Wow, that was fast. Christmas already, again. My best wishes to all Closet-visitors, and of course to my co-posters, Grey Calx & Telvin.
Beginning 26th or 27th, the kids in my hood will be shooting their firecrackers again, interrupted only by periods of sleep & eating, and they will keep on shooting until the 3rd or 4th of January, as long as their supply lasts.
I've prepared a few fine posts for the next few days: there's a vinyl rip of an old Satie/Debussy split LP, two compilations of single tracks by Morton Feldman, Luc Ferrari & Howard Skempton, and something unreleased (AFAIK) by Toshio Hosokawa, "New Seeds of Contemplation", a mandala for Shomyo & Gagaku. Keep watchin' this space.
But first of all, something special. This one I got sent by guitarist/composer James Beaudreau himself, with kind permission to post it here on the Closet. It's his first solo album "Java St. Bagatelles", released 2006 on Workbench. Thanks, James, for a very interesting addition to our usual unusual postings.
"Java St. Bagatelles", recorded between 2000 and 2006, takes the listener on an entertaining trip through 24 miniatures, somewhere between com-provisation and im-position. Delicious, and delirious, too - if you give in to the strange flow of the music. If you just listen to the sequence of "Walnut Star", the wonderfully casual electric "The Robot Prince", "Spanish Moss" and the spirited "Under the Tree on the Hill", it's like the spectres of Nick Drake, Anton Webern, Morton Feldman, Florian Fricke, not to forget a couple of unknown Flamenco players, seem hover around your speakers, conjured-up by some magick combination of tones, all listening for what's gonna come next...
Here's what Eugene Chadbourne said: "The combination of pretty picking patterns, squeaking fingers and what sound like background birds are an alluring "Welcome" to the Java Street Bagatelles… Guitarist James Beaudreau, playing both improvised and composed pieces and using editing as a way of making one appear to be the other, or else not, has made an impressive debut with this effectively recorded collection."
If I'm not mistaken, most of the tracks were recorded in the kitchen of Beaudreau's Brooklyn home, and the varying background sounds - birds, planes, co-residents and the cat, among other unidentified noises - add to the intimate charm of the music, which will grow on you after each listen. Highly recommended.
If you like the record, please support the artist & buy it at his website:
Thanks to you and James for sharing this album. I'm enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteBeginning 26th or 27th, the kids in my hood will be shooting their firecrackers again, interrupted only by periods of sleep & eating, and they will keep on shooting until the 3rd or 4th of January, as long as their supply lasts.
Is this a Christmas or holiday tradition in Germany? This is not the case here in America (thank goodness). People (this includes adults) pop firecrackers before and during the 4th of July nonstop. It becomes annoying quickly.
Funny how Christmas arrives fast nowadays. When I was a kid, time always moved slowly before Christmas when I was eager and impatient to receive my presents on Christmas morning. I also used to be more enthusiastic to celebrate this holiday.
Happy holidays to you and best wishes to you, Mr. Earwicker.
Hi there. Such a wonderful blog you have here. Have you seen this blog full of avantgarde and like music yet? http://avaxsphere.com/music/avant_garde
ReplyDeleteif not then i guess it could a kind of a Xmas present. But i doubt that. :)
Ah yes, Don Diez, the Avaxsphere is rather well known around here, but thanks anyway, for the compliments.
ReplyDeleteThanks for ze wishes, Grey - ze same back to you.
Nope, it's no fiery and cracky tradition with kids in Germany. It's just their idea of outdoor fun. But this habit being no tradition - does that make it less or more annoying? Have to use my thinking cap.
re-up please
ReplyDeleteand merry christmas