"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 

CHARLES TYLER "Mid Western Drifter" (FRA, 1992)

 a drifter at the end of the road...

Swansong of the underappreciated jazzman, who, shortly before death, comes for last time out of the final years invisibility to sum up his pathway in life and art.

Recorded in France, where Tyler lived since 80s, and released on Bleu Regard label.

Charles Tyler - words, saxophone 
Didier Levallet - bass
Curtis Clark - piano

Charles Lacy Tyler (1941 - 1992)

Mid Western Drifter

COLIN LLOYD TUCKER: The Man Behind The Tide

Colin Lloyd Tucker performs and writes music since late seventies. He is not unknown in music industry, although his art is odd enough to keep him in a distant sight. Initially singer/composer of the new-wavers Plain Characters, and The Gadgets, he participates to the first three albums of the lattest, and in the meanwhile forms, along with Simon Turner, the french girls (!!) duo of Deux Filles. Deux Filles make two avant-ambient-instrumental albums before their transformation to the also short-lived Jeremy's Secret.

When, in mid-eighties, Colin goes solo, his music reveals clearer its love for the pop-rock of seventies and a relation with artists such as David Bowie and Peter Hammill.  These  years his output includes releases as "Toybox" (1984, lp made much earlier), "Mind Box" (12'', 1986) and "Head" (mini lp, 1987).

First half of nineties is a quite creative period. Colin finishes and releases on Humbug Records the full album "Remarkable" (1990) and extends his collaboration with Paddy Bush (brother of Kate Bush) to the Bushtucker project.

Fruit  of this collaboration is the album "Skyscraping"(1993), a combination of songwriting, texture and sampling, an ambitious but positive world-art -rock attempt.
Next solo release is "Songs Of Life, Love And Liquid"(1995), more ordinary than previous efforts, marked by Colin's moving to an island off the coast, in the North Sea. The album is out on Humbug again and it is followed by a long "silent" period with some unrealised recording plans and very rare public performances.

"Fear Of  Flying" album breaks finally the silence in 2004 and since then, up to his new pre-announced  work "Inner Nutshell", some more stuff discreetly comes  out. Constantly unpredictable and off the publicity radar Colin Lloyd Tucker continues making new music.

Colin (left) and Paddy Bush during the making of Skyscraping album

[photo taken by Tucker's site]

The LaFolieDuJour introduction to Colin Lloyd Tucker music.

01 Bodorgan (1980)
(from The Gadgets "Love Curiosity Freckles And Doubt")
02 Not For Resale (1981)
(from Plain Characters "Invisible Yearnings")
03 Long Empty Train (1983)
(from The Gadgets "Blue Album")
04 She Slides (1982)
(from Deux Filles "Silence and Wisdom")
05 Our English Friends ( 1983)
(from Deux Filles "Double Hapiness")
06 The Ultimate Act Of Love (1986)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Mind Box")
07 Use It (1986)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Mind Box")
08 Don't Crack My Dreams (1987)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Head")
09 A Remarkable Girl (1990)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Remarkable")
10 Big Brass Band (1990)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Remarkable")
11 House On The Hill (1990)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Remarkable")
12 Remarkable Reprise (1990)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Remarkable")
13 Love Bombs (1990)
(from C Lloyd Tucker "Remarkable")
14 Transmission Moon (1994)
(from Bushtucker "Skyscraping")

Colin Lloyd Tucker

Electric Black Shadow Goes To The Sun

Run Paint Run Run

...desolated is now the desert..

LUCIEN DUBUIS

In Lucien Dubuis music the gap between rock, jazz, improvisation is often rather small. Accompanied by constable forces Roman Nowka (bass), Lionel Friedli (drums), plus special guests as Marc Ribot -a major Dubuis influence- the swiss reedman (alto sax, bass and contrabass clarinets) creates powerful sounds with funk solidity, rock sharpness and impro freedom... not far from the wild Knitting Factory zone, a kind of modern no-wave/noir jazz that stands easily very entertaining and challenging among the genres.

LUCIEN DUBUIS TRIO - bal les masques (from "Tovorak", 2005)

Lucien Dubuis [12 selections, 1 hour - compiled by LFDJ]

Sources:
Lucien Dubuis Trio "Sumo" (2001)
Lucien Dubuis' Old School Quartet (2003)
Dubuis - Studer " 'Avec les pouces' Madame Chili" (2004)
Lucien Dubuis Trio "Tovorak" (2005)
Lucien Dubuis Trio "Le Retour" (2007)
Lucien Dubuis Trio + Marc Ribot "Ultime Cosmos" (2009)

V.A. A Wicked Good Time! (US)

A 1981 release from Boston's Modern Method label comprising local punk, indie, avant-postpunk acts. Rare and obscure stuff, some time-resistant, some not. Gems from Boys Life, Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic, Bound And Gagged, Loners and others... Bosstown's always got the way to keep our ears busy!

A Wicked Good Time (13 bands - 17 tracks)

THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICANS

Scientific Americans is one more nearly forgotten band of the post-punk era. Hailed from Massachusetts, they were developed musically next to the no-wave situation, influenced as well by bands as Suicide, Devo... After the first punkish recordings,''Beyond Rational Thought"(7'', 1979), their sound went more electronic, minimal pop and dub, without loosing its initial primitive, homemade, underground heart. Their "Load And Go!" cassette was released in 1983 on the legendary ROIR label. Other works of theirs, the one-sided flexi "Beyond Fiscal Distress" (Tekno Tunes,1980), a split flexi-disc with Graig Anderton (a release of Op Magazine), another cassette called "Some Dumb F**ks" (circa 1981)... Lots of unreleased and never performed live material has been also created before or after the end of the band by Sean Elias and Graig O'Donnell,  who (along with Jim Whittemore) were the long-run members of Scientific Americans.

More about Sc Ams, told by the members themselves, at: www.thecheappages.com/n_the/sci/sciams

Load And Go!
Beyond Fiscal Distress

Producing The Future: Adrian Sherwood & his On-U Sound label

 Adrian Sherwood

 On-U artists circa 1993 [photo from skysaw site]

 Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound is one of the most influential labels in the field where the mixing and producing technologies meet music. Sherwood's productions, marked by the heavy use of dub techniques (echo sounding, samples, effects) have created since 1981 (and especially for the first 10-15 years) a unique space of pioneering flavours backgrounded in post-punk, reggae, industrial, funk, dance, spoken word, experimental music. The huge influence of On-U can be detected in many music scenes and movements in previous decades, even in contemporary genres ranging from ambient, hip hop, house and dubstep to electronic jazz and world music.

Joining the celebration for the 30th Anniversary of On-U Sound label (1981-2011), LaFolieDuJour selects essential On-U productions:

01 African Head Charge Free chant (1990)
02 Noah House Of Dread Wicked Kingdom (1982)
03 New Age Steppers Animal space (1981)
04 Judy Nylon Room without a view (1982)
05 Mothmen factory/teapoint/factory (1981)
06 Revolutionary Dub Warriors creation (1996)
07 Annie Anxiety sad shadows (1984, corpus christi)
08 African Head Charge healing father (1990)
09 London Underground Animosity (1983)
10 Headley Bennett little dove (1982)
11 Dub Syndicate haunting ground (1986)
12 2 Badcard rock to sleep (1995)
13 Little Annie le manger hereux (1994)
14 Bim Sherman can i be free from crying (1996)
15 Singers and Players revolution (1982)
16 Creation Rebel space movement section 2 (orig.1980, 1981 on-u)


On-U Sound

compiled by semilunio + paramo

LONDON UNDERGROUND "Watching West Indians In The Cold" (UK, 1982)

 

London Underground has been connected with the beginning of On-U Sound label. Their "Learn A Language" track was the B-side of On-U's debut release, a split 7'' single with New Age Steppers ("Fade Away" / "Learn  A Language"). The band, active the first half of the decade, developed a kind of white reggae-dub sound with influences from the avant-funk and alternative-dance air of post-punk era. Constant members were Martin Frederix (bass, guitar, vocals), Dan Sheals(drums), Kendall Ernest (bass) and On-U cofounder Pete Holdsworth (vocals), who later involved with reggae labels 'Pressure Sounds' and 'Green Tea'.

Following their second single "Train Of Thought" (1981), the three-track 10'' EP "Watching West Indians In The Cold", (fourth in the "On-U Disco Plates" series) is the step forward for the band ,as well the predecessor of their 1983 releases, "At Home With London Underground" (LP) , "Current Affairs Session" (mini-LP) and "Between The Lines" (7" single), which consist the main works of London Underground and also the last, as the band finished soon after.

Watching West Indians

DEADLY HEADLEY "35 Years From Alpha" (UK, 1982)

This On-U Sound release is an Adrian Sherwood's  tribute to Jamaican understated saxophonist Headley Bennett -a.k.a. Deadly Headly- who although had been involved since 50's in  the making of a great number of important reggae, ska, etc. recordings, had always remained a 'tiny-letter' session musician with nearly no records at all credited to him. In early eighties when Headley was touring in England with Prince Far I's band and also involving with UK reggae acts Creation Rebel, Adrian Sherwood got the opportunity to make this "35 Years From Alpha" album which is based on Headley's material recorded in England and Jamaica, and also includes Bim Sherman's songs and contributions from Creation Rebel members and other constant On-U Sound associates. Album title refers to Alpha School in Kingston, Jamaica, where Headley had been studying up to the age of fifteen.

Headley Bennett - Two From Alpha

Alan Jenkins and The Creams

 The Creams

(photo taken from Cordelia Records site)

The Creams represent the main chapter of Alan Jenkins music activities in nineties. Deep Freeze Mice have split up in 1989, and Jenkins collaboration with Terry Burrows (a.k.a. Yukio Yung) under moniker The Crysanthemums, becomes as well history in 1991, after five very creative years. In the meanwhile Alan participates to short-lived band Ruth's Refrigerator (1990-91) and makes with them two very good albums. Afterwards Alan together with future -and now ex- wife Blodwyn P. Teabag form THE CREAMS (initially Jody And The Creams). Soon they become a six-piece, then a three-piece and later a four-piece, and these two-six-three-four pieces Creams record overall no less than 8 works, plus two really very limited live CDs which are given to no more than 8 people so let's say -Alan says so- that these latter two don't count.

The Creams:

Alan Jenkins: guitars, singing - Blodwyn P. Teabag: keys, accordion etc. - Robyn Gibson: drums, etc. - Alison Mackinder: violin, singing - Vladimir Zajkoweicz: bass - Peter Pengwyn: keys, singing - Howard Fairey: bass, singing

Works:

Jody And The Creams - A Big Dog.N

Jody And The Creams - Lords Of The Gromet Canning Factory

Alan Jenkins and Creams - ie

The Creams - Creams and Nico

The Creams - Pluto

The Creams - Malcolm

The Creams - Are you real or just some sort of disgusting fridge magnet (live)

The Creams - The all night bookman 

"The Creams And Nico"(1994)

"Pluto" (1996)