MASAHIKO TOGASHI "VOICE FROM YONDER" (1978) & "STORY OF WIND BEHIND LEFT" (1975)

These two marvelous recordings are coming to you in one post. The reason is more trivial - I do not own this LPs - and it seems to be impossible to find the cover-art or even more than a few photographs from Togashi himself in the net.
(Finally I've found also the second cover - in February 2015)

The music itself is percussion heavy with gorgeous results. Hope it will enchant you as it does to me!



MASAHIKO TOGASHI "STORY OF WIND BEHIND LEFT"


Masahiko Togashi, percussion
Mototeru Takagi, soprano saxophone, percussion
Yoshisaburo Toyozumi, percussion
Yoshio Ikeda, bass, percussion
Keiki Midorikawa, bass, cello

1. Premonition Of Wind's Coming 04:21
2. Reunion 12:17
3. And then 02:11
4. Life Story Of Wind 09:27
5. Those Passing Things 07:13
6. Things That Will Come Again 05:04

Nippon Columbia 1st Studio, Tokyo on September 2-3,5,1975


Columbia YQ-7515-N

Note: Unknown recording staff also play bells on tr.6

(vinyl rip)


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

MASAHIKO TOGASHI "VOICE FROM YONDER"


Yoshiaki Fujikawa, reeds, percussion
Takashi Kako, piano, percussion
Keiki Midorikawa, cello, bass, percussion
Masahiko Togashi, drums, percussion


1. Voice From Yonder 13:30
2. Silence 02:07
3. Welcome 03:09
4. Travelers 11:59
5. It's Time 03:38
6. Farewell 02:44


Nippon Columbia 1st Studio, Tokyo on Frebruary 2-3, 1978


Denon/Nippon Columbia YX-7519-ND

(vinyl rip)

Black Unity trio -Al Fatihah-(Salaam, 777-A) Flac upgrade

Masahiko Sato,Peter Warren, Pierre Favre-'trinity' 1971 enja

Heres a wonderful record , following on from Onxdlibs,incredible share of Masahiko Togashi's speed space also Featuring M.Sato.

This was the 5th release on the Fledgling ENJA label ,who back then were among the few independent s putting out challenging material , in a totally free vein.

This is the sort of gig that a label like Intakt would now put out.
2 side long Totally free improvisations rooted in the traditions of jazz language , and the Darmstadt Avant guard of the day.

Sato's subtle use of ring modulator , is very reminiscent of the sound effects on Alois Kontarskys piano , on the original recording of Stockhausen's Mantra.
All three Musicians are still active as far as i know , though both Sato and Warren have since the 70's focused more on making modern mainstream Jazz orientated recordings.

Pierre Favre continues as an occasional free improviser , composer and band leader in rewardingly challenging territory.
A lot of his current projects can be found on the aforementioned Intakt label ,which he co founded with Irene Schweizer.

Given that this record did the rounds a few years ago as mp'3s , I'll stick to the Flacs

PS .. this rip is taken from a first pressing , and has been well loved , i've done very little by way of cleaning , very light crackle sweep& in some places removal; of a few 'objects'..

I and i'm sure many others would welcome a remastered cd edition of, this great lp.

ITARU OKI "SHIRASAGI" NADJA/TRIO (1974)

Although I already knew some recordings from japanese creative Jazz - this is the music which ingnited my interest seriously.

ITARU OKI "SHIRASAGI"


Itaru Oki,tp,indian-fl,perc
Syohji Ukaji,bs
Takashi Tokuhiro,b
Tatsuya Nakamura,perc
Joe Mizuki,perc (only tr.2)

1. Shirasagi (20:04)
2. You Don't Know What Love Is ~ October Revolution (25:09)

Recorded live at Akasaha Sohgetsu Hall,Tokyo(?), June 7, 1974

No more words - decide for yourself.

La Vina de S.Balachander-E.S.P (Disques d'esperance-Fr) 1978

Before moving back to the currently ,recently established fascinating threads .
i thought Id introduce another great passion (sneak in) .. one of the Best recordings by the Great Carnatic master of the Vina ,S.Balachander

This is such an extraordinary performance.


Balachander is a master Improviser who in this long raga, pushes the Harmonic boundaries of this genre.
At times the tunings seem deliberately flat ,and ragged ,defying convention and the listeners expectations.

Seat of the pants stuff that will rivet the open minded,from first to last.
Anyone interested in Improvisation , should hear this genuinely challenging gem.


Guaranteed to broaden the horizon of even the most steadfast Jazz-a-centric,Ethno-phobe!

La Vina-De S.Balchander- ESP 165510-LP 1978

RAGA MAYAMALAVGAULA

A-ALAPANA ET THANAM
B-kRITI MERUSAMANA ADITALA


S.Balachander-Vina
Krishnamurthy-Mridangam
Joanne-tanpura

This is long out of print as are most items on the late lamented Other Esp label, a few have been reissued elsewhere.

Heres a link to a great 4 part documentary about Balachander on you-tube

A real pity that this music is often caricatured as the provenance of Hippies , or new age aural wallpaper.

MASAHIKO TOGASHI QUARTET "SPEED & SPACE" UNION/TEICHIKU (1969)

Here is one of the first Free Jazz recordings from Japan. This album is one of three recordings Masahiko Togashi made in 1969 - the first in May '69 was "We Now Create" and in November he recorded "Speed and Space" - about one month later in December the duo"Isolation" with Mototeru Takagi. All three LPs are seminal works in japanese (Free) Jazz.
In 1970 he had a car accident and had to quit music. But already in January 1971 he renewed his drumming with a special drum-set. It was costume-made to meet his paraplegia.
In his music he used complicated structures and ostinatos as well. But his main feature is his extraordinary sense for "space" - will say intervals charged with tension.




Mototeru Takagi, tenor saxophone & bass clarinet, cornpipe
Masahiko Sato, piano, gong
Yoshio Ikeda, bass, electric bass
Masahiko Togashi, drums, vibes, bells, gong, percussion

1. Presage 02:25
2. Panorama 14:38
3. Expectation 02:13
4. Speed & Space #1 11:51
5. Speed & Space #2 07:57

Teichiku Kaikan Studio, Tokyo, November 22, 1969

UNION/TEICHIKU UPS-2014-J

(this rip from UNION JAZZ TECP-18771 - CD)

.

Old And New Dreams - Live in Moers '80

There was a great interest for a previous OAND post, so i've thought
to digitalize even this concert.

Rec. live at "The 9th Moers Festival", Moers, Germany,
on May 23, 1980 (mics recording)

Dewey Redman,tenor saxophone
Don Cherry,pocket trumpet,piano
Charlie Haden,bass
Eddie Blackwell,drums

1. Happy House [O.Coleman] (07:01)
2. Lonely Woman [O.Coleman] (13:26)
3. Rushour [D.Redman] (04:44)
4. Mopti [D.Cherry] (12:04)
5. Togo [E.Blackwell] (05:36)
6. Open Or Close [O.Coleman] (07:13)
7. Song For The Whales [C.Haden] (08:06)

Total Time 58:13

ITARU OKI "PARIS - OHRAI" 2001

As I'm now running short of german OOP I will continue mostly with japanese recordings.
On this recording still one german musician is participating - Michel Pilz.

Itaru Oki started playing Free-Jazz in the late sixties. In 1969 he joined the experimental unit
"ESSG" of Masahiko Togashi and Masahiko Sato(h).
After he finished his first tour in Europe as member of the group "Kanno" he formed the Itaru Oki trio which later become a quartet.
In 1974 he moved to Paris where he still resides (to my knowledge)
With Noah Howard he gave a concert in Berlin and recorded "Schizophrenic Blues" for FMP in 1977.
He also founded a trio with Buschi Niebergall and Michel Pilz with whom he still plays.
With Michel Pilz he recorded at least three other recordings. "Jamabiko" to be found on the blog of your confidence:

http://inconstantsol.blogspot.com/2008/10/michel-pilz-celeste-1978trion3901-lp.html

and "One Year - Afternoon & Evening" for FMP as well - plus later "Melu-Sina" on Drops Records.


ITARU OKI QUARTET "PARIS - OHRAI"


Itaru Oki, trumpet
Michel Pilz, bassclarinet
Alan Silva, bass
Sunny Murray, drums

1. West I,II 08:15
2. Tilly's Eye 08:36
3. Silken Rain on the Lotus Blossom 12:37
4. Sakura 10:14
5. Un peu de goût d'ail 06:02
6. Soon 11:18
7. Tempête 04:03
8. Météore 06:03

Reccorded at Cave Abdu, Paris, France on 12th May 2001

JAZZ-ORCHESTER der DDR (AMIGA, 1988)

Two LPs with Conny Bauer respectively Manfred Hering as leader. As far as I know the only recordings by a Free Big-Band from the DDR.
About one year later the wall came down and the musicians had to face not only an economical situation quiet different. For the majority of the East-Germans , who endured the five-year-plans et.al., BMW, Prada and Marlboro became far more important than some "esoteric" sounds. Very soon it became obvious that for most fans Free Jazz was more of a social thing (Free Jazz = Freedom) than a genuine artform.
Some of the former advocates are even listening to schlager or similar today - and this is no supposition or bias but a simple observation.
 It seems this LP was 'washed' away by history - it's release in 1989 wasn't helpful apparently.


JAZZ-ORCHESTER der DDR

LP 1 (leader Conrad Bauer)
LP 2 (leader Manfred Hering)
--------------------------------
LP 1

Conny Bauer,leader
Andreas Altenfelder,tp
Jochen Gleichmann,tp
Ferry Grott,tp
Johannes Bauer,tb
Iven Hausmann,tb
Jörg Huke,tb
Ronald Roick,frh
Matthias Schade,tu
Dietmar Diesner,as,ss
Volker Schlott,as
Manfred Hering,ts
Thomas Klemm,ts
Heiner Reinhardt,ts,bcl
René Schönherr,bs
Hanno Rempel,p
Helmut "Joe" Sachse,g
Klaus Koch,b
Günter Sommer,dr


1. Frühlingslied 18:59
2. Beutel 18:57

--------------------------------
LP 2

Manfred Hering,leader,as
Jochen Gleichmann,tp,flh
Ferry Grott,flh
Frank Gerth,tb
Jörg Huke,tb
Matthias Schade,tu
Volker Schlott,as,ss
Thomas Klemm,ts
Helmut Forsthoff,ts
René Schönherr,bs
Hansi Noack,v
Peter Koch,vc
Helmut "Joe" Sachse,g
Reiner Kühn,eb
Christoph Winkler,b
Peter Lucht,dr
Matthias Gassert,perc


1. Western - Ostern 24:48
2. Siegel + Tita 20:53


Recorded:
(LP 1) "Jazzbühne Berlin", Friedrichstadtpalast, Berlin, DDR
on 3rd June 1988

(LP 2) "Jazz in der Kammer 157", Kammerspiele des Deutschen Theaters, Berlin
on 4th December 1988

MICHAEL SELL CONTEMPORARY MUSIC ENSEMBLE "INNOVATIONEN für 10 Instrumente" MISP Records 1980

Here is - at last - Michael Sell. For more information about him see the post with "Free Jazz Group Wiesbaden".
Please note : there is obviously a bug on the cover. Namek Aclan is a tuba player - alas he's not listed on the back-cover. But apparently he does play on the album. See also the comment from October 7, 2015.
 (Frank Köllges does play during the whole album and not as I have written in the info file only on one piece - sorry.)
Michael Sell has still some older LPs and CDs - not to mention he more recent output.
You can get them here > http://www.michael-sell.de/cd.html
My favourite LPs are "Jugoslawische Quartette" with Buschi Niebergall and the double LP
"Emanationen" with its extended piece(s).

Enjoy and support the artists as long as they live!

SABU TOYOZUMI "MESSAGE TO CHICAGO" NADJA (Trio) 1974

This was a request by Intempestif some months ago.

Sabu Toyozumi should be known enough - playing and recording with Peter Brötzmann frequently. Yoshisaburo (Sabu) Toyozumi was/is a member of the AACM - as far as I know the only foreign member of this splendid organisation.
Here they play music from Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors.

Yoshisaburo "Sabu" Toyozumi, percussion
Syoji Ukaji, baritone saxophone
Ryoh Hara, piano
Yoshiaki Fujikawa, alto saxophone (only tr.3)

1. Roscoe's Tune : Odwalla 16:26
2. Malachi's Tune 10:25
3. People In Sorrow 23:14

Recorded at Jazz Corner MAMA, Kohriyama, Japan on October 20, 1974.

PJL ‎– MTCJ 5507 (cd-rip)
Originally on Nadja PA-7101

Marion Brown - Live in Wiesen '79

Even if with some delay, this is my tribute to the great M.Brown.

Rec. live in Wiesen, Austria, on July 21, 1979
(mics recording)

Marion Brown,alto sax

1. Angel Eyes/Hurry Sundown (9:49)
2. Angel Eyes Reprise (9:31)
3. Unknown (5:29)
4. La Placita (4:30)
5. Unknown (5:28)
6. Bahamian Street Dance (3:05)
7. Unknown (8:59)
8. Unknown (3:23)

Total Time 50:17

GYÖRGY SZABADOS "HOMOKI ZENE"

Before I'll go on with some german OOP - here a recording from Hungary.
György Szabados is the "father" of hungarian Freejazz. His duo with Anthony Braxton is his most famous recording. This deleted cd captures him in a kind of "Third Stream" setting.

A fine introduction you'll find here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gy%C3%B6rgy_Szabados

An excellent trio date with Anthony Braxton and Vladimir Tarasov is available from Leo Records:
http://www.leorecords.com/?m=select&id=CD_LR_416

His first recording "The Wedding" (Az esküvő) from 1975 is a masterwork.

The title "Homoki Zene" means "Sand Music" and refers to Puszta (hungarian savannah).
Not really clear to me what this is about - but the music!!!

Link in comment.
Enjoy.

ULRICH GUMPERT "RETROSPEKTIVE" 1972 (FLAC)

In the music (Jazz) of the DDR there was always a less broken rapport with german Folkmusic than in the west. There are exceptions - Ekkehard Jost comes to my mind.

But especially Ulrich Gumpert was and is the foremost exponent of a creative approach towards a modern kind of "Freefolk" - albeit for a minority.

The subtitle of the lp in my loose translation: "From german countryside - a suite made from german folksongs by Ulrich Gumpert".

ULRICH GUMPERT "RETROSPEKTIVE - 100 x Jazz in der Kammer"

(Aus Teutschen Landen - SUITE aus Motiven deutscher Volkslieder)
von Ulrich Gumpert

Helmut Forsthoff,ts
Manfred Schulze,bs
Uli Gumpert,p
Gerd Lübke,b
Christof Niemann,b
Günter Sommer,dr
Wolfgang Winkler,dr
Jochen Gleichmann,tb
KLaus Richter,tb
Conny Bauer,tb
Sieghardt Schubert,tb
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowky,ss
Manfred Hering,as

1. Es fiel ein Reif in der Frühlingsnacht
2. Tanz mir nicht mit meiner Jungfer Käthen
3. Der Maie, der Maie
4. Es saß ein schneeweiß Vögelein
5. Kommt ihr Gespielen

(Photo is by Detlev Schilke)


Link in comments.
Dance and sing.

HERBERT JOOS "STILL LIFE" 1983 (FLAC)

Although I'm still apalled - Marion Brown - Noah Howard and earlier this year Bill Dixon and Fred Anderson.
They were or better still are dear to me.

I wanted to post this already the day I learned from their death - but it seemed futile at that moment.

But here is it. The second solo LP from Herbert Joos recorded in 1983 at Tonstudio Bauer. The same place as for the MJQK and Formenonly recordings.

It's no dirge in the common sense - but to me it fits.
Solemn but at the same time life affirming.

I allow myself to dedicate this post to this four giants of creative music.

Bill Dixon........Fred Anderson........Noah Howard........Marion Brown

and to Frédito (aus einem anderen Grund).



HERBERT JOOS "STILL LIFE" (solo)

Herbert Joos,trumpet, fluegelhorn and the sounds of nature

As always - link in comments.

Consider.

Noah Howard Quartet - live in Sweden 2000

Here is a short excerpt from a concert given in Sweden. Obviously taken from a radio programme with a short presentation (in Swedish), this has about 2-3 pieces in the quartet format which to this listener is particularly significant as it probably is one of the few occasions we get to hear Bobby Few reunited with his old chum from the legendary Noah Howard and Frank Wright records from the 70s. Very timely, to say the least.

Noah Howard Quartet

Culturen
Västerås, Sweden

26 September 2000

Noah Howard - alto saxophone, vocals
Bobby Few - piano
Ulf Akerhielm - bass
Gilbert Matthews - drums

01. Title 02:39
02. Radio Announcer (in Swedish) 02:48
03. Title 11:15
04. Title 06:35

Total Time: 23:17

No titles here, but the first two pieces are quite familiar, but I can't quite recall the titles right now. Another item off the Dime network, so heartfelt thanks are extended to those responsible for capturing the broadcast and spreading it wider.

Marion Brown - solo sax 1985

Here is Marion Brown in a solo performance. This is in a lyrical, pensive, thoughtful mood, just the alto sax and nothing else. It goes to show that there was a side to Marion Brown which I find enthralling and captivating. While he was a part of the "fire music" through his ESP albums, his collaborations with Coltrane and Shepp in the 60s, there was another side, beautifully captured here. And, I think, somewhat fitting as a piece of remembrance in view of his recent passing away. Sit down, lean back and let the thoughts wander to the music of Marion Brown.

Basic facts:

Marion Brown solo
18 April 1985
"The Joint", WBRS-FM
Winer Wing, USDAN Student Center
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA

No titles here, but I'm sure listeners will recognise several in the course of the two sets, close to 70 minutes in all. This was up on the Dime network, so thanks to those who recorded/uploaded and seeded.

Noah Howard& Marion Brown-RIP

Noah Howard & Marion Brown... are both gone now!

Berliner Improvisations Quartett - Live in Moers '79

An integration to the previous post by onxidlib.
The photo above (Manfred Schulze) is by Herb Weisrock.

Rec. live at "The 8th Moers Festival", Moers, Germany,
on June 3, 1979 (mics recording)

Manfred Schulze,baritone sax,clarinet
Hermann Keller,piano
Andreas Altenfelder,trumpet
Wilfried Staufenbiel,cello,vocal

1. Intro by Burkhard Hennen (01:03)
2. Ex Tempore III (22:06)
3. Ex Tempore IV (11:41)
4. Ein Abschied Für Jazzensemble (08:07)

Total Time 43:03

Michael.J.Smith--Geomusic 3-(Polskie Nagrania/Pronit lp Z-SX O614) 1976

Here is another rather scarce , lp , by the enigmatic Michael J Smith , whom ,most readers may recognise as a major Collaborator of both Steve Lacy& Anthony Braxton, and more recently Noah Howard.

I love this record , which is a further installment of what smith calls his Non Notational system of composition 'geomusic(S)'.
There are no liner notes to this or the other 2 Smith Lp's in my possesion , but his methodology like those of his namesake Master-Wadada, and perhaps Cecil Taylor seems to involve organically evolving free improvisations stemming from repeated fragments of melody , and the inversions of those motifs and patterns.

Some of these pieces evolve from simple structures , becoming squalls of almost branch like complexity , very reminiscent of say , a contemporary composer in the vein of Brian Fernyhough.
A Couple of tracks hint at a much more firmly rooted tonality ,standard song structures and more primal Ethnological explorations.

For this record he has 2 very fine collaborators in Zbigniew Namyslowski ,an early major collaborator of Krisztof Komeda,Tomasz Stanko and Smith himself .

Jacek Bednarek , was a Polish bassist, who's work I'm not all that familiar with , although he does play on the incredible New Jazz ensemble's Burning Flowers set ,Generously shared by Onxdlib a few pages back.


Despite being Smiths compositions , this record has the feel of a real collaborative effort , with the very distinctive contributions of Bednarek and Namyslowski , essential to it's over all success.

Smith , now in his seventies , resides in Tyringe in Sweden, and apparently continues to compose and record.
His internet presence apart from a myspace page is virtually nil , and even there , one sees no reference to his most recent recordings ...
a pity , I for one would love to hear more recent 'Geomusics'

a very nice record .

On another note iwould like to mention that i once had an lp on Storyville , from 1975 of Smith's Featuring Lawrence Cook and Kent Carter...its something i would Appreciate hearing again , so please in the event that you have it and are able to share it please consider this a request... i cant even remember the name of the record ....TIT i think it was called , though i may be wrong .
If you want us to keep sharing Here .... please consider Sharing with us !


players
Michael Smith - piano;
Zbigniew Namyslowski - alto saxophone, cello, flute;
Jacek Bednarek - bass;

ERNST-LUDWIG PETROWSKY - AMIGA 855621

Another gem from the DDR. Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky with different line-ups.
After several LPs on FMP under his own name - his first for AMIGA.

Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky / Klaus Koch / Günter Sommer / Kent Carter / Hans-Günther Wauer / Ulrich Gumpert (on trombone)/ Helmut Forsthoff / Hans Rempel / Joachim Graswurm / Hubert Katzenbeier / Eberhard Weise / Wolfgang Winkler / Jochen Gleichmann

Recordings made between 1974 and 1977.

No reissue at the horizon........but there are several Zentralquartet and a duo with drums available on INTAKT: http://www.intaktrec.ch/petrowsky-a.htm
Each one worth its price and your complete attention.

Spellbound.



ERNST-LUDWIG PETROWSKY  (Amiga, 1978)

Side A:

1."Eine Improvisation", 2:01,
rec. Live  10.04. 1977, Volksbühne Berlin,
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky (as), Klaus Koch (b) & Rundfunk-Jazzensemble Studio 4: Joachim Graswurm (flh), Hubert Katzenbeier (tb), Eberhard Weise (p), Wolfgang Winkler (dr),
 
2."Hagener Schleife", 2:49,
rec. Live 20.03. 1976, Freiberg,
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky (as), Jochen Gleichmann (tp), Helmut Forsthoff (ts), Hans Rempel (p), Klaus Koch (b), Günter Sommer (dr, perc),

3."Hundert Maaßgelinzerte", 2:38,
rec. Live 19.11. 1977, Kammerspiele Berlin, Jazz in der Kammer Nr. 100,
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky (ss), Kent Carter (b), Ulrich Gumpert (v-tb), Günter Sommer (dr, perc),
 
4."Stück für zwei Hölzer", 5:20,
rec. Live 28.06. 1974, Berlin, Kulturhaus Damenmoden,
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky (romanian shepherd flute, as), Klaus Koch (b), Günter Sommer (dr, perc),

5."Ladegäste", 4:33,
rec. Live 27.09. 1977, Dom zu Merseburg, Jazz und Orgel,
Hans-Günther Wauer (Ladegast-Organ),Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky (ss), Klaus Koch (b), Günter Sommer (dr, perc),
 
6."Dreiklang", 5:09,
rec. Live 28.06. 1974, Berlin, Kulturhaus Damenmoden,
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky (romanian shepherd flute, as), Klaus Koch (b), Günter Sommer (dr, perc),

Side B:

7."Wandertag in Freiberg", 23:04,
rec. Live 19.03. 1976, Freiberg, Freiberger Jazztage,
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky (ts, as), Klaus Koch (b), Günter Sommer (dr, perc),

AMIGA 855621 (lp rip)

Cover: Ehbets,
Photos: Otto Sill / Barbara Köppe (Dates are DD/MM/YYYY)

.

SCHLIPPENBACH TRIO ("First Incarnation")

Before I go on with some german or otherwise OOP - here is a NP.


This special line-up is the direct precursor of the well known Schlippenbach Trio.


A short broadcast (28 minutes) from the 12th German Jazzfestival in Frankfurt.





Alexander von Schlippenbach - piano

Michel Pilz - bassclarinet

Paul Lovens - percussion


22. March 1970 Kongresshalle, Frankfurt, Germany


Buy recordings from Schlippi , Paul and Michel!!

Link in comments.

Enjoy!

P.S. To all copyright holders - please contact me if you would like to have the pictures deleted.
All infringement of copyright is not intentional!
Thank you.

MASTERS OF UNORTHODOX JAZZ & REFORM ART UNIT "VIENNA JAZZ AVANTGARDE" (WM-Prod, 1971)

For Isabelle from Lyon, heres a repost from 2010, i've simply Changed the date on the original post to move it forward , everything else is as was originally published

Here's a little a little something congruent with the recent fascinating thread started by Onxydlib.
Firstly i must confess to an almost total ignorance of the Austrian and in this case Viennese Free Jazz scene of the late 60's and early 70's , knowing a few names , and having heard a tiny smattering of the music is all i can honestly profess.

Ive had this for years , whilst knowing next to nothing about it, and i guess i ought to declare that the vinyl itself is well worn , and covered in surface scratches... I've done my best in terms of balancing declicking the digital files and maintaining the Fullness of the original sound.

A lot of vinyl rips and concerts that have been cleaned up sound bleached out and thin to my ears ..... so ive done as little as possible ... a light sweep of crackle , and removals of individual objects... no compression, limiting or eq'ing what so ever.

Franz Ringel .. Who designed the cover is someone i know more about, He is one of Austrias national treasures.. More of his work can be Viewed here.

i find these sides , and particularly the reform art unit, more than merely very interesting listens and these certainly induce a craving to hear more!!!

Most people will have at least come across Toni Michelmyr , and Muhammad Malli, the bassist and drummer on both these sessions , they come across very strongly indeed , giving the impression they must have worked together alot....

Both also play on Steve lacy-Franz Kogelmqann's 'Opium" from the mid 70's which has been reissued By Kogelmann on his between the lines label , and is the only other thing i have actually heard by these guys .
there are- also a few tracks on the lacy Savarah Anthology "Dreams Scratching the 70s"which feature Muhammed MaLli as a guest percussionist.

There is not much info out there, in English about either of these groups .... its clear though that Masters of Unorthodox Jazz recorded several lp's at the very least, and Reform Art Unit , at least 4 or 5.
if anyone can provide more info , and or share other albums by these groups ... please do!

LP1 - Masters of Unorthodox Jazz
Allaeddin Adlernest (bassoon) Harum Ghulam Barabbas (as, ldr) Ahmed Pechoc (p) Tony Michlmayer (b) Muhammad Malli (d, perc)


LP2 - Reform Art Unit
Sepp Mitterbauer (tp, org) Heinz Cadek (tb) Fritz Novotny (sop, fl, perc) Giselher
Smekal (org, p, perc) Tony Michlmayr (b) Muhammad Malli (perc) Kristin Novotny (vcl)
Vienna, May 5, 1970
Meditation-conversation and love (kn vcl)



ENJOY!!

Wolfgang Fortner-Triplum for 3 pianos and Orchestra-1966 , ect-(Wergo lp-60035- 1967?)

just one brief clarification , before i move on ..this is neither jazz nor improvised music !.. but it fits in nicely with this wonderful recent Germanic thread.

Wolfgang Fortner was once one of Germany's most influential composers , if for no other reason than having been the teacher of Zimmermann, Henze,keleman Wolfgang Rihm,Zender and Even Naim June Paik.

Born in Leipzig in 1907 , he died in 87. his career and the music itself ,seems with hindsight to follow a familiar trajectory.

and in these relatively later works you can hear a typical Darmstadt style of composition ( the post -serial ,aleatory techniques etc
)
i wish it were possible to hear much more of Fortner's music , alas this sort of thing is hardly fashionable .

Wergo at one time had at least 4 or 5 lp's of Fortners music in circulation , and at least one of those, which featured a sonata for violin and piano, and Zyklus for cello and piano, made it to CD reissue ...
this one never has ... and not much else seems currently available.

Enjoy!!

PS
this rip is taken from a late 70's reissue of the original 1967 or 68 lp
i've include photos of the booklet , but NB-all the notes are in German>

BERLINER IMPROVISATIONS QUARTETT ( AMIGA, 1979)

This lp opened my ears for the Free Music scene in the GDR. It's not Free Jazz or Free Improvisation. It is a category of its own. Although the lyrics are "spoken" (a reference could be "Pierrot Lunaire" by Schönberg) in German (Beaudelaire...) the music is quite outstanding.
Really independent music - for example Andreas Altenfelder's trumpet work on track 5 or Manfred Schulze's bariton sax musings which are througout insistent but never hermetic.

Manfred Schulze who was the founder of the M.S. Bläser Quintet has died 2010. From 1992 he was forced to abandon music because of a grave disease.

Hermann Keller is still active - among his activities/groups is the Berliner Improvisations Trio/Quartet with Antje Messerschmidt (violin and viola), Jürgen Kupke (clarinets) and Ulrich Weber on trumpet and fluegelhorn.


Andreas Altenfelder was playing with the Willem Breuker Kollektiev
for at least 20 years.

Of Wilfried Staufenbiel's whereabouts I have no clue.

This is the Amiga lp plus two more...


Manfred Schulze, baritone saxophone, clarinet
Hermann Keller, piano, vocals
Andreas Altenfelder, trumpet, vocals, flute
Wilfried Staufenbiel, cello, vocals

1. Nocturno 9:19
2. Die Augen Der Armen (Canon-Chaconne-Fantasie) 11:26
3. Ex Tempore IV (Thema Und Variationen) 10:35
4. Ostinato 9:28

Recorded 19./20.07.1979 at Amiga-Studios, Berli.

AMIGA  8 55 717(vinyl rip)

plus:

5. Sieben Viertel       08:59

Berlin, 12. August 1979
(from the Double-LP "SNAPSHOT/Jazz aus der DDR" - FMP) (vinyl rip)

6. Ein Abschied Für Jazzensemble  08:08

New Jazz Festival Moers 3rd June, 1979 (released 2008 - deleted)
(from the CD-Box "Musik in Deutschland - Jazz - Neue Musik im Jazz; Sony Music)

This are the complete issued recordings by this singular group/line-up.

Joelle Leandre-Les Douzes Sons LP, 1983 Nato

Heres a stunning, hugely enjoyable improv Record on the lamented Nato label.

Joelle Leandre= Godess One of the most unfailingly riveting contemporary improvisors..
if you havent heard her , this is a great place to start , the variety and level of invention through out is staggering.
and whats more its laced with droll humour typical of Nato 's house aesthetic.

The Fun ,and sheer pleasure of playing are palpable throughout , perhaps even the very essence of the record.



Joelle's Dog Miss Biscotte is featured in a hilarious trio with George Lewis.
The full line up is J.Leandre, G.Lewis, Annick Nozati, Irene Scheizer, Ernst Reyseger, and legendary bassist Barre Phillips.

wonderful stuff.. those interested in checking out more OOP Nato lps go here AND HERE

ENJOY ... AND VISIT ,Joelle Leandre's website , shes prolific , and there are lots of real gems that are worth checking out!


NOTE- Jean Rochard said

"



No lament please since the nato company is still around (I run it and am not dead yet) and celebrated last year the 30th anniversary of the label. Lsst release in April was abrand new trio with Lol Coxhill Barre Phillips and JT Bates as well as the first reissue on CD of Instant replay (1983) of Lol Coxhill (featuring Joëlle amongst many others). Les Douze Sons will be reissued on CD in september for Joëlle 60th birthday.






www.natomusic.fr
Yours
Jean Rochard (with nato since 1980)

Bernd Alois Zimmermann-the Numbered, Improvisations & Tratto (Wergo-2549-005) 1969 featuring Manfred Schoof's quintet

Here's another Wergo Lp , mentioned In the comments to Onxydlib's post of Manfred Schoofs ,wonderful 1967 debut.
This features the Compositions of Bernd Alois Zimmerman one of the most significant post war European Composers.

Zimmermann had a life long love of jazz and its spontaneity ,the forms associated with jazz and the blues are often referenced however obtusely in many of his own works.
The individuality of his unique Vision seems to be ever more clearly evident and relevant.

A postmodernist before the term was ever invented , like his contemporary Mauricio Kagel (who had in his youth been a trumpeter)
Serial ,and aleatory techniques mingle with myriad fragments of popular musics, marching bands ,swing ,the blues..baroque music and quotes from contemporaneous scores , just about anything really.
all this at times fractured and pulverised then re filtered through the seemingly conversational flow of the musical organism .

Yes i like his music alot ... and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves richly textured complex kaleidoscopic musics.
The Wergo Site is a great place to start , since they have documented the majority of his oeuvre.

His life was sadly cut short by chronic depression ,he suicided in 1970.

I bought this record whilst first exploring free jazz and improvised musics, and having stumbled across European echoes a few months before , i was somewhat bemused and disappointed at first.

Finding side A ,(on which Schoof's original quintet performs incidental music to a radio play, and improvisations on themes from Zimmermann's opera Die Soldaten) restrained , and a little bloodless
.
Now of course i love it , it is restrained ,indeed very quiet for long periods.

also note that ,Jaki Liebziet's drumming is consistently inventive throughout , negotiating every rapid fire change,and the huge dynamic range like a virtuoso, amazing given that he must have been barely out of his teens.


The second piece is an electronic subtly oscillating drone piece from 1966, sounding Perhaps a little like 3 or 4 Elaine Radigue pieces played simultaneously.


i have looked for this both on the Wergo site and elsewhere to no avail i assume therefore that it is out of print, although i have a feeling that perhaps Tratto the electronic piece has been reissued elswhere , perhaps an electro acoustic compilation of some sort...

Enjoy
and check out Both Zimmermann ,and Schoofs work if you get a chance.

FRIEDHELM SCHÖNFELD "FRIEDHELM SCHÖNFELD" AMIGA 1978 (FLAC)

Here we have a lesser known musician from the GDR. Although his first half LP "Trio-Dimensionen" (1973) one can find more than once in blogland. The group from this recording - founded already in 1966 - consisted of Günter "Baby" Sommer and Klaus Koch and F.Schönfeld.
He was with Joachim Kühn, Manfred Schulze and the musicians from Synopsis/Zentralquartet a pioneer in the development of east german Free Jazz.
His commitement allowed musicians from the "west" to perform outside Berlin (1970s) - which before wasn't approved by the authorities.
He worked for theater , maintained workshops and several other projects.
1983 he emigrated to Canada and 1985 to the western part of Berlin.
He is now a professor for saxophon and Big Band and is still playing. His recent recording is on the label Jazzwerkstatt ("Start" JW008 --> http://www.records-cd.com/product_info.php/info/p4611213_Start.html).

Aladar Pege later became famous as a virtuoso bassist - which articulates clearly on this recording.

This is a more "conventional" recording than my previous posts but by all means worth to listen to. No artwork - as I haven't found the cover in the net. > Thanks to Owombat for the high quality cover scan.

FRIEDHELM SCHÖNFELD (Quartet)

Friedhelm Schönfeld,fl,acl,ts
Aladar Pege,b
Dieter Keitel,dr,perc
Wolfgang Weber,vc (only tr.4)

Enjoy.

Link in comment.

Baden Baden Free Jazz Meeting 1971 - audio upgrade

We posted a while back a set of recordings from the above event, but only in mp3 as that was the only format available. Meanwhile, bialero has been discreetly slipping in lossless versions of these recordings in the comment section of the earlier post. These may easily be overlooked, so I thought it warranted a separate "front page". I can't say how much these posts match the earlier ones, because I haven't had a chance to listen through the full set of both.

Anyway, here's the basic info:

va - Baden Baden Free Jazz Meeting 1971
recorded in Baden-Baden, Südwestfunk Studios
(Dec 1971, bootleg)

Herbert Joos, Marc Charig, Maffay Falay - trumpet, flugehorn
Malcolm Griffiths, Nick Evans - trombone
Elton Dean - soprano sax,sss, saxello ,Alan Skidmore - soprano sax, tenor sax
Dudu Pukwana - alto sax, saxello
Karlheinz Wiberny - alto sax
Michel Pilz - bass clarinet
Terje Rypdal - guitar
Chris McGregor, Burton Greene - electric-piano, piano
Barre Phillips, Adelhard Roidinger, Roy Babbington, Ron Mathewson - bass
Stu Martin, Alan Jackson - drums ,Okay Temiz - percussion

CD 1:
1. Synode (Burton Greene with HJ, MP, KHW, OT) 11:51
2. The Serpent's KindlyEye (Chris McGregor with orchestra) 22:13
3. Your Eyes Are Full Of Tears (Terje Rypdal) 7:17
4. After Nord (Terje Rypdal with BP, HR, SM etc) 17:52

CD2:
1. F Tide part 1 (Terje Rypdal with HR, BP, SM)
2. F Tide part 2 (Terje Rypdal with HR, BP, SM)
3. Turn The Lights Off (Terje Rypdal with HR, BP, SM)
4. Marco (Marc Charig with DP, CM, RM, AJ)

CD3:
1. Just Eight (Barre Phillips with RB, AR, RM, SM, OT)
2. Peshrev Javos (Oaky Temiz/Maffay Falay with DP, RB)
3. Wiberny's Piece (Karlheinz Wiberny w. MC, MG, MP, BG, AR, SM)
4. Come On (Barre Phillips with AS, MG, TR, AR, BP, SM)
5. Hypnose (Terje Rypdal with orchestra)

CD4:
1-3. Room For Everybody (Burton Greene with orchestra)
4. One More Time (Burton Greene with orchestra)
5. The Serpent's Kindly Eye (second version, Chris McGregor with orchestra)

CD5:
1. The Serpent's Kindly Eye (concert version)
2. Encore (incomplete)

Sound quality is very good throughout with the exception of the penultimate cd, but I'm willing to sit through any version of "The Serpent's Kindly Eye" at whatever sound quality.

Thanks to bialero for invaluable service to humankind!

Wadada Leo Smith & New Dalta Ahkri - Live in Florence '79

The New Dalta Ahkri (the name of the open groups led by Wadada
during the Seventies) stands out for a music that is always balanced
between written and improvised parts : Wadada's scores contain
only a part of what you're listening to, even if the first impression
is that the musicians read nearly all.

Rec. live in Florence, Italy, on July 4, 1979
(mics recording)

Wadada Leo Smith,flute,trumpet,flugelhorn,percussion
Dwight Andrews,flute,soprano & tenor sax,bass clarinet
Bobby Naughton,vibraphone
Wes Brown,bass

1. Track #1 (16:50)
2. Track #2 (20:37)
3. Track #3 (16:44)
4. Track #4 (08:33)
5. Track #5 (14:06)
6. Track #6 (05:55)

Total Time 1:22:47