Ramish is a renowned performer of Azeri music on electric guitar:
Rehman Memmedli shreds on broadcast television. I love the guitar tone here – some fuzz and phaser kills in this context. His backing band sounds dark and moody:
Download Rehman Memmedli – “Bash Sari Tel” (5:27 min, 6.27 Mb mp3)
Elman Namazoglu in two jaw-dropping solo performances. Although the supporting tracks on his stuff can get pretty cheesy and overproduced, I really dig the oddly dissonant backing in this one. And yes, he is playing in front of a neon cobra, and that is insanely cool:
Please turn up the volume for this one:
Interesting to note that they all seem to be playing the same guitar! Can anyone shed some light on that? Search is not turning up much information on these guys. If you have anything to share, hit me!
Filed under: azeri, tracks, youtube | Leave a Comment
Tags: azerbaijan, azeri, electric guitar, Elman Namazoglu, neon cobra, Ramish, Rehman Memmedli, youtube
This is a glimpse into the studio of composer Eliane Radigue (b. 1932, Paris). She began experimenting with feedback and tape loops while working as an assistant to Pierre Henry. Radigue’s interests were more in line with the minimalist composers than with musique concrete, leading her to the U.S. around 1970 where she began composing using modular synthesizers. She worked almost exclusively with the ARP2500 synthesizer for years (incidentally, the synth used to communicate with aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind). Her work, influenced by her devotion to Tibetan Buddhism and meditation practice, patiently investigates internal states of reflection while avoiding flaccid feel-good New Age “meditation music” cliches. In more recent years, Radigue has begun composing for instrumentalists – one example being Elemental II, composed for the solo electric bass of Kaspar Toeplitz.
Here is a 1980 radio interview from KPFA Berkeley, CA. Radigue discusses her background, compositional process, and the importance of solitude. The broadcast includes live-in-studio tape performances of Chry-ptus and Triptych. It’s fascinating to hear that she had difficulty even having her work acknowledged as “music” by the French establishment in the 70s.
Here’s a clip from another interview. “After 1 or 2 minutes, I say ‘OK, is beautiful but… so what?’ “
If you’re looking to get into Radigue’s catalog, 
I suggest the staggering and painstakingly crafted Trilogie de la Mort. Radigue is a devotee of Tibetan Buddhism and she spent 8 years crafting this, her map of death and rebirth. She was inspired by the passing of her guru Pawo Rinpoche, her son (with artist Arman) Yves Arman, and the Bardo Thodol (the Tibetan Book of the Dead – please note that a more literal translation of the title is “Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State”). Radigue displays seemingly infinite subtlety in her filter modulation and tone combination. It rewards careful and dedicated listening. Clocking in at nearly 3 hours, this is the Mount Everest of drone.
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Tags: arman, arp, arp 2500, bardo thodol, buddhism, chry-ptus, close encounters of the third kind, composition, drone, electronic music, eliane radigue, kaspar toeplitz, KPFA, minimalism, pawo rinpoche, pierre henry, solitude, synthesizer, tape editing, tibetan book of the dead, tibetan buddhism, trilogie de la mort, triptych, women in electronic music, yves arman
Live @ Bullwinkle’s in Ontario, Canada 1985.
Like many, I first encountered Don Sugarcane Harris (1938-1999) on Zappa’s excellent Hot Rats (also my introduction to Captain Beefheart, Jean-Luc Ponty and Shuggie Otis – man, what an album). Harris was as famous for his fiddling as he was infamous for his habit of pawning his instrument and missing gigs. His posthumous website includes some hilarious stories and quotes.
Sugarcane Harris – Soul Motion (1962):
One I can recommend:
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Tags: 1962, 1985, canada, captain beefheart, don sugarcane harris, electric fiddle, fiddler on the rock, frank zappa, hot rats, jean-luc ponty, live, ontario, rock, shuggie otis, soul motion, tupelo chain sex
Yoko Ono – Sun Is Down (Mood Organ remix) by Mood Organ
Winning remixes are here.
Filed under: electronic, mood organ, soundcloud, tracks | Leave a Comment
Tags: contest, doom, drone, mood organ, plastic ono band, remix, yoko ono
To me, Mood Organ has this Philip K. Dickian vibe of like some kind of biofeedback machine to make you a better human. And the music does indeed live up to that concept, because on this release Mood Organ- aka Timm Mason- makes a close study of sound via ambient drones, hypnagogic field recordings, and lyrical guitar work. Initially, the music seemed a bit too understated, but each listen revealed more of Mason’s fine craftsmanship at work.
Read the full review here.
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Tags: debacle records, electroacoustic music, electronic music, foxy digitalis, mike pursley, minimalism, mood organ, visiting a burning museum
This was the CD release party for Visiting a Burning Museum, held at Dissonant Plane in Ballard (Seattle). The tunes I used were:
- “My Brother Woody” from Kites Are Fun by The Free Design
- “The Card Game” by Climax Golden Twins, from An Uncommon Nature
- “Rainy Day” from Paint a Lady by Susan Christie
Thanks to David Golightly for the video. Thanks to Eric Lanzillotta for the invitation to play.
Filed under: electronic, mood organ | 1 Comment
Tags: ballard, climax golden twins, dissonant plane, eric lanzillotta, instore, live, modular synth, mood organ, records, seattle, susan christie, the free design, turntable, video, vimeo
Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme will unleash our first slab of vinyl this Saturday night at The Tractor Tavern in Ballard (Seattle). It’s a 7″ with “Exceptional” on the A-side and “Bafftub Jim” on the back. The tracks were recorded by the great Mell Dettmer at Aleph Studios in West Seattle. They look and sound fantastic.
Here’s what a couple of local publications had to say about the upcoming Tractor show:
Seattle 11-piece Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme follow in the uproarious tradition of expansive funk ensembles that have been raising roofs since Nixon was befouling the Oval Office. The seven songs on their Us Is What Time It Is CD flaunt a fleet, fiery funk bolstered by soaring orchestrations, tight arrangements, and groin-grinding rhythms. Vocalist Eldridge Gravy recalls Stevie Wonder’s youthful, animated tenor, ably conveying the soulful inspiration upon which these units thrive. Sweet, sweaty times await you. (Dave Segal, “The Stranger Suggests” in The Stranger)
If you like your bands large and funky, get yourself to see Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme at the Tractor. Eldridge Gravy’s stock is on the rise lately as they crank out danceable tunes of the Tower of Power/Sly and the Family Stone variety. An Eldridge Gravy show is a powerful wall of funk in an increasingly unfunky city. (Michael Harthorne, “First Can’t Miss Shows of the New Decade” in Ballard News-Tribune )
Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme
with Black Cherry Crush & Olympic Sound Collective
@ The Tractor Tavern (5213 Ballard Ave NW)
Saturday, January 9 @ 9PM
$8 (21+)
UPDATE 1/10/2010:
Thanks to all who came out for making this show a smashing success! The Tractor was fully sold-out before 10PM (200 presales!), Black Cherry Crush and Olympic Sound Collective both sounded great, and our man Donnie Doller$tacks’ birthday wish came true!
Visit The Slog for a recap by Kyle Regan. “Eldridge Gravy & the Court Supreme had me doing dance moves I didn’t know I was capable of. And the great thing about this kind of concert is the people around you immediately become your friends.”
Bellingham, Port Townsend: you’re next!
Filed under: eldridge gravy & the court supreme, funk, show announcements | Leave a Comment
Tags: 45, 7", aleph studios, ballard, ballard news-tribune, black cherry crush, dave segal, eldridge gravy & the court supreme, funk, kyle regan, mell dettmer, michael harthorne, olympic sound collective, press, record, seattle, single, soul, the slog, the stranger, tractor tavern, vinyl
French composer Jean-Claude Risset composed Mutations in 1969. Lillian Schwartz did the film in 1972 and it features laser effects, crystal growth, and early computer animation – including Conway’s beloved Game of Life.
Risset pioneered computer music synthesis at Bell Labs. His creations include mind-blowing auditory illusions like a Shepard-tone glissando and an effect where tempo seems to increase indefinitely.
Filed under: art, computer animation, electronic, youtube | Leave a Comment
Tags: bell labs, crystal growth, early CGI, early computer music, electronic music, jean-claude risset, laser, lillian schwartz, synthesis, youtube
Hasan Genç:
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Tags: anatolian, baglama, Hasan Genç, saz, turkey, turkish music, virtuoso, youtube
Recent Entries
- Monsters of Azeri Guitar: Ramish, Rehman Memmedli & Elman Namazoglu
- Pig Destroyer proves that microphones are for the weak
- Master Drone Composer Eliane Radigue in Her Studio
- Dr. Night Call – Sugarcane Harris throws down with Tupelo Chain Sex live in Ontario, 1985
- One Way to Lose the Yoko Ono Remix Competition
- Foxy Digitalis reviews Visiting a Burning Museum
- Mood Organ – live @ Dissonant Plane, 8/28/2009
- Eldridge Gravy live @ The Tractor, “Exceptional” 45 available
- Jean-Claude Risset / Lillian Schwartz – Mutations
- Two Virtuosic Performances for Baglama-Saz
- Rembetiko: Music of the Outsiders documentary
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