Michel Portal in Kleve 1978

Continuing with the Portal series, we're now up to 1978 and a concert in Kleve in Germany. A different line-up from the earlier Portal Unit postings here:

MICHEL PORTAL QUARTET

8-May 1978
Stadthalle (WDR Jazzmeeting), Kleve, Germany
source/line-age: FM > ? > CDR (trade) > Flac (level 6) > Dime


Michel Portal: cl,sax,bandoneon,voc
Dieter Feichtner: synth
Barre Phillips: b
Pierre Favre: dr,perc


1. unidentified title 28:23
2. unidentified title 14:24
3. radio announcement 00:24


Scholleck notes that "this recording doesn't include the complete concert (but likely the complete broadcast); it is usually circulating like this, but I've seen listed a longer version (actually with 8-May 1979 as date!!)

The setlist of that version:

1. Volcan (MP,comp) 30:18 (likely track 1 in this seed)
2. Journal Violone (BP,comp) 24:50
3. Bauernfreund (DF,comp) 15:23"

The second track in the posted set here may be "Bauernfreund" which sounds quite different from the first track - not unlike a type of electronically enhanced folk music from an unspecified location - shades of the Balkans and North Africa in there - something Terry Riley might have concocted. The first track is typical Portal - more to the fore here than in earlier Unit postings with Phillips laying down a steady rhythmic backbone for Portal improv. The second track from the alternative setlist seems to be missing - a Phillips composition which wound up up on a solo bass record of the same name. And no Portal is complete without him whipping out the bandoneon - right there at the end of the last track.

Still more Portal to come (and some Francois Tusques as well)