Greetings -- Tony Coulter here, hoping to interest you in some round black sounds, and some scribbly scrib as well.
Sag forward, please.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Milan Knizak: Obrad horici mysli (Condor, 1991) 2LP
Let's get the rawl bowling with a highly intriguing double-LP package from the Czech artist and Fluxus member Milan Knizak, who is probably best known for art using broken or otherwise damaged records, and for experimental sound works employing altered discs. (It's worth mentioning that Knizak was doing this sort of stuff well before Christian Marclay, and also that he does similar things with cut-up pieces of sheet music, which he collages together to create new scores.) What Knizak is not so well known for (outside the Czech Republic at any rate), is his rock music, which is the focus of this set. I should mention that the records come packaged with a third "bonus disc" -- one of Knizak's painted and melted records.
Milan Knizak:
Milan Knizak: Atentat na kultura (live 1967)
Milan Knizak: Af zije pratelstvi
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Trafic d'Influence: Lipsync (Les Etiquettes Reversibles, 1986) LP
Next up is the Montreal duo Trafic d'Influence, consisting of Bernard Poirier and Claude St-Jean. All I can say is, if Der Plan were the German Residents, then Trafic d'Influence are clearly the French Canadian Residents. And who in their right mind doesn't like the Residents? (The early Residents, anyhow -- but that's another story.)
The trafic sign:
Trafic d'Influence: Couvre-feu
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Basil Kirchen & Jack Nathan / Nigel Shipway: Wildlife: Nature Preserve / Native Percussion (Bruton Music, 1979) LP
Let's turn now to a British sound library LP featuring the talents of the sublime Basil Kirchin (aka Kirchen) -- he of World Within Worlds, the Dr. Phibes soundtrack, and a slew of marvelous posthumous releases on the Trunk label. The tracks I've given you may be credited jointly to Kirchin and one Jack Nathan -- but there's no missing the inimitable Kirchin touch.
The wildlife:
Basil Kirchin & Jack Nathan: Birth of an Adventure
Basil Kirchin & Jack Nathan: Prey and Predator
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Michiko Toyama: Waka and Other Compositions (Folkways, 1960) LP
The next LP is one I've had a long time -- since the mid-'80s, I'd say. In all those years, I've never come across more than the most passing reference to it, perhaps because in 1960, when the record came out, the world wasn't quite ready for a traditionally dressed Japanese woman who combined her own love poetry with musique concrete. Toyoma studied with Pierre Schaeffer, by the way, and realized the two-part piece I've given you at the Paris studios of Schaeffer's Groupe de Recherches Musicales.
Michiko Toyama:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Jacques Lasry, a.o.: Musiques et instruments insolites (Barclay, 196?) LP
Time now for the second sound library LP of the day, this one featuring the unique and marvelous sound-sculpture instruments known as Les Structures Sonores, which were developed by Bernard and Francois Baschet and can be seen in this French-language video (and here as well). Initially, the composer most associated with the Baschet brothers' instruments was Jacques Lasry, and indeed it is this gentleman who is chiefly responsible for the music heard on the disc at hand. What I've given you, though, is a piece written by his son, Teddy Lasry -- who was for a time an important member of the great French prog rock band Magma. The track features Teddy on clarinet, and relatively subdued Structures Sonores.
Les Structures Sonores:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Marius Monnikendam: Heart Rhythm (Omega International, 1976) LP
Let's finish the musical goings on with a dramatic piece written by the Dutch composer Marius Monnikendam, who was at the time 80 years old. The declamatory voice, I should mention, is that of Bernard Kruysen, the well-known baritone and specialist in French song.
Marius Monnikendam:
Marius Monnikendam: Heart Rhythm
_________________________________________________________________________________________
We turn now to the visual portion of today's post. Faced with a shortage of suitable imagery, this time 'round I've recklessly decided to impose my own doodles on you.
Flamehead & Fish:
Art: TC
*****
Mr. Nostrils:
Art: TC
*****
Fingernail Head:
Art: TC
*****
Ankh:
Art: TC
*****
Wrabbit Ears:
Art: TC
*****
Sleep:
Art: TC
_________________________________________________________________________________________
That's it for this time -- see yez two weeks hence....
Those Waka clips are fantastic. Thanks again for your always fascinating posts.
Posted by: Dan | October 01, 2010 at 12:00 PM