For his 90th birthday, Flotation Device celebrates Phill Niblock, the godfather of drone minimalism, and a much-loved icon of Downtown experimental music. We sample his austere, immersive yet beautiful music, including a complete 20-minute work specially chosen for the occasion by the composer, who joins host Michael Schell in conversation to discuss his unusual path to new music.
We also compare Niblock’s brand of no-nonsense minimalism with his like-minded peers La Monte Young and Éliane Radigue, and we contrast it to the more popular beat-driven minimalism of Philip Glass, Samuel Adams and John Luther Adams (featuring the late Robert Black). In a more improvisational vein, we explore new albums by Anna Webber, Evan Parker, Matt Wright, Christian Lillinger and Elias Stemeseder that extend the scope of creative music with unusual tunings and instruments. Plus we continue our recent survey of hybrid compositions by Kate Gentile and the Horvitz/Morris/Previte trio.
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Flotation Device 2023-10-01: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Minimalism [0:00]
1. [1:19] Philip Glass (arr. Arturo Stàlteri): The North Star Session - Victor's Lament. From Dodecagon (Orange Mountain, 2023) with Arturo Stàlteri (eight pianos). NOTE: North Star was originally composed for and recorded by the Philip Glass Ensemble in 1977
2. [5:09] Philip Glass: The North Star Session - River Run. From Dodecagon (credits as above)
3. [6:56] John Luther Adams: Three Nocturnes - 2. Night Wind. From Darkness and Scattered Light (Cold Blue, 2023) with Robert Black (double bass), Greg DiCrosta (recording engineer)
4. [11:34] Samuel Adams: Violin Diptych - 2. Changes Move. From Current (Other Minds, 2023) with Karen Gomyo (violin), Conor Hanick (piano), Travis Andrews (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2020
5. [18:17] Philip Glass: The North Star Session - Ave. From Dodecagon (credits as above)
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SET 2: Phill Niblock at 90 [20:51]
1. [24:40] Phill Niblock in conversation with Michael Schell
2. [36:20] Phill Niblock: Vlada BC. From Working Touch (Touch, 2022) with Elisabeth Smalt (multitracked viola d’amores). NOTE: Composed and realized 2013
3. [56:21] Outro with Éliane Radigue: Occam Delta XV
4. [1:00:00] Anna Webber: Squirmy. From Shimmer Wince (Intakt, 2023) with Anna Webber (tenor sax, flute, bass flute), Adam O’Farrill (trumpet), Mariel Roberts (cello), Elias Stemeseder (synthesizer), Lesley Mok (drums), Ryan Streber (recording engineer)
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SET 3: All together now [1:11:22]
1. [1:13:28] Nina C. Young: Always and Forever. From Music from SEAMUS 31 (New Focus, 2022). NOTE: Realized 2020
2. [1:17:01] Horvitz, Morris, Previte Trio: 3 Places in Suburban California. From Live Forever, Vol. 2: Horvitz, Morris, Previte Trio: NYC, Leverkusen 1988–1989 (Other Room, 2023) with Wayne Horvitz (piano, amplified piano, Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer, Yamaha RX-11 drum machine), Butch Morris (cornet, marimba), Bobby Previte (drums, marimba, Roland 707 drum machine, Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer). NOTE: Recorded live April 14–15, 1988 at The Kitchen, NYC
3. [1:24:26] Kate Gentile: shorm. From b i o m e i.i (Obliquity, 2023) with Kate Gentile (drums, percussion), International Contemporary Ensemble: Isabel Lepanto Gleicher (flute, piccolo), Joshua Rubin (clarinet, bass clarinet), Rebekah Heller (bassoon), Jennifer Curtis (violin), Cory Smythe (piano), Ross Karre (vibraphone, percussion), Ryan Streber (recording engineer)
4. [1:28:49] Bent Sørensen: Wild Nights. From St. Matthew Passion (BIS, 2023) with Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Ensemble Allegria, Grete Pedersen (conductor), Nora Brandenburg (recording engineer)
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SET 4: Trance music for the open-eared [1:35:18]
1. [1:39:09] Stemeseder Lillinger: Cycle II + Russell Hall. From Umbra (Intakt, 2023) with Russell Hall (bass), Stemeseder Lillinger: Elias Stemeseder (lautenwerk), Christian Lillinger (drums, sampler, synthesizer), Lily Wen (recording engineer)
2. [1:42:14] Stemeseder Lillinger: Cycle VIII + DoYeon Kim. From Umbra (Intakt, 2023) with DoYeon Kim (gayageum), Stemeseder Lillinger: Elias Stemeseder (synthesizer, electronics, una corda), Christian Lillinger (drums, sampler, synthesizer), Lily Wen (recording engineer)
3. [1:46:56] Trance Map+: Drawing breath, Engaged in seeking (excerpts). From Etching the Ether (Intakt, 2023) with Evan Parker (soprano saxophone), Matthew Wright (live electronics, sound design), Peter Evans (trumpet, piccolo trumpet), Mark Nauseef (percussion), Henry Dagg, Vlatko Kucan (recording engineers)
4. [1:56:55] Outro with Phill Niblock: K+L for KL 2
Photo credits: Anna Webber by Evan Shay, Samuel Adams by Lenny Gonzalez, Philip Glass via the artist, Bent Sørensen by Lars Skaaning, DoYeon Kim via Out of Your Head Records, Phill Niblock by JJ Murphy, Phill Niblock via Festival Mixtur, Evan Parker and Matthew Wright via Intakt Records, Kate Gentile by Sofie Kjørum Austlid, John Luther Adams by Madeline Cass, Live Forever (Butch Morris, Bobby Previte, Wayne Horvitz) by Keri Peckett, Nina C. Young via the artist