"Smarnamisa! Resia Valley Music" (1997)

Resia Valley is a very small municipality-region lying in North Italy near the borders with Slovenia and Austria. Resian people, who nowadays are numbered in about a thousand, have slavic origins and speak a very idiomatic slavic dialect ("rozajanski"), strongly influenced by archaic  lingual elements. Located between the two peninsulas (the balkan and the italian), but in fact isolated due to its surrounded by mountains alpine position, Resia has, in spite of its size, a rich folkloric history with unique customs and traditions.

"Smarnamisa!" compilation, an Avant Records release, is a rare document of traditional resian music created by fiddle ("citara"), cello ("bunkula"), "percussive'' feet, vocals, narrations etc.

Perhaps attractive mainly to ones with traditional folk tastes or ethno-musicological interests, but valuable and sympathetic as valuable and sympathetic a voice of an unseen dot of the world can be.

Smarnamisa! (feb 2013 updated)

UNE ANCHE PASSE "Port D' Attache" (FRA, 1995)

Traditional musics from Italy, South France, Spain, jewish diaspora... plus compositions of Nino Rota, George Brassens and others... revitalised idiosyncratically by the south french reed & brass Une Anche Passe orchestra.

"Port D'Attache" is the second "mare nostrum" trip for an ensemble that trusts the "essences" of multicultural folk mediterranean "air" to build its own borderless sound language.

Port D' Attache 

The Austrian Avant-Art Cuisine of DIE KNÖDEL

Die Knödel was an austrian ensemble, formed by Christof Dienz, active the period 1992 - 2000.  Basis of their music is the rich classical heritage and the traditional folk past of their country. Die Knödel's post-modern approach involves also jazz, mild avant garde, world folk influences, cinematic atmosphere, and overall offers an acoustic avant-art fusion exiting to romantic landscapes, imaginary dancehalls, fairytale lands, and yet images of contemporary life often humorously viewed.

Musicians: 

Christof Dienz (basson, dulcimer and most of composing), Alexandra Dienz (bass, hammered dulcimer, voice), Margret Koll (harp), Cathi Aglibut (viola, voice), Julia Fiegl (violin , voice), Walter Seebacher (clarinets, hammered dulcimer), Michael Ottl (guitar, voice), Andreas Lackner (bass, flugelhorn, trumpet, voice).

Works: 

"Verkochte Tiroler" (1993)

"Die Noodle!" (1995)

"Panorama" (1995) ...interpretations on works of various composers

"Der Unfisch" (1997) ...film soundtrack

Die Knödel with Amy Denio:

"Non Lo So, Polo" (1998) ...Marko Polo's travel as a folk opera

Die Knödel walzer (from "Verkochte Tiroler")


La Folie Du Jour selects music from Die Knödel albums:

DIE KNÖDEL (16 tracks)

The Global Sounds Of HANNIBAL RECORDS

Formed by producer JOE BOYD (Incredible String Band, Nick Drake, etc) and active in the field of folk/ethnic music throughout 80s and 90s, Hannibal Records was a daring label that brought us in touch with sounds and artists from all over the planet, a label with a major contribution to the evolution of world music and the globalization of folk influence.

Some selections from Hannibal catalogue:

ALI FARKA TOURE i go ka
[Mali], ("The Source", 1991)
TOUMANI DIABATE sankoun djabi
[Mali], ("Djelika", 1995)
BAKA BEYOND nahwia
[Cameroon/UK], ("Spirit Of the Forest", 1993)
SONGHAI jarabi
[Spain/Mali/UK], ("Songhai", 1988)
PATA NEGRA blues de la frontera
[Spain], ("Blues De La Frontera", 1986)
SILVIO RODRIGUEZ como esperando abril
[Cuba], ("Dias Y Flores", 1986, reissue)
MAHMOUD AHMED Tezeta
[Ethiopia], ("Ere Mela Mela", 1986, reissue)
KANDA BONGO MAN malinga
[Congo], ("Amor Fou", 1988)
JAZZ JAMAICA don cosmic
[UK], ("Skaravan", 1993)
OUTBACK an dro nevez
[UK], ("Baka", 1990)
DANNY THOMPSON yucateca
[UK], ("Whatever", 1987)
MARTA SEBESTYEN & MUZSIKAS regen volt, soka lesz
[Hungary], ("Prisoner's Song", 1986)
VUJICSICS svatovac iz pomaza
[Hungary], ("Vujicsics", 1988)
MUZSIKAS jewish dance from szaszregen
[Hungary], ("Maramaros: Lost Jewish Music Of Transylvania", 1993)
MARIA KALANIEMI & ALDARGAZ slingerdansin
[Finland], ("Iho", 1997)
NORMA WATERSON rags and old iron
[UK], ("Norma Waterson'', 1996)
CHOYING DROLMA & STEVE TIBBETS tal
[Nepal/USA], ("Cho", 1997)

Hannibal Music
(17 tracks - 74 min)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

IVOR CUTLER & LINDA HIRST " Privilege " (UK, 1983)

[Country Door]
a man knocks on a tree / the tree opens the door / the man walks inside and the door shuts / my father was like that / he 'd walk into the country and knock on a tree

The Scotch poet, comedian, storyteller, songwriter, Ivor Cutler (1923 - 2006) recites and sings his idiosyncratic, eccentric and humorous lyrics, accompanied by vocalist Linda Hirst. Produced by David Toop and Steve Beresford, "PRIVILEGE" is the first of his Rough Trade releases. Instrumentation - quite rich for Cutler's standards - includes keyboards, euphonium, banjo, alto flute... "Women of the world", the indie hit of the album, released as a 7'' single and been covered by Jim O' Rourke on his "Eureka" LP (1999)

Women Of The World / Counting Song, 7'', 1983

Privilege

MARTYN BATES "Port Of Stormy Lights" (UK,1989)

Four-track mini cd with MARTYN BATES avant pop-folk plus booklet. Released in 1989 from eclectic avant label SORDIDE SENTIMENTAL, a french micro-record company focused on "promoting experimental music in every form".

MARTYN BATES: voices, guitars, harps, flageolet, melodica
PAUL SIMPSON: bass, assorted percussion, snare-drums, strings on track 2

booklet's texts by Muriel Quoniam & Sordide Sentimental founder J.P. Turmel
cover art by J.P. Turmel

Port Of Stormy Lights

THE TRYPES "The Explorers hold " (US,1984)

After first LP, FEELIES members BILL MILLION & GLEN MERCER joined in 1982 JOHN BAUMGARTNER`s THE TRYPES and recorded this EP. A little later they reformed (along with other TRYPES musicians) THE FEELIES and the result was the psych-folk landmark "THE GOOD EARTH" (1986). In some way "THE EXPLORERS HOLD" is the path to a rebirth, the key of this alchemystic transfiguration.

line up:
John Baumgartner (keyboards)
Stan Demeski (percussion, drums)
Bill Million (percussion)
Glenn Mercer (guitar,voc, percussion)
Brenda Sauter (bass, voc)
Marc Francia (guitar, voc)
Tony Paruta (voc, wooden winds)

tracks:
1.(from the) morning glories
2.love you to
3. music for neighbors
4.the undertow

THE EXPLORERS HOLD (23mb)
album under reissue - link removed

PAUL ROLAND "Strychnine" (UK,1992)

Along with new versions of some of his own songs, the master of haunted-folk-gothic-psych chemical reactions... covers old classic gems fitted in with his idiosyncracy.Poisoning as one of the fine arts.

TRACKLIST:01.Too much to dream / 02.Arabian Nights / 03.Iscariot / 04.Strychnine / 05.Young girl blues / 06.Guinevere / 07.Lady Rachel / 08.Venus in Furs / 09.The King is dead / 10.Great Edwardian air raid / 11.Candy says / 12.Ghost Ships

Τον αφήνεις να ψάξει ξένα σεντούκια και αυτός, ως ανίατη περίπτωση παλαιομοδίτη που εξελίσεται όσο του ανοίγεται ο ορίζοντας προς το παρελθόν, πάλι εντοπίζει και ανασύρει μεσα απο κρύπτες του χρόνου... το λυρικό, το στοιχειωμένο, το ρομαντικό, το φαντασιακό. Εκτός όμως απο ζήτημα ιδιοσυγκρασίας & εξαίρετου προσωπικού γούστου, οι επιλογές του Paul Roland παραπέμπουν σε εποχές, πρόσωπα και καταστάσεις ορόσημα για τις ανα τους καιρούς παραστρατημένες νεολαίες... και εν πολλοις συνθέτουν μια μινι αναφορά στην σύγχρονη ηλεκτρική & ακουστική ιστορία αγωγής, μύησης και συνειδησιακής διάβρωσης, γνωστής και ως ροκ εν ρολ. Γύρω λοιπόν απο τον άξονα αγάπης-γνώσης-μνημης-θάρρους εξυφαίνεται (όπως κάθε αξιοπρεπής αλχημεία), η αισθητική πλεκτάνη τούτων των διασκευών στις οποίες εμπλέκονται σεμνά και μερικές δικές του συνθέσεις, σε νέες (ακουστικές κυρίως) εκδοχές. Μολονότι μερικές στιγμές στέκονται σε λίγο χαμηλότερο επίπεδο έμπνευσης, και γενικά τα παλιά εκμαυλιστικά τεχνάσματα ακούγονται που και που λίγο φθαρμένα, ειναι τελικά αυτή η φωνή, η ραμμένη λες πάνω στην πρωταρχική ανάσα των τραγουδιών, που περνώντας τα μέσα απο την αχλυ του βαλσαμωμένου λυκόφωτου, τα κάνει να σε ξανααποπλανούν. Το κάτι δε παραπάνω που ξέρει ο Πωλ για τις συντελούμενες μέσα στα έργα και τους άλλους οργανισμούς χημικές αντιδράσεις... τον κανει να ονομάζει την στοιχειωμένη αυτή συνεστίαση που παραθέτει στα πνεύματα του παρελθόντος... " ΣΤΡΥΧΝΙΝΗ".

STRYCHNINE (58mb) 

( version free of other poisons)

More poisons-added version of the ...medicine

(Νεώτερη έκδοση του φάρμακου ενισχυμένη και με άλλα δηλητήρια).

EYELESS IN GAZA "All under the leaves, the leaves of life" (UK,1996)

Worshiping the autumn...

All under the leaves, the leaves of life (112mb)