MATERIALI SONORI: The Dreamreality Of Sonic Materials

 Arlo Bigazzi

Influential italian and international artists explore through Arlo Bigazzi's Materiali Sonori label directions in modern music...

I. TERRE NASCOSTE [Lands Hidden]

"Also in Raissa, city of sadness, an invisible thread there unwinds and binds one living being to another, then unravels and afterwards is stretched again between moving points, drawing new, rapid forms so that at every second the unhappy city contains a happy city unaware of its own existence."

ALESINI, ANDREONI
quinsai, la citta il cielo (from "Marco Polo", 1996)
ARTURO STALTERI
viking 1 ("Syriarise", 1992)
MILITIA
giorno dopo giorno ("Elvengamello, 1997)
DREM BRUINSMA
forest ("Six Reels Of Joy", 1991)
EMBRYO 
zack gluck ("Zack Gluck, 1984)
ST. BROWN & BL. REININGER
tarantella ("Croatian Variations", 1992)
ST. BROWN & BL. REININGER
gaia ("Croatian Variations", 1992)
LA 1919
la lunga marcia dei lemmings ("Giorni Felici", 1997)
GIOVANOTTI MONDANI MECCANICI
back and forth ("GMM", 1985)
DREM BRUINSMA
all but one ("Six Reels Of Joy", 1991)
MILITIA
studio z (v.a. Sonora 4/94, 1994)
MARIPOSA
trovarobato ("Portobello Illusioni", 2000)
DANIEL SCHELL & KARO
gira girasole ("Gira Girasole", 1994)
ROEDELIUS, ALESINI, CAPANNI
genius move ("Friendly Games", 1992)

listen to: part i - terre nascoste

ΙΙ. TERRE DETTE [Lands Told]

"...the city high above the gulf is always there, but i can no more call it by a name, nor remember how i could ever have given it a name which has a totally different meaning."

 

PAOLO LOTTI
ricordi mai dipinti ("Nuda Solitudine", 1994)
HAYWARD, FRITH, LASWELL, HOWARD
iurodivil ("Meridiem", 1998)
CUDU [Bigazzi, Lotti, Burchard, Steven Brown, L.V.Lieshout]
Debbussy sur la mer avec arpege ("Waterplay", 1990)
DAMIANO PULITI
alien orifice (v.a. Sonora 4/94, 1994)
CLARE ANN MATZ
sweet lament ("Some Secrets", 1996)
MILITIA
vorrei morire ("Elvengamello", 1997)
MILITIA
notturno ("Dunarobba", 1990)
LA 1919
Giorni felici ("Giorni Felici", 1997)
ORIO ODORI
construzione (v.a. Sonora 4/94, 1994)
ALESINI, ANDREONI
kubilay khan ("Marco Polo", 1996)
ST. BROWN & BL. REININGER

ombres chinoise ("Croatian Variations", 1992)
ARTURO STALTERI
le ultime luci di Brea ("Syriarise", 1992)
ESQUINA
milonga del angel ("Esquina", 1994)

listen to: part ii - terre dette 

texts from ITALO CALVINO'S "Le Citta Invisibili"
selected & translated by paramo
Materiali Sonori compilations
created by Koroviov

V.A. INSANE MUSIC

INSANE MUSIC was a pioneering belgian label for underground music & cassette culture. Founded in 1980 and run by ALAIN NEFFE, also member of many belgian minimal/electronic/industrial bands as BENE GESSERIT, PSEUDO CODE, I SCREAM, HUMAN FLESH, JAPANESE GENIUS, M.A.L. and others....
Interested also in experimental creations from anywhere, ALAIN NEFFE collected and released through his label rare material by many obscure european & american artists who shared an avant/diy/extreme creative spirit similar to his.

As an introduction to ALAIN NEFFE and his label, here's a compilation with tracks from the legendary INSANE MUSIC FOR INSANE PEOPLE cassetes series, (25 volumes during the years 1981-88).

The Insanity Of the Day

JAPANESE GENIUS - pikah o papikah ?? pt1

M.A.L. - insects in love

M.A.L. - manuel ist unehrlich

HUMAN FLESH - indians

LEGENDARY PINK DOTS - time dance

SUBJECT - tatoo for england

PHILIPPE LAURENT - exposition partie 5

NOSY PARKER - anger

THALASSA KOLLECTIF - are you beush

VAN KAYE + IGNIT - another waste

THE QUASI KULMAHN'S 5 - sampo puru

KINO GLAZ - batte la luna

TUF - i'm a sunflower

D'ARCHANGEL 2 - beautiful, plastic

JEAN-LOUIS DESCLOUX - les fourmis

PSEUDO CODE - watoo watoo

COLIN POTTER - for all you know

BERNTHOLER - images

UROVISIONS - it must be satchmo

UROVISIONS - the twisting earthworm song

HAT HAT - before the curtain falls

HOWARD INGRAM - kenje maje keahi [sung by Zed Deda]

COLLECTIONISM - xsass

JAPANESE GENIUS pikah o papikah ?? pt2

compiled by LFDJ

V.A. COCTEAU SIGNATURE TUNES (UK, 1989)

Compilation with BILL NELSON and related artists from Nelson's COCTEAU label, originally out in 1986. This Enigma Records version released in 1989 with a (slightly) different tracklisting.

posted here by request

COCTEAU SIGNATURE TUNES

NIKOS MAMANGAKIS "Excursion" & "Intermission" (GRE, 1999)

This sixth part of MAMANGAKIS Music For Films, comprises the revised by the composer, complete version of music from "EXCURSION" [ΕΚΔΡΟΜΗ, 1966] and the original soundtrack of "INTERMISSION"[ΠΑΡΕΝΘΕΣΗ, 1968]. It released in 1999 from Mercury Records (Universal) with MAMANGAKIS himself in production supervising.

Composer Nikos Mamangakis

Both movies, made by great greek auteur TAKIS KANELLOPOULOS, are placed - along with his internationally acclaimed film "SKY" [ΟΥΡΑΝΟΣ, 1962] - among the best poetic/romantic creations of greek cinema.

Director Takis Kanellopulos (1933 - 1990)

EXCURSION + INTERMISSION

CHAD'S TREE "Buckle In The Rail" ( AUS, 1986)

Debut LP of Perth outfit, CHAD'S TREE (1983-1989), members of which later appeared on THE BLACKEYED SUSANS, THE JACKSON CODE and other bands.... "BUCKLE IN THE RAIL" reflects the idiosyncracy of indie-aussie style the same lyrical way as some of the greatest names of the era do. Recommended to fans of (early) TRIFFIDS, LAUGHING CLAWNS, LOUIS TILLETT, THE APARTMENTS ("Evening visits...and stays for years")...

BUCKLE IN THE RAIL

ULRICH LASK "Sucht + Ordnung" (GER, 1984)

Having not much to do with "ECM sound", "SUCHT + ORDNUNG" is one of the label's greatest obscurities. LASK suggests an unsual but delightful sound based on jazz, improvisation, programmed sounds, electronic rhythms, and vocal experimentations... The references are a lot... and the way they are combined really challenging. In spite of the many "weird" ingredients, the album has an accessible avant-pop taste that is still irresistible.

ULRICH LASK (saxes, programming, composition, lyrics)
MEINOLF BAUSCHULTE (drums, electronics, percussion arrangements)
MAGGIE NICOLS (vocals, donky kong II, lyrics on "None The Wiser")
SIGRID MEYER, MONIKA LINGES (narration)
Recorded Jan 1984, engineered by Martin Wieland, produced by Lask/Bauschulte

SUCHT + ORDNUNG
(11 tracks, 40min)

NEW & USED "Consensus" (US, 1995)

NY outfit NEW & USED explore the spaces between jazz improvisation and modern composition. "CONSENSUS", their second work, recorded in 1993 and released in 1995 through Knitting Factory label.

Musicians: DAVE DOUGLAS trumpet, MARK FELDMAN violin, ANDY LASTER sax, KERMIT DRISCOLL bass, TOM RAINY drums.

CONSENSUS
(10 tracks, 70min)

The Discovery Of Fire

RENE MAGRITTE, La Decouverte De Feu, oil on canvas, 1934/5

Le Feu Du Jour

01. NIEBIESKI LOTNIK - gdzie jest bóg

(album: Love Surprise, 2000)

02. LES I - Zukini

(album: Dans L' Hemisphere Nord, 1983)

03. LES BATTERIES - Dummy up

(album: Bell System, 1998)

04. LES BATTERIES - Identity Parade

(album: Noisy Champs, 1986)

05. ULRICH P. LASK -Kleine Narkosen

(album: Sucht + Ordnung, 1984)

06.JIM STALEY (with SHELLEY HIRSCH) - Genuine Risk

(album: Mumbo Jumbo, 1987)

07. THE DANUBIANS - Odpoledne

(album: THE DANUBIANS, 1999)

08. LA GRANDE FORMATION - chanson pour Christine
(album: Anyone Lived In A Pretty How Town, 1991)

09. X-LEGGED SALLY - Two Volcanoes

(album: Eggs & Ashes, 1994)

10. X-LEGGED SALLY & SMITH QUARTET - Der Doppleganger

(album: Bereft Of A Blissful Union, 1997)

11. THE WORLDS OF LOVE - The Whirls Of Love

(album: The Worlds Of Love, 1989/2000)

12. LA SOCIETE DES TIMIDES A LA PARADE DES OISEAUX - ... 

(album: sametitled, 1990)

13. GUIGOU CHENEVIER - Le Demarche Du Crabe

(album: Les Rumeurs De La Ville, 1998)

Few infos:

French prog band LES I made 3 albums. Name of (sometime Etron Fou's member), Bruno Mellier in their lineup, may have caused for LES I, in some circles, an interest rather bigger than they deserve.

Another Etron Fou musician, the important percussionist/improvisor Guigou Chenevier is behind LES BATTERIES. Their "Demesure Revolutionnaire" LP was posted by paramo few months ago on this blog. Chenevier's solo release "Les Rumeurs De La Ville" (Cuneiform) mixes succesfully live and taped material.

The first lp of LA SOCIETE DES TIMIDES... (in short: LA STPO) shortlyseeks for innovations in a rather tired avant-prog/RIO ground... Some good new ideas appeared here, but the overall result seems to be sentimentally blocked by an excessive eccentrity.

Belgian avant band X-LEGGED SALLY are influenced by Zappa but their experimental rock explores also music relations beyond prog. Some fine tracks can be found in most of their works. The other avant-prog belgian band of this compilation, LA GRANDE FORMATION, acted in early nineties and made two albums.

JIM STALEY is a trombonist and improvisor known for collaborations with avant musicians and composers such as FRITH, WEINSTEIN, CORA and others... Important vocalist SHELLEY HIRSCH participated on some of the best moments of Staley's "MUMBO JUMBO" release.

David Garland and Ikue Mori (plus Cinnie Cole on vocals, banjo, synths) are THE WORLDS OF LOVE. A sametitled album released in 1989 from Review label. The composition "The Whirls Of Love" belongs to the extra material appeared in 2000 reissue.

DANUBIANS are Amy Denio, Pavel Fajt and members of Kampec Dolores. Their selftitled release consists of live recordings with exquisite vocals and ethic-flavoured experimentations.

Born in Gdansk, composer and clarinetist Mazzoll (Jerzy Mazolewski) has been since early nineties one of the most important figures in Poland's Yass scene ( the new polish avant/impro jazz scene). NIEBIESKI LOTNIK is one of the several outfits he has performed with.

Fusing electronics, minimal electronics, jazz improvisation, narrations, etc... saxophonist ULRICH LASK created back in 80's, two albums quite unsual for the general aesthetics of the ECM label which released them. "Kleine Narkosen" is taken from the second one...

Listen to
Le Feu Du Jour compilation

a collective post by Koroviov, Semilunio, paramo

STELLA GADEDI "Gardens Of The Night"

Στέλλα Γαδέδη "Οι κήποι της νύχτας"

"Tα ποιήματα είναι αυτόνομα έργα και έχουν γραφτεί για να υπάρχουν χωρίς μουσική. Προσθέτοντας μουσική ο συνθέτης τα -οικειοποιείται-, τα φωτίζει με το δικό του τρόπο και φτιάχνει ένα νέο διαφορετικό έργο".

Φλαουτίστρια και συνθέτρια με κλασσική μουσική παιδεία η Στέλλα Γαδέδη στον τρίτο προσωπικό δίσκο της (ΣΕΙΡΙΟΣ, 1996) μελοποιεί με "Χατζηδακική" ευαισθησία (όντας μόνιμη συνεργάτης του Μ.Χ) δεκατρία έργα κορυφαίων νεοελλήνων ποιητών.

1 ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙ ΤΟ ΦΘΙΝΟΠΩΡΟ (SONG IN AUTUMN)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
2 ΛΥΠΗΣΟΥ... (HAVE PITY...)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
3 ΕΝΑ ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙ ΤΗΣ ΑΥΓΗΣ (SONG AT DOWN)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
4 ΕΝΑ ΞΕΡΟ ΚΙΤΡΥΝΟ ΧΡΩΜΑ (A DRY, YELLOW COLOUR)
Ποίηση Γιώργος Χρονάς
5 ΤΟ ΧΑΜΟΓΕΛΟ (A SMILE)
Ποίηση Λάμπρος Πορφύρας
6 ΑΠΟΔΕΙΠΝΟ (EVENING SERVICE)
Ποίηση Γιώργος Χρονάς
7 ΜΕΛΑΓΧΟΛΙΑ (MELANCHOLY)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
8 ΜΟΝΗ (ALONE)
Ποίηση Γιώργος Σεφέρης
9 ΓΡΑΜΜΑ (LETTER)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
10 Τ' ΑΗΔΟΝΙ (THE NIGHTINGALE)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
11 ΠΗΝΕΛΟΠΗ ΔΕΛΤΑ (PENELOPE DELTA)
Ποίηση Αφροδίτη Ραϊλα
12 ΒΑΛΣ (WALTZ)[instr]
13 ΤΑ ΛΥΠΗΜΕΝΑ ΔΕΙΛΙΝΑ (SAD EVENINGS)
14 ΣΑΒΒΑΤΟ ΒΡΑΔΥ (SATURDAY NIGHT)
Ποίηση Κώστας Καρυωτάκης
15 ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙ ΤΟ ΦΘΙΝΟΠΩΡΟ (SONG IN AUTUMN)[instr]

Λυπήσου...

Λυπήσου εκείνους που πονούν, βουβά κι ανώφελα για κάτι, και παίρνουν για να λησμονούν,
της ζωής κάποιο άθλιο μονοπάτι

Λυπήσου αυτούς που εχουν χαθεί, μες στην θλιμμένη ύπαρξή μας, κι έγιναν αίνιγμα βαθύ,
μια και δεν είναι μεταξύ μας....

Κι αυτόν, κι αυτόν που αναπολεί τα περασμένα του λυπήσου: μα όμως, ακόμα πιο πολύ,
τις ώρες της βαθιάς σιωπής σου,

λυπήσου αυτούς, που μια φορά, με φτερά ζούσαν, και τα χάνουν, και δεν τους μένει άλλη χαρά, παρά η χαρά πως θα πεθάνουν...



STELLA GADEDI - Have Pity... (poetry: Napoleon Lapathiotis)

Άνθρωπος ανήσυχος, ο Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης ( 1888-1944) κατά πολλούς προσπάθησε να ενσαρκώσει το Ουαϊλδικό πρότυπο. Το έργο του αποτελείται από μια έκδοση εν ζωή πενήντα περίπου ποιημάτων του καθώς και απο διασκορπισμένο υλικό σε εφημερίδες και περιοδικά.

In her third album, flutist and composer Stella Gadedi sets thirteen greek poems to music using conventional instruments and synthesizers. Orchestration is by Minas Alexiades. Gadedi's interpratations are influenced by composer Manos Hatzidakis.

Napoleon Lapathiotis (1888-1944) was one of the characteristic greek poets of the first quarter of the 20th century. His life was an extension of the decadent spirit of his poetry. He killed himself in 1944.

GARDENS OF THE NIGHT
(15 tracks, approx time 44min)

The Free-Art Directions Of Nato Label

September 1980, jazz artists FRANCOIS MECHALI and BEB GUERIN appear as a bass duo at Chantenay - Villedieu festival... About a year later, festival co-founder, photographer and music producer JEAN ROCHARD releases these contrabass dialogues on vinyl LP... and here it is, label nato is born. Soon, more releases from festival artists will follow and gradually, the label will become the joining point for pioneering musicians and artists from France (Berrocal, Pauvros, Sclavis, Levaillant, Doneda, Thollot, Portal...), UK (Beresford, Eastley, Coxhill, Toop, Coe, Hymas...), Europe (Bennink, Sommer, Gumpert...), U.S. (Lindsay, Frisell, Zorn...), Japan (Ikue Mori, Kazuko Hohki...).

Jazz, improvisation, avant pop, classical, world music, electronics, poetry, visual arts, melt together into humorous and often happy eccentrity... famous themes are revisited... conceptual projects give honours to great masters (F. G. Lorca, Erik Satie, Alfred Hitchcock, J-L Godard...)... fine painters/illustrators (Espagnon, Moebius, Pierre Cornuel...) add their art... nato embraces life and creation in both a fictional and a documentary way.

Sublabels: Chabada, Cinenato, Hope Street, wan + wan

La Folie Du Jour selects natomusic:

I.

GUNTER SOMMER ET TROIS VIEUX AMIS isabel records boxes
(album: Ascenseur pour le 28, 1985)
ALTERATIONS sleeping beauty
(album: My Favourite Animals, 1984)
JAC BERROCAL distinguee

(album: Hotel Hotel, 1986)

JAC BERROCAL minuit la nuit
(album: Hotel, Hotel, 1986)
JACQUES THOLLOT l' au-dela
(album: Tenga Nina, 1996)
STEVE BERESFORD altitude
(album: Dancing The Line, 1985)
BERESFORD, TOOP, ZORN, MARSHALL jayne manshfield
(album: Deadly Weapons, 1986)
CAROLINE GAUTIER & OLIVIER FOY la croisiere immobile
(v.a. album: Godard ca vous chante?, 1985)
THE MELODY FOUR Lydia the tatooed lady
(album: Hello! We Must Be Going, 1987)
LEE KONITZ as tu le cafard
(v.a. album: Vol Pour Sidney, 1992)
DENIS COLIN par rayonnement
(album: Etude De Terrain, 2000)
KAHONDO STYLE werewolf woman
(album: Green Tea & Crocodiles, 1987)
KAZUKO HOHKI rain on the railway line
(album: Love In Rainy Days, 1991)
JEAN FRANCOIS PAUVROS cri de cour
(album: Le Grand Amour, 1985)
JEAN FRANCOIS PAUVROS phillipine
(album: Le Grand Amour, 1985).

II.

BERESFORD, TOOP, ZORN, MARSHALL king cobra
(album: Deadly Weapons, 1986)
COXHILL, THOMAS petite fleur
(v.a. album: Vol Pour Sidney, 1992)
BRITISH SUMMER TIME ENDS la nuit est une sorciere
(v.a. album: Vol Pour Sidney, 1992)
FAT KID WEDNESDAYS bamako love
(album: The Art Of Cherry, 2004)
DENIS COLIN TRIO sing swan song
(album: Songs For Swans, 2006)
TONY COE la legende de l'oiseau
(album: Les Voix D'Itxsassou, 1990)
TONY COE nuit sur une place Helsinki
(album: Les Voix D'Itxassou, 1990)
MICHEL DONEDA, DAUNI LAZRO fla flu
(album: General Gramofon, 1988)
THE LONELY BEARS entre le Tigre et l'Euphrate
(album: Injustice, 1993)
THE RECEDENTS zombie bloodbath on the isle of dogs
(album: Zombie Bloodbath On The Isle Of Dogs, 1991)
PHILIPPE DESCHEPPER choc ou louvre
(v.a. album: Bandes Originales Du Journal De Spirou, 1989)
THE MELODY FOUR working is the job
(album: Shopping For Melodies, 1988)
CLIVE BELL aventure birmane
(v.a. album: Bandes Originales Du Journal De Spirou, 1989)
TONY HYMAS qnr sur bretzelburg
(v.a album: Bandes Originales Du Journal De Spirou, 1989)
AMATI ENSEMBLE sonate en re mineur
(v.a album: Godard ca vous chante?, 1985).

listen here: part I & part II

La Folie Du Jour recommends nato works:

VICTORY OF THE BETTER MAN " >L'utopiste< " (GER, 1991)

">L'UTOPISTE<" is the first work of the german ensemble VICTORY OF THE BETTER MAN. It created the years 1989-90 under the significant assistance of CMP's sound-engineer WALTER QUINTUS. Band's line up, that period, beside core members UK RATTAY (guitar, synth, various sounds) and ex-NECRONOMICON drummer HARALD BERNHARD (voice, percussion, keyboards) included MATTHIAS KRATZENSTEIN on bass, piano, keyboards, guitar and MARTIN FREDEBEUL on sax, flute, clarinet, piano, keyboards. (Additional musicians: MARC LEHAN on drums, percussion & PETRA SAHM on vocals).

Works:
" >L'UTOPISTE< ", (CMP, 1991)
" ...WEGEN BROT ", (CMP, 1995)
" CITIZENS ", (rent a dog, 2004)



sample track: GONDOLA

KIRJUHEL : Pulsating Transparencies

Με ορμητήριο τις μεταλλαγμένες σε ιδίωμα προσωπικό, κέλτικες παραδόσεις της ιδιαίτερης πατρίδας του Βρετάνης, αλλά και τους παγκόσμιους ήχους, το διαχρονικό μεσογειακό πολιτισμό και την ποίηση... η μουσική του JEAN-FREDERIC KIRJUHEL, επικεντρωμένη λιτά κυρίως γύρω από κέλτικη άρπα και φωνή, ονειροποιεί την χωροχρονική συνάφεια, επιδιώκοντας μια βαθύτερη εμπλοκή του σύγχρονου με τις αρχέγονες δυνάμεις της ύλης: τη γονιμότητα , την αρμονία, την κοσμική συνοχή...

tide
(photo by SOLVEIGH KAEHLER)

For an introduction to the art of french harpist/composer/poet KIRJUHEL, listen here to the 1999 REVOE compilation "Portrait". KIRJUHEL releases are often accompanied by the fine works of german photographer SOLVEIGH KAEHLER, so check out website of REVOE publishing company for the original items (CDs, photobooks, poetrybooks, etc... ).

CARNAC words of stone
(photo by SOLVEIGH KAEHLER)

epic fragments
(photo by SOLVEIGH KAEHLER)


transparencies
(photo SOLVEIGH KAEHLER)

KIRJUHEL - PORTRAIT
(13 tracks, 55 min)