LEFT HAND RIGHT HAND "Legs Akimbo" (1992) / "In Mufti" (1995)

Οι Left Hand Right Hand σχηματίζονται προς τα τέλη της δεκαετίας του '80 από τη σύμπραξη των αδερφών Andrew και Tony Brown με τον Paul Ackerley από το μουσικό σχήμα Zahgurim. Οι αυτοσχεδιαστικές -στα κρουστά-  αναζητήσεις των πρώτων και οι ηλεκτρο-ιντάστριαλ κατευθύνσεις των δεύτερων καθορίζουν τον ήχο τους, ο οποίος, και με την προσθήκη πνευστών, επιδιώκει τη δημιουργία ενός διευρυμένου σκηνικού όπου συνυφαίνονται το ροκ, τα ηλεκτρονικά, οι εθνοφόλκ απόηχοι, ο tribal εξωτισμός... η βιομηχανική τζαζ.
Αρωγοί στο ενδιαφέρον εγχείρημα των Left Hand Right Hand διάφοροι προσκεκλημένοι σε κρουστά, φωνητικά και πνευστά οπως ο βαρύτονος σαξοφωνίστας George Haslam, o σημαντικός τζαζ αυτοσχεδιαστής Lol Coxhill (σοπράνο σαξόφωνο), ο πρώην Clock DVA Charlie Collins (πνευστά και ηλεκτρονικά), αλλά και ο ιθύνων νους των Shock Headed Peters, Karl Blake, (μπάσο, κιθάρες...), παράγοντας καταλυτικός της γοητευτικής αινιγματικότητας των ήχων.

Αν και οι λάιβ δραστηριότητες των Left Hand Right Hand απλώνονται σε βάθος χρόνου σε Αγγλία, Ευρώπη, Αμερική χαρίζοντας τους μια μικρή φήμη στους σχετικούς αβάν/ιντάστριαλ κύκλους, η   δισκογραφική τους παρουσία περιορίζεται στο διάστημα 1990-95 περιλαμβάνοντας κατά κύριο λόγο, (μετά το εισαγωγικό EP "Hum Drum"), τα άλμπουμ "Legs Akimbo" (1992, διανομή World Seprent) και "In Mufti" (1995, Musica Maxima Magnetica), τα οποία μπορείτε να ακούσετε μέσω των κάτωθι σύνδεσμων:

Legs Akimbo

In Mufti

MAESTRO SUBGUM & THE WHOLE: Sounds From A Fringe Theatre

Maestro Subgum And The Whole was formed in late 80's in Chicago. As an ensemble connected mostly with the musico-theatrical activities of the Curious Theatre Branch -which was founded in 1988 by multi-talented band members Beau O'Reilly and Jenny Magnus- Maestro developed an avant, weirdly performed style based on showtunes, cabaret jazz and eclectically incorporated elements from blues, pop, folk, funk-rock, alternative...

Band's sound was mainly built around voices, horns (trumpet, flute, trombone...), piano/organ and percussions, their line up hosted many musicians though, as well members of the theater company. Beside its unique live performances, Maestro created several very significant recordings, most of them self-released and now hard to find.

Maestro went defunct circa middle-nineties, when  pianist and co-composer Michael Greenberg quit. Since then Greenberg has been making music with new bands and releasing solo works, while Beau O'Reilly and Jenny Magnus continue writing, directing and performing their plays..
Maestro's latest appearance was an one-night reunion show in March 2009. O'Reilly's Crooked Mouth String Band is now the band within the long-lasting Curious Theatre Branch.

Maestro Subgum & The (nearly) Whole at reunion show (2009)

Maestro's crew:

Beau O'Reilly (a.k.a. Lefty Fizzle), Jenny Magnus, Miki Greenberg (Miki the Lip), Bob Jacobson, Kate O'Reilly (Sister Kate), Colm O'Reilly (Clem of the Bogs), Blair Thomas, Ned Folkerth (Red Ned the flame-haired messenger of love), Mark Messing, Mark Hollman, Spencer Sundell and others...

"lost lost lost", 1991

"Jiggle The Constable", 1992

"Whoopsadaisy", 1997

The LaFolieDuJour intro to Maestro Subgum & The Whole 

(sorry!! due to complaints the link to our anthology has been removed)

Bamboo Guru ( from "lost lost lost", 1991)

A Sudden Stroll

One hour in the company of the "small heroes" of 80's...

ALGEBRA SUICIDE horizon
("Big Skin", cassette, 1986)
POLISH AUGUST ten tips for beautiful nails
("No Platform For Heels", V.A., LP, 1982)
PERFORMING FERRET BAND bar room
("Performing Ferret Band", LP, 1981)
FACTION tired of love
("Faction", LP, 1981)
METHODISHCA TUNE orchestras
("Orchestras", 7'', 1981)
THE PLUGS bat brain moon man boiler boy
("Rupert Preaching At A Picnic", V.A., LP, 1981)
SCREEN 3 the dividing line
("Come Into My Jungle", 7'', 1983)
CAS CARNABY 5 death of a 1000 public houses
("Mr Morris' Funeral", LP, 1988)
INCA BABIES ramblin' man
("Opium Den", mLP, 1987)
THE LEGEND! talk open
("Some Of Us Still Burn", EP, 1985)
YEAH YEAH NOH prick up your ears [peel session]
("Fun On The Lawn Lawn Lawn", LP, 1986)
4000000 TELEPHONES we' re not coming out
("4000000 Telephones", LP, 1985)
IN EMBRACE to friends (an open letter)
("Passionfruit Pastels", LP, 1982)
THE LINES blow a kiss
("Therapy", LP, 1981)
JESUS COULDN'T DRUM frosty
("Ruttling Orange Peel & Blind Lemon Pie", LP, 1988)
SCATTERBRAINS lopen
("Musical Marriage", LP, 1983)
ZRU VOGUE do the zru
("Zru Vogue", LP, 1982)
D.J. LEBOWITZ holiday in cambodia
("Beautiful Hapiness", V.A., LP, 1988)
HAIGINSHA lusefeea
("Obscure Independent Classics vol.4", V.A., 1987)

A Sudden Stroll (19track comp. -by LaFolieDuJour )

The Female Energy Of THE TIPTONS

The Tiptons is an all-women sax quartet which features Jessica Lurie (alto, tenor, vocals), Tina Richerson (baritone, vocals), Sue Orfield (tenor, vocals) and Amy Denio (alto, vocals), with the latter -member of so many avant, rio, impro and world jazz oufits- to be the most well known name here. The line up is completed by guests percussions.

The band, active since 1988, was formerly known as Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet. Original members Lurie and Denio are the main composers. The Tiptons have released 10 cd's so far, the most recent one is "Strange Flower", (2010).

The quartet describes its music as: “... a high energy blend of ‘twisted folk’ with world music, second line, funk, jazz, and Eastern European influences thrown into the mix of mainly original material.”

Selections (2004 - 2008) 

1. Darling, please don't wake me ("Tsunami", 2004)
2. Zemrude ("Drive, 2005)
3. Hands down ("Drive", 2005)
4. Shop of wild dreams ("Laws Of Motion", 2008)
5. Sleepytown ("Tsunami", 2004)
6. Alma ("Drive", 2005)
7. After before ("Tsunami", 2004)
8. Anthem ("Laws Of Motion", 2008)
9. Mi yo mei ("Laws Of Motion", 2008)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour  

TINY TOWN Singles

Tiny Town was born in Brisbane; their former ego was the Supports. In early eighties they were transplanted to London where they made (from 1983 to 1986) four singles and the album "Little Tin God". Messthetics diy anthology have picked two Tiny Town tracks ('Know Better', 'Back To The Bow') for its prominent retrospective compilation series.

Tiny Town sound, velvety, tight, includes male-female vocals, keyboards, violin... and in spite of the obvious Go Betweens influence appears to keep its own corner in the garden of the endlessly fresh aussie essences.

members:

Peter Loveday (vocals, guitar), Geoffrey Titley (drums), Leigh Bradshaw (vocals, keyboards), Caroline Bush (vocals, violin), Cameron Allan (bass)...

discography:

Back To The Bow / Big Fish, flexi, 1983

Drop By Drop / Know Better, 7'', 1984

Living Out Of Living / Queue Up, 7'', 1984

Little Tin God, lp, 1984

No Place Like Rome, 12'', 1985

 New Link (4 singles + lp) - updated March 2013

THE MEMBRANES Early tracks

First singles & ep's from  John Robb's subversive gang, The Membranes. The early, less noisy, less known -necessary though for a complete picture- phase of a band that opposed to trad rock... offering us exciting ugly songs of love and fury.

Fashionable Junkies (7'' flexi, Vinyl Drip Records, 1980)
a1. fashinable junkies
a2. almost china

Muscles (7'' / 12'', Vinyl Drip / Rondolet Music, 1982)
a1. Muscles
a2. Great mistakes
b1. All roads lead to Norway
b2. Entertaining Friends

Pin Stripe Hype E.P. (7'', 12'', Rondolet Music, 1982)
a1. High St Yanks
a2. Funny Old World
b1. The Hitch
b2. Man From Moscow

The Membranes existed up to 1990. Apart from mainman John Robb, Membranes for sometime were: Coofy Sid, Mark Tilton, Wallis Tadpole, Keith Curtis, Nick Brown, Mark Standing and others...

Artwork by Simon Clegg [pity never seen (?) work of his elsewhere)]

Listen to Membranes

NED SUBLETTE: Adventures In Black & White

Ned Sublette is a texan multi-talented artist, musician, photographer, producer, labelman, musicologist... Since 70s he's been living in New York, where he has collaborated with many important avant artists (Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham, John Cage, Love Of Life Orchestra, Lenny Pickett a.o.) and also has written books about the history of american and the latin-american music.

As a performer and composer he is mainly interested to create forms where his "white" country-western roots style encounters the pulse of latin music (cuban, carribean etc.) and the voices of "black" America.

Two of his most significant works are the albums "Ships At Sea, Sailors And Shoes" (Triple Earth, 1993) and "Monsters From The Deep" (Triple Earth, 1997), both collaborations with lyricist Lawrence Weiner and the soul-vocal group of The Persuasions.

"Ships At Sea, Sailors & Shoes" (1993)

"Monsters From The Deep" (1997)

"Realisations", The Discreet Pop Signals of Mark Beer

Released on Belgium's Double Dose label in late 1980 and related to the starting days of the famous belgian Les Disques Du Crepuscule, Mark Beer's single "Realisations" offers a couple of tracks made of just the necessaries: a voice, a vanished guitar, an erased bass, a laconic synth...  These quiet, ultra-minimal pop signals rather than songs compete in tranquil simplicity the compositions of the contemporaries Young Marble Giants, and express the best way the short and  discreet passage of their own creator from music.

a. Love Dances Warm
Jean-Marc Lederman, electronique invisible
Frank Corneli, vanished guitar
Clive Pierce, percussion
Mark Beer, voice, erased bass

b. The Small Death
Thomas Dolbi, polyphonic synth
Jean-Marc Lederman, electronique
Mark Beer, funeral drum, vocals

cover by B. Hennebert (the great cover designer of Disques Crepuscule)

Realisations

Y RECORDS: Adventures In Rhythm

Y Records was one of the Rough Trade associated independent record companies, and one which paved the way for the evolution of  funk-dub-ska-jazz influences in post-punk/new wave era. The label was created in 1980 by music producer-manager Dick O'Dell and hosted several bands, specially ones derived from Bristol's indie scene: The Pop Group, Glaxo Babies, Pigbag, Mouth, Maximum Joy...
Y lasted up to mid-80s; then became part of bigger music companies.
Most well known artists: Pigbag and (early) Shriekback. A remarkable Y release: Sun Ra's legendary single "Nuclear War" (1982).

The Y Collection 
01 MOUTH take your coat off (1982)
02 MAXIMUM JOY building bridges (1982)
03 PULSALLAMA devil lives in my husband's boby (1982)
04 POP GROUP colour blind (1980)
05 SHRIEKBACK my spine (is the bassline) (1982)
06 CHRIS REEVES after the romance (1982)
07 PIGBAG six of one... (1982)
08 TESCO BOMBERS hernando's hideaway (1982)
09 MAXIMUM JOY man of tribes (1982)
10 THE VINCENT UNITS carnival song (1981)
11 SHRIEKBACK despite dense weed (1982)
12 PIGBAG dozo don (1982)
13 DISCONNECTION bali ha'i (1982)
14 SHRIEKBACK mothloop (1982)
15 GLAXO BABIES dahij (1980)
16 SUN RA nuclear war (1982)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Y Records  

Polish Avant Jazz, The Yass Scene

Milosc

Trytony

Jacek Olter

Mikolaj Trzaska

Yass forms one of the most interesting chapters in history of recent polish music. As a term, Yass, used  initially at the dawn of 90's by the avant-jazz outfit Milosc in order to describe the band's musical differentation to Polish Jazz status of that time. Not much after though, the term extended its meaning to manifest the innovative music direction  of many other similar bands, (activated mainly in the cities of Gdansk and Bydgoszsz)...until finally to become synonymous with a whole new avantjazz stream, a movement  that would play an influential role to the development of  contemporary jazz and the new improvised music in Poland.
Guided mostly by the free-jazz spirit the Yass musicians and their successors explore both the native origins of polish jazz and its modern position into the international field. They suggest crossings with radical rock (R.I.O., post-punk...), world music, improvisation, new technologies; even encounters with other art forms such as theatre or poetry...

A mini introduction to Yass artists and other polish jazzmen:

01 Mikolaj Trzaska serpent transparent
("Jacek Olter i 50 Artystow", 2006)
02 Tomas Gwincinski & NonLinear Ensemble fool moon august 2001
("The Moon Music", 2002)
03 Mikrokolektyw running without effort
("Revisit", 2010)
04 Meritum pieciolini
("Meritum", 2004)
05 Niebieski Lotnik spruty jak sweter
("Love Surprise", 2000)
06 NRD ojczyzna nasza dobroc, dobroc dobroc
("Sport I Religia", 1998)
07 Mazzoll ropa swietej anny
("Single 3", 2000)
08 Tymon Tymanski looking for Kusto
("Jacek Olter i 50 Artystow", 2006)
09 Cukunft utwor 5
("Itstikeyt/Fargangenheit", 2010)
10 Mazzoll & Knuth Diffusion Ensemble piesn powracajacych dzieci
("Azure Excess", 1999)
11 Leszek Mozdzer golenie glowy
("Pub 700, 2004)
12 Trytony nieudany black sabbath pod woda
("Tance Bydgoskie", 1992)
13 Gwincinski, Richter, Skolik ufologia trumn
("Jupiter, Urizen, Wernyhora, Trungpa", 1998)
14 Milosc luke the skywalker
("Milosc", 1993)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Yass / Polish Avant-Jazz  

Lenny Pickett with The Borneo Horns

Dancable, avant-edged acoustic jazz, performed only with winds and percussions by New York's Borneo Horns Trio and guests. Leader of trio, the once Tower Of Power reedman, Lenny Pickett, well known also as arranger/ horn section director in many popular artists' albums. Pickett plays tenor sax, clarinets, flutes (pre-recorded flutes & clarinets in "Solo For Saxophone And Tape"). The rest two Borneos are saxophonists Stan Harrison (alto) and Steve Elson (baritone, soprano). Leroy Clouden is on drums. The set though isn't completed without the eclectic contributions of  Nelson Bogart on trumpet and flugerhorn, Laurie Frink also on trumpet, Howard Johnson on tuba, DaveBargeron on tuba and trombone, Roger Squitero on  various percussions and Ned Sublette on banjo.

The album recorded in NY and released in 1987 on Carthage, sublabel of Hannibal Records.

Lenny Pickett w Borneo Horns

Tongue Wrestling, The poet LYDIA TOMKIW

American poet Lydia Tomkiw was born in Chicago in 1959 and died in Arizona, aged only 48. Although her literature work was acclaimed in underground and even overground circles (one of her poems was included in the first edition of Best American Poetry 1988), a wider fame and recognition came via ALGEBRA SUICIDE, the band she formed along with her husband, Don Hedeker, circa 1982.  

The fruit of couple's artistic collaboration was several albums, ep's, compilation tracks, and live audio-visual performances where Tomkiw's recitations and the new wavish guitar-synth  sounds of Hedeker (who played, with few exceptions, all the instruments), created a unique combination of direct, daily-life poetry and minimalistic pop music.

Jealous

Jealous of the human heart, so ugly yet exhalted;

Jealous of the blood it keeps.

Jealous of fast cars and hot colours,

Of monks with their vows of silence,

Of  leather wrapped around the skin of silly boys.

Jealous of sex and all its power,

Of romance and how it makes you swoon,

Of men who can grow beards or not,

Of women who can play the cello,

Jealous of love and how much it's desired.

Jealous of hair that comes and goes as it pleases,

Of weather, which no one can control,

Of infants who can sleep all day,

Of lacewings that don't sleep at all,

Of houseflies and their zillion eyes,

The windows to a zillion souls,

Jealous of saints and their tickets to heaven,

Jealous of birds and their simple brains,

Jealous of people who are naturally prompt,

Of those who have too much money,

Of those who are younger and more famous than I,

I am jealous of those are older and wiser,

Jealous of good liars and lotto winners,

Jealous of the vast sky above me,

Of the threat of hell below me,

I am jealous of the world and the beauty it holds.

Jealous of the color green, so fresh, so moldy,

So much the gorgeous God of envy.

 (from "Swoon")    

Algebra Suicide's adventures lasted up to mid-90's. Their final work, "Tongue Wrestling", was made in 1994 (Widely Distributed Records), when Tomkiw and Hedeker had been already divorced.  

The following year Tomkiw collaborated with artists as Edward Ka-Spell and Legendary Pink Dots and presented her solo album, "Incorporated", but in spite of her further artistic plans, she gradually went obscure...

Tomkiw spent the last period of her life next to her family in Phoenix, Arizona. She passed away in September 2007.

Algebra Suicide albums: "Secret Like Crazy" (compil. 1987), "Alpha Cue" (1990), "Swoon" (1991), "Tongue Wrestling" (1994)... plus "Real Numbers" (live, 1988) and "Summer Virus Night - Live in Germany in 1990" (2009).

"Look there, when I leave,  for

A trace of a glimmer,

A soft, lucid shimmer, too lofty to see;

It will be what's left of me after i'm gone"

Lydia Tomkiw

Tongue Wrestling

SHRUG "Septober Octember No Wonder" (UK, 1989)

Formed in 1985 in Middlesbrough by Robert Nichols and Richard Pink, SHRUG have been mainly a live band known for their unsual gigs with three drummers, funny costumes, masks... Their first releases were the 12'' "Neville Wanless EP" (1988) , and the album "Septober, Octember, NoWonder" (1989). In 90's they recorded only some singles, but the band remained active and recently a new EP "Shrug... In A Quango" (2008) appeared. SHRUG's music combines the sharp punk/post punk attitude with garage influences; the social descriptions with strange lyrics and  psych-inspired themes.

Septober Octember No Wonder   

NITS " Quest " (Netherlands, 1995)

 

QUEST is a rare-material (b-sides, alternative takes, unreleased tracks) bonus disc included in the limited box-set edition of their 1995 best of, "NEST". To tell the truth, it holds no great unknowns, no surprises -it's mainly for the devotees. What it says, more or less, is what you 've already known from the proper albums of NITS:  One and only dutch band back in '80-'90 was able to lay the bridge between avant art and the wide pop audiences so enduringly.

NITS Tear Falls

Quest

ULTRAVIOLETS: At The Edge Of Garage Spectrum

Too Little Too Late (1992)

 

 Changing Times (1990)

'Εδρασαν ως Ultraviolets και Psychoviolets στις αρχές της προπερασμένης δεκαετίας, όταν η μόδα της γκαραζοψυχεδελικής αναβίωσης είχε, αισθητικώς τουλάχιστον, φθίνει πλέον για τα καλά. Ο Bob Ramskill και η παρέα του, απ' το Κάνσας, στηρίχτηκαν όπως και άλλοι σε μια εκδοχή του ήχου των 60'ς και της 80'ς επαναφοράς του (Rolling Stones και επιγονοι, Wipers, κλπ..), κατόρθωσαν όμως να ξεπεράσουν σε περιεχόμενο, ερμηνευτικό πάθος και ψυχικό δόσιμο τους περισσότερους απ΄τους ομότεχνούς τους αναβιωτές, αποτυπώνοντας ενα αίτημα ευθύτητας και γνησιότητας μέσα σ'ενα περιβάλλον οδύνης, σημαδεμένο απ' την αλήθεια της ζωής και τα ναρκωτικά. Τρία τα συνολικά τους δισκογραφήματα, γεμάτα άγρια, ηλεκτρικά, μελαγχολικά τραγούδια. Άνθη πανέμορφα, τρομερά, από εκείνα που φυτρώνουν στην πέρα πέρα μόνο άκρη του γκαράζ φάσματος.

Exceptionally good garage-psych band from Kansas, US, (started as Ultraviolets, finished as Psychoviolets) verifying once more the simple rock'n'roll truth: no matter the form, to make a great music, it takes a great soul.  

Albums:
The Ultraviolets "Changing Times" (Music Maniac, 1990)
 The box / A place called hell / Screams / A Better day / D-train / Fade to grey / Now i know / Where are you / Do what you want / In our world / Set me free / Changing times / Life in the real world

The Psychoviolets "Too Little Too Late" (Restless, 1992)
Too little too late / 1000 voices / Stoned / End of it all / Addicted to the thought / Feel like giving up / Think twice / I' m down / On the edge / Come on

The Psychoviolets "Teen Trash Vol.2 (Music Maniac, 1993)
Swear to god / So strange / Can't go back / Time / Welcome Death / Flesh meets knife / Endless Days / I gotta move / What is this / As they do / Addicted to the thought / Too little too late / Stoned / D-train / Screams / Do what you want / Now i know / Life in the real world / The box / I'm down

Too Little Too Late
Changing Times

JACK OR JIVE LIGHTS " A Solo Exhibition " (JAP, 1994)

The minimalistic/ethereal sound paintings of  Jack or Jive could have attracted more attention if they  were out sometime in middle to late eighties, on the 4AD's catalog, for example. Nevertheless the duo doesn't adopt the tried atmospheric pop fragility without blending it with the quiet, allusive art of the japanese landscape... 
"A Solo Exhibition" -that finds the band changing its name to Jack Or Jive Lights- flows perhaps a bit more presumably than its predecessors, it uses though the same elixirs: The dream-awaking voice of Chako is far enough to hold itself the "exhibition" still worth visiting.

More Jack Or Jive at LaFolieDuJour: "Prayer" + "Expatriation"

A Solo Exhibition

V.A. F/ear This! (ITA, 1987)

Italian double cassette/double vinyl compilation (plus booklet) released in 1987 for benefit of  A/Rivista Anarchica monthly magazine. Subtitled as "a collection of unheard music, unwritten words and unseen images inspired by fear", it includes contributions from italian (Two Tone, Detonazione, La 1919, Gregorio Bardini, Franti, 2+2=5, Thelema, Giancarlo Toniutti...) and international artists (Embryo, Annie Anxiety, Don King, Possession, Body & the Buildings, etc.).

A + B sides
C + D sides

German Noises

  AG GEIGE [formed in East Germany in 1987]

Hannover's MYTHEN IN TUTEN  
[with singer Emilio Winschetti, the "The Hidden Gentleman"]

Further explorations in the back pages of "deutsche musik" of 80's and early 90's. Obscure sides of minimal/experimental electronics, neue deutsche welle, krautrock... plus avant sounds from former GDR.

A
Die Werkpiloten the today (1984)

Phantom Band nervous breakdown (1984)
Deutsche Schäferhunde gasmasken (1982) 
Comrad don't worry (1988) 
Vono mauertanz (1982)
Bodenpersonal tote räume (1980)
Pension Stammheim madox mutanten (1981)
Ostzonensuppenwurfelmachkrebs and by passes the truth (1990)
Broken Jug A.C. (1987)
The Blech viel fress mi 2 (1987)
Electric Orange the return of Eugene, be careful! (1993)
Splitter ich freß dir aus der hand (1981)
Schönheit Siegt kalter krieg (1981)
Hans-A-Plast tuaregs (1980)
Die Gesunden sometimes-manchmal (1982)
Heinz & Franz immer (1987)

B
Conrad & Gregor Schnitzler pro 1 (1982) 
Vier Kaiserlein einsam (1982) 
Thorax-Wach ruhe im carton (1981) 
Perc Meets The Hidden Gentleman towersong (1989)
No More venus in furs (1986)
Die Lemminge Im Himmel (1983)
Aloa seltsame ranken (1982) 
Mythen In Tüten das erste mal (1981)
Kastrierte Philosophen strawberry vibes (1990)
AG Geige kosmonauten (1989)
Pension Stammheim hippiepunk (1981) 
Elektronische Musik Aus Köln was kann der papst da sagen (1982) 
Ur-Tacheles nino (80's) 
3Tot zaghaft (1989)
Matador sun (1989)
Hermann Kopp amanda am nudistenstrand (1983)
Strafe Für Rebellion santa maria (1986)

 

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

German Noises:  A  +  B

V.A. Australian Compilations vol.4

The fourth volume of LaFolieDuJour tribute to Australia's underground  music scenes...

Prod n.w.o.d. (1981)
Persia q-girl (1984)
Fungus Brains death dance (1983)
Denial weatherman (1982)
The End my confession (1983)
Famous pockets (80's)
The Yapocks passionfruit creek (1983)
The Unstrung Harp sticks and stones (1985)
Tactics birthday girl (1986)
Blackeyed Susans enemy mine (1989)
Plug Uglies johnny panic (1990)
Sacred Cowboys canned goods (1988)
Cruel Sea down below (1990)
Distant Locust little boy and the fatman (1988)
Gondwanaland landscape (1983)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour
Vol 4

PINO MINAFRA " Sudori " (ITA, 1995)

Italian trumpeter Pino Minafra is mostly known as a founding member of Italian Instabile Orchestra, but he has worked as well with plenty other italian and non-italian musicians and outfits. Since mid-eighties he's been making also music as a leader of his own groups, one of which, The Sud Ensemble, assists him here for what is rather his masterpiece. "Sudori" (Victo, 1995), is a cheerful and humorous freejazz-impro approach to a whole world of influences ranging from Rota, Morricone to american jazz... from his native south italian sounds to blues, tangos, romantism, theatrical-circus music etc... a love-guided work of  orgiastic diversity and extraordinarily  inventive performing.

Sud Ensemble: Pino Minafra (vocals, composition, whistling, ocarina, didjeridu, trumpet, bugle, flugelhorn, percussion); Carlo Actis Dato (vocals, baryton, clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, percussion); Lauro Rossi (vocals, trombone, percussion); Giorgio Occhipinti (vocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion); Daniele Patumi (double bass, percussion); Vincenzo Mazzone (drums, percussion).

The music of this album appears here by request (...and the dl link will perhaps be on for a short time).

Sudori

The Man Who Is Roger Miller

Με τους Mission Of Burma έγραψε μια από τις πιο διάσημες σελίδες του αμερικάνικου πανκ, ενώ και με το άλλο του γνωστό γκρουπ, τους Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic, κατέκτησε αξιοσέβαστη θέση στο χώρο του avant-progressive. Δεν περιορίζεται όμως μόνο σ'αυτά τα δυο σχήματα η  ενδιαφέρουσα μουσική  δράση του πολυμουσικού και συνθέτη Roger Miller. Πριν τους Mission Of Burma υπήρχαν οι αρτ-πανκ δοκιμές των Moving Parts και πολύ πιο πριν, στα τελη των 60΄ς, οι υπόγειοι ψυχεδελισμοί των "οικογενειακών" Sproton Layers.  Στην μετα-Birdsongs εποχή βρίσκουμε τον Miller στους Αlloy Orchestra (τρίο που γράφει μουσική συνοδείας βουβών ταινιών), στους Μ-3 (πάλι οι αφοι Miller), στο ντουέτο Βinary System, στην επανασύνδεση των Mission Of Burma, σε πολυάριθμες μουσικές επενδύσεις για τηλεόραση, φιλμς κλπ... και φυσικά ήδη απ'τα μέσα των 80'ς, συναντάμε τα προσωπικά άλμπουμς και πρότζεκτς του Roger Miller (Maximum Electric Piano, No Man, No Man is Roger Miller, κ.α.), δημιουργήματα ενός μουσικού που συνδυάζει την προσέγγιση των ήχων  και από την πλευρά του τεχνικού και από την πλευρά του καλλιτέχνη, κινούμενος προς ποικίλες και συχνά αντιτιθέμενες κατευθύνσεις: προς την κλασικότροπη σύνθεση, τον πειραματισμό, το θόρυβο, προς τον αυτοσχεδιασμό και την εξερεύνηση των δυνατοτήτων του στούντιο, προς την αναζήτηση μιας μελωδικής και κακόφωνης τραγουδοποιίας... Είτε μας ξαφνιάζει ευχάριστα, είτε, άλλοτε, μας ξενίζει, η μουσική του Roger Miller ξεχωρίζει από τις "ιδιοτροπίες"  που ξεθυμαίνουν χαιδεύοντας μόνο τ' αυτιά. Απρόβλεπτη μ'ενα μεστό τρόπο, μας κάνει να επιθυμούμε όχι την παραξενιά, μα την προσεκτική παρατήρηση και μελέτη της οδού από και προς  το αντισυμβατικό.

 Roger Miller (on the right) with Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic in 80΄s

 Binary System  

(Roger Miller: keyboards-voice, Larry Dersch: drums)

Music from the less known side of Roger Miller

SPROTON LAYER up ("With Magnetic fields Disrupted", rec.1970, 1992)
THE MOVING PARTS good oscillations ("Wrong Conclusion, rec.1978, 1992)

ROGER MILLER jabberwocky ("No Man Is Hurting Me", 1986)
NO MAN'S BAND heaven's gate/danah myazay ("Damage The Enemy", 1989)
ROGER MILLER'S EXQUISITE CORPSE the mooch ("Unfold", 1994)
ROGER MILLER misunderstanding the time ("Elemental Guitar", 1995)
ROGER MILLER'S EXQUISITE CORPSE dance in the poet's eye ("Unfold", 1994)
ROGER MILLER'S EXQUISITE CORPSE machete hacker's boogie ("Unfold", 1994)
NO MAN broke a string ("Whamon Express", 1990)
ROGER MILLER groping hands ("The Big Industry", 1988)
BIRDSONGS OF THE MESOZOIC sombre reptiles ("Fossil Record 1980-87", 1993)
NO MAN'S BAND 2x4 ("Damage The Enemy", 1989)
ALLOY ORCHESTRA yoshiwara ("Silents", 1997)
NO MAN'S BAND monarchs ("Place Of General Happiness", v/a compil., 1990)
ROGER MILLER sketch for night music ("No Man Is Hurting Me", 1986)
ROGER MILLER the explorer ("No Man Is Hurting Me", 1986)
compiled by LFDJ
 
Roger Miller 

Aspects Of Jazz In Nineties

Sixty cuts out of the jazz labyrinth of nineties. A variety of styles, and directions.. focused partly on not so well known names...

I 
SHARROCK, PUSCHNIG, GODDARD breath of life (1997)
URS LEIMGRUBER, FRITZ HAUSER l'enigmatique (1991)
ANDREW CYRILLE Dakar darkness (1994)
AESOP QUARTET egyptian knights (1999)
RED SUN / SAMULNORI kil kun ak (1994)
RON MILES bath (1997)
PETER APFELBAUM Phoenix hill (1996)
DENISON KIMBALL TRIO downriver (1997)
RODNEY KENDRICK last chance for common sense (1995)
SLOW LORIS max sabbath (1996)
COX, SALUZZI, FRIEDMAN los them (1995)
ULRICH LASK geometry 1005 (1995)

II
JOE McPHEE say that to say his (1990) 
RAIZ DE PEDRA tempos de minuano (1996)
RENAUD GARCIA-FONS goodjinns(1997)
RICHARD GALLIANO soleil (1996)
ALAIN GIBERT hiver (1995)
RAN BLAKE throw it away (1999)
RABIH ABOU KHALIL solitude (1994) 
DAVE DOUGLAS TINY BELL TRIO vanitatus vanitatum (1994)
LOL COXHILL, PAT THOMAS that's it (1993) 
ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO lotta colada (1998) 
CHARLES TYLER life can be so beautiful (1992) 
COMBUSTIBLE EDISON one eyed monkey (1996) 
HiM of the periphery (1999)

III 
GIANLUIGI TROVESI OCTET tango (1996)
CLUSONE TRIO el condor pasa (1999)
JEAN-FRANCOIS BOVARD polka des moussaillons (1995)
ETHNIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE sweat meat (1997) 
EMBRYO 7x7 (1996)
DON PULLEN indio gitano (1990)
STEVE LACY i feel a draft (1990) 
MICHAEL WINTSCH SEXTET arabic song (1994) 
GLEN VELEZ golden seal (1996) 
CURLEW neither, baby (1998)
SWEDISH SAX SEPTET frog tune (1996)
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND TRIO pisces (1999)
GRAHAM HAYNES nameless river (1997)

IV
GLENN FERRIS refugees (1997)
UNE ANCHE PASSE je me suis fait  tout petit (1995)
CHRIS SPEED east europe rundown (1999)
HUMAN FEEL yesterday i passed (1994)
JOHN LINDBERG QUARTET soaring hawk (1994)
THE NECKS nice policeman nasty policeman (1990)
ISOTOPE 217 kryptonite smokes the red line (1997)
SQUAREPUSHER theme from vertical hold (1998)
BEN NEILL syntonic (1998)
MARKUS STOCKHAUSEN adentro (1996)
CHRIS BOWDEN mothers too (1996)
WILLIAM HOOKER + DJ OLIVE archetypal space (1997)

V
A.D.D. TRIO cerulean blues (1995)
SUSIE IBARRA radiance dreams (1999)
HANK ROBERTS my favourite things (1992)
MOKAVE fall '92 (1992)
ZENTRALQUARTETT soul plexus (1994)
ORANJ SYMPHONETTE experiment in terror (1996)
LES PIRES impedimenta (1999)
PINO MINAFRA quando dormi (1995)
CRITTERS BUGGIN i ain't no adobe hut (1996)
NRD o miro! (1997)
ENRICO RAVA & ENRICO PIERANUNZI canzone di nausicaa (1993)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

part I
part II
part III
part IV
part V

W. G. SEBALD Η Αυλή Του Παλιού Σχολείου

"Die befragung der aussicht" (paint by Quint Buchholz)

Η Αυλή Του Παλιού Σχολείου 
[La Cour De L'Ancienne Ecole]

Όταν μου έστειλαν αυτή την εικόνα πέρσι τον Δεκέμβριο, με τη φιλική παράκληση να γράψω κάτι που να της ταιριάζει, την άφησα μερικές βδομάδες πάνω στο γραφείο μου, κι όσο περνούσε ο καιρός, κι όσο την κοιτούσα, τόσο έμοιαζε να μου το αποκλείει, ώσπου αυτή η απλούστατη υποχρέωση έφτασε να ορθώνεται μπροστά μου σαν ανυπέρβλητο εμπόδιο. Μια μέρα όμως, γύρω στα τέλη Ιανουαρίου και προς μεγάλη μου ανακούφιση, η εικόνα εξαφανίστηκε από κει που την είχα ακουμπήσει, και κανένας δεν ήξερε που πήγε. Πέρασε  λίγος καιρός ακόμη, και κόντευα πια να την ξεχάσω, ώσπου, χωρίς να καταλάβω πως, η εικόνα επέστρεψε απροειδοποίητα, και μάλιστα μέσα σε ένα γράμμα από το Μπονιφάτσο, όπου η Μαντάμ Σεραφίν Ακουαβίβα, με την οποία αλληλογραφούσα από πέρσι το καλοκαίρι, μου γνωστοποιούσε ότι η εικόνα που της είχα εσωκλείσει άνευ σχολίων στην επιστολή μου της 27ης Ιανουαρίου, και που θα την ενδιέφερε πολύ να μάθει πως βρέθηκε στα χέρια μου, έδειχνε την αυλή του παλιού σχολείου στο Πόρτο Βέκκιο, όπου είχε φοιτήσει και η ίδια στη δεκαετία του τριάντα. Το Πόρτο Βέκκιο ήταν τότε, συνέχιζε η επιστολή της Μαντάμ Ακουαβίβα, μια πόλη ρημαγμένη από την ελονοσία, που αργοπέθαινε τριγυρισμένη από βάλτους και πυκνούς θάμνους. Μια φορά το μήνα, το πολύ, ερχόταν ένα σκουριασμένο φορτηγό πλοίο από το Λεγκόρν και ξεφόρτωνε ξυλεία στην αποβάθρα. Κατά τα άλλα δε συνέβαινε τίποτα, εκτός από το ότι αιώνες τώρα όλα φθείρονταν και σάπιζαν. Στους δρόμους βασίλευε μια αλλόκοτη ησυχία, γιατί οι μισοί κάτοικοι ήταν κλεισμένοι στα σπίτια τους και ψήνονταν στον πυρετό, κι οι άλλοι μισοί, με πρόσωπα κατακίτρινα και βουλιαγμένα, κάθονταν στις σκάλες και στις πόρτες. Εμείς, παιδιά τότε, συνέχιζε η Μαντάμ Ακουαβίβα, που δεν είχαμε γνωρίσει και τίποτα καλύτερο, δεν μπορούσαμε να φανταστούμε πόσο αδιέξοδη ήταν η ζωή μας σ'εκείνη την πόλη που είχε κηρυχθεί επισήμως ακατοίκητη από την ελονοσία. Μαθαίναμε όπως και τα άλλα, τα πιο τυχερά παιδιά, γραφή και ανάγνωση και αριθμητική, και κάποια ανέκδοτα για την  άνοδο και την πτώση του Ναπολέοντος. Κάπου κάπου κοιτούσαμε από το παράθυρο, πέρα από τη μάντρα του σχολείου, και τον άσπρο γύρο της λιμνοθάλασσας, το εκτυφλωτικό φως που τρεμούλιαζε πάνω από το Τυρρηνικό πέλαγος. Εκτός από αυτό, κατέληγε η Μαντάμ Ακουαβίβα, δεν έχω άλλη ανάμνηση από τα σχολικά μου χρόνια, αν εξαιρέσω ότι ο δάσκαλος μας, ενας  πρώην Ουσσάρος ονόματι Τουσσαίν Μπενεντέττι, κάθε φορά που έσκυβε πάνω από το τετράδιο  μου, έλεγε: "Τι κακογράφος που είσαι, Σεραφίν! Ούτε και συ δεν μπορείς να διαβάσεις αυτά που γράφεις!"

W. G. SEBALD

Ο σπουδαιότερος ίσως μετά τον Thomas Bernhard, σύγχρονος συγγραφέας στη γερμανική γλώσσα, W.G. Max Sebald (1944 - 2001), άρχισε να γίνεται γνωστός και στη χώρα μας απο το 2006 με τις μεταφράσεις των έργων του "Οι Ξεριζωμένοι" ("Die Ausgewanderten", 1992) και "Αούστερλιτς" ("Austerlitz", 2001). Ακολούθησαν τα: "Η Φυσική Ιστορία της Καταστροφής" ("Luftkrieg und Literatur", δοκίμια και διαλέξεις για το ζήτημα της εμπειρίας του Β' Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου στη μεταπολεμική γερμανική λογοτεχνία, 1999), η τριμερής ποιητική σύνθεση "Εκ του Φυσικού" ("Nach der Natur", 1998) και τα  καταπληκτικά  και εφάμιλλα του αριστουργηματικού "Αούστερλιτς",  "Οι Δακτύλιοι του Κρόνου" ("Die Ringe der Saturn", 1998),  και "Αίσθημα Ιλίγγου" ("Schwindel.Gefühle", 1990).

"Η Αυλή του Παλιού Σχολείου"(πρωτότυπος τίτλος: La Cour De L'Ancienne Ecole), το μικρό μα χαρακτηριστικό της γραφής του Sebald αυτό κείμενο, γράφτηκε για το "Quint Buchholz, BuchBilderBuch" (γερμανική εκδ. 1996), βιβλίο-συλλογή 46 εικόνων συνοδευόμενων από ισάριθμα κειμένα συγγραφέων που  σχολιάζουν λογοτεχνικά και "αποκρυπτογραφούν" το έργο του Γερμανού ζωγράφου Κβιντ Μπούχολτς. Περιλαμβάνεται δε στη μεταθανάτια έκδοση κειμένων του Sebald, "Campo Santo" (2003), που αναμένεται να κυκλοφορήσει σύντομα και στα ελληνικά.

Η παρούσα μετάφραση προέρχεται από την ελληνική κυκλοφορία του "Quint Buchholz, BuchBilderBuch", από τις Εκδόσεις Γράμματα, το 1998.