on violin, electric guitar, flute, saxophone and keyboards. This 1998 CD issue of Rencontres also contains four bonus tracks [almost 30'] which were not on the original album. This is the only CD featuring Miriodor as a sextet with band members Francois Emond, Pascal Globensky, Sabin Hudon, Remi Leclerc, Marc Petitclerc, and Denis Robitaille. In the words of Option magazine, "Curlew is the best and most obstinately commited band to emerge from New York's Knitting Factory-based alternative music scene...". Fabulous Drop is this all-star "downtown" band's seventh album. Curlew have gotten much well-deserved critical notice, receiving abundant press in the U.S. as well as in Europe, Japan, and South America. The New York Times called them "the best of the...genre busting downtown groups". DownBeat's annual critic's poll has recognized them repeatedly under the TDWR category of "electric jazz band" most deserving of wider recognition. You'll find all four of these albums on The Artist Shop's Cuneiform page at <http://www.artist-shop.com/cuniform>. Gary ************************************************************** Gary DavisThe Artist Shop The Other Roadhttp://www.artist-shop.com artshop@artist-shop.comphone: 330-929-2056 fax:330-945-4923 SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENT ARTIST!!!************************************************************** Check out the latest Artist Shop newsletter at http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: mterol@gva.es (Miguel Terol) Subject: Robert Wyatt news Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 17:10:08 +0100 Hi, I've just read something in a Spanish newspaper, and I thought you maybe was interested in knowing. It's about Robert Wyatt. Maybe you already knew that, but ... This year 1998 is the 100th anniversary of our poet Federico Garcia Lorca. So, here, there's some celebrations regarding that fact. One of those facts is a project called "De Granada a la luna" (that is, "From Granada to the moon"). 15 artists will perform 19 poems by Lorca. The tracks are being recorded now, and the list of performers include Robert Wyatt, among others (John Cale, the singer from Blur, Neneh Cherry, Michael Nyman, and lots of Spanish artists). It's projected to release a CD-ROM and a video. The projected release date is April, and the movie will be ready on 5th June. They're thinking about also doing a tour with some of these artists. I'll let you know if I read more things about the project. Thanks, and best regards, Miguel Terol The Musicians' Olympus: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium/9932 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Julian Christou <christou@as.arizona.edu> Subject: Recent Aquisitions .. Addendum Date: Wed, 04 Feb 1998 16:42:54 -0700 [Refers to Julian's previous message in this issue] Woops a mistake. The cover of "love Makes Sweet Music" is not by the Mark Leeman 5 but by an Austrlian band called Bon Scott and The Valentines. And yes, that is the same Bon Scott of AC/DC! Sorry about that. Also for the astute, their is another Jon Hiseman - Canterbury connection, via Neil Murray who played with Colloseum II. Julian ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Arthur Ramos Jr." <aramos@sunyorange.edu> Subject: Hatfield & The North - NbH Date: Thu, 05 Feb 1998 16:22:05 -0800 I found a CD in a used CD bin at a local record store called: NbH (Live in Collagiate Theatre April 28, 1975) by Hatfield & The North. It has four songs on it, the first of which I think is the 20-minute Mumps. The CD case and the actual CD lists different titles for the four songs. The case says the first song is Mumps. Have you heard of this CD? Is it a bootleg? There is a brief sound dropout about 4 or 5 minutes into Mumps. BTW, this CD is great and I want to get other CDs by them. Any info on where to get them? Thanks. Arthur Ramos Jr. [I'd never heard of that CD. Sounds interesting. It's certainly no official release. The studio albums by Hatfield are still available from Virgin, I would think - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** FORTHCOMING CANTERBURY-RELATED CONCERTS ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * [for more info : check out the 'Concerts' page of CALYX - see URL below] BILL BRUFORD'S NEW EARTHWORKS [Bruford-Clahar-Hamilton-Gascoygne] Feb 8 - Utrecht (Netherlands), SJU Feb 9 - Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paradiso Feb 10 - Bonn (Germany), Jazz Gallery Feb 11 - Freiburg (Germany), Jazzhaus Feb 12 - Kaiserslautern (Germany), Kammgarn Cotton Club Feb 13 - Ludwigsburg (Germany), Scala Theatre Feb 14 - Kircheim (Germany), Club Bastion Feb 15 - Ingolstadt (Germany), Burgerstreff Feb 16 - Frankfurt (Germany), Sinkkasten Feb 17 - Tilburg (Netherlands), Noorderligt Feb 24 - Bolzano (Italy), Auditorium Roen Feb 25 - Ferrara (Italy), Circolo Renfe Feb 26 - Padova (Italy), La Fornace Feb 27 - Forli (Italy), Naima Club Feb 28 - Ascoli Piceno (Italy), Cotton Club Mar 1 - Todi (Perugia) (Italy), Teatro Communale Mar 2 - Firenze (Italy), Sala Vanni Mar 3 - Gorizia (Italy), Auditorium Regione FRED FRITH "TENSE SERENITY" Feb 17 - Stuttgart (Germany), Musik des Jahrhunderts Apr 24 - Rostock (Germany), Zabrik Apr 25 - Amsterdam (Netherlands), Bimhaus Apr 26 - Utrecht (Netherlands) Apr 28 - Unterschleisheim (Germany), Burgerhaus Apr 30 - Ulrichsberg (Germany), Jazz Atelier May 1 - Willisau (Switzerland), Rathausbühne May 2 - Le Mans (France), Jazz Festival May 4 - Gent (Belgium), Vooruit FRED FRITH - SOLO/DUO GIGS Feb 18 - Paris (France), Laboratoires (with Iva Bittovà) Feb 19 - Paris (France), Laboratoires (with Keith Rowe)Feb 20 - Lyon/Oullins (France) (with Louis Sclavis/J-P Drouet) Mar 15 - Munich (D), Café Ruffini (solo)Mar 18 - Paris (France), Laboratoires d'Aubervilliers (with Tom Cora)Mar 19 - Paris (France), Laboratoires d'Aubervilliers (with T.Cora/C.Cutler) Mar 25-28 - Rennes (France) (with François Verret) Mar 29 - Karlsruhe (D), Blockflöte (solo) Apr 18-19 - Brest (France) (with François Verret)May 18 - St. Etienne (France) (with Louis Sclavis/J-P Drouet) May 29 - Tullins (F), MJC (with Noél Akchoté) May 30 - Figeac (F) (with Louis Sclavis) IN CAHOOTS - EUROPEAN TOUR [Miller-Dean-Dvorak-Lemer-Baker-Pyle] Mar 6-11 - tba PETER BLEGVAD TRIO (W/J.GREAVES & C.CUTLER) Apr 2 - London, Purcell Rooms GONG - EUROPEAN TOUR [Allen-Smyth-Malherbe-Sharpstrings-Howlett-Moerlen]France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden - late Spring 1998 (tba) CANTERBURY SOUND FESTIVAL - CARAVAN, KEVIN AYERS & THE WHOLE WORLD, AND OTHERS Jul 11 - Canterbury (tba) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * END OF ISSUE #83 _________________________________________________________________________WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ?_________________________________________________________________________ CALYX - The Canterbury Website http://www.alpes-net.fr/~bigbang/calyx.html THE ULTIMATE ONLINE CANTERBURY DISCOGRAPHY http://www.alpes-net.fr/~bigbang/cantdisco.html WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? BACK ISSUES - ONLINE ARCHIVE http://musart.co.uk/watrat/watrat.htm + search engine : http://musart.co.uk/ssearch.htm Send all correspondence regarding 'CALYX' and 'WHAT'S RATTLIN' ?' to : bigbang@alpes-net.fr _________________________________________________________________________