18 July 2009

Michel Portal Unit feat. Albert Mangelsdorff live in Willisau 1976



I've posted a set of the Michel Portal Unit from 1974 before, so fast-forwarding to 1976, here is a set live at the Willisau Jazz Festival on 27 August 1976. The line-up is as follows:

Michel Portal: sax,bcl,bandoneon
Albert Mangelsdorff: tb
Bernard Lubat: p,synth,perc
Beb Guérin: b
Leon Francioli: b
Pierre Favre: dr,perc

Portal, Lubat, Francioli and Guerin are in the picture above which adorned the front cover of the Chateauvallon 76 lp. In addition, Pierre Favre is in this line-up (as well as on the former Unit album from Chateauvallon 72) and last, but not least, Albert Mangelsdorff is putting in a fine performance here.

In essence, one long piece, cut into three on this upload from ........... As with the 1974 concert, a strong rhythmic pulse, driven by two percussionists and two bassists and a flowing shift between genres and styles, never losing sight of the melodious touch. At one point Portal is grabbing the bandoneon to insert a bit of folkiness and the final piece ends on a smoochy note with what sounds like fireworks erupting in the background. A communal feel to the unit with no leader calling the shots all the time and with enough space for everyone to throw their bits into the ring.

More to come from Portal for sure. I'm planning to do it chronologically, so we'll end up in 2009 for sure at some point in the future, but lots of ground to cover before then.

8 comments:

wightdj said...

Sorry, but are the links missing?

Discobole said...

Hooorrrahhhhhhhhh!
But is not the link missing????
I cannot wait, well I can, but....

kinabalu said...

Oops,

(flacs)
http://rapidshare.com/files/255699951/PORTAL_1976-08-27__Willisau__flac_.part1.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/255689965/PORTAL_1976-08-27__Willisau__flac_.part2.rar

(mp3)
http://rapidshare.com/files/255683644/PORTAL_1976-08-27__Willisau__mp3_.rar

Sorry about that ...

wightdj said...

Now we're cookin'! Thanks.

SOTISE said...

thanks for this K ...glad you hadn't given up on the potential 'Portal, series'...look forward to more .
cheers

Carlito said...

Thanks a lot for this great live !

On the first track, two themes, that were played at Chateavaullon few days before this concert, can be heard : "Souffriere (Erruption)" and "En Voiture Simone".
The last track is "Angels" by Albert Ayler .. also played at Chateauvallon.

kinabalu said...

Yep, there'll be more of lotsa things; just, gonna get myself organised ...

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

1fichier