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Flotation Device salutes the fecundity, positivity and multidimensionality of Jack DeJohnette (1942–2025), possibly the most versatile drummer in jazz history, proficient at fusion, bebop and free jazz, as evinced by his recordings with Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett and fellow Chicagoans Roscoe Mitchell and Muhal Richard Abrams, all of which we sample. We also take our first look at Meredith Monk's new Cellular Songs album, and continue our ongoing traversal of Frederic Rzewski’s The Road in its first complete recording. We celebrate the 70th birthday of Bolivian composer Cergio Prudencio with a look at his works for Western and Andean instruments, and we mark the 50th anniversary of a unique Frank Zappa touring band that featured a female lead singer and Zappa showcasing his underappreciated rhythm guitar chops. Some quirky new selections by Ches Smith, Alex Paxton and Aquaserge that remind us of mid-70s Zappa round out the playlist.
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Photo credits: Cergio Prudencio via Kairos Records, Meredith Monk by Julieta Cervantes, Jack DeJohnette via the artist, Aquaserge (Audrey Ginestet, Julien Chamla , Manon Glibert, Benjamin Glibert, Olivier Kelchtermans) by J.P. Sageal, Alex Paxton by Jess Rose, Standards Trio (Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, Gary Peacock) by Roberto Massoti, Norma Jean Bell and Frank Zappa by Gail Zappa, Frederic Rzewski and daughter by Françoise Walot, Jack DeJohnette and Miles Davis by Harry Monty, Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos via the artists, Clone Row (Liberty Ellman, Mary Halvorson, Nick Dunston, Ches Smith) by Chase Pierson.
Flotation Device features creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell, Sunday nights 10pm–Midnight Pacific Time on 91.3 KBCS-FM Bellevue/Seattle/Tacoma. Visit us online at https://www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDevice.
Wow, John went to another planet!
Flotation Device 2025-11-02: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell - Part 1
Intro and SET 1: Jack DeJohnette (1942–2025) [0:00]
1. [2:12] John Abercrombie, Jack DeJohnette: Unshielded Desire. From Gateway (ECM, 1976) with John Abercrombie (guitar), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Martin Wieland (recording engineer)
2. [7:01] Miles Davis: Miles Runs The Voodoo Down (rehearsal 07, fragment). From Deep Brew (Megadisc, 2005) with Miles Davis (trumpet, voice), Joe Zawinul (electric piano left), Chick Corea (electric piano right), John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Dave Holland, Harvey Brooks (electric basses), Juma Santos (congas), Don Alias (drums, L channel), Jack DeJohnette (drums, R channel). NOTE: Recorded August 19 or 20, 1969, Columbia Studio B, New York with Bitches Brew sessions
3. [9:22] Ornette Coleman: The Veil. From Song X Twentieth Anniversary (Nonesuch, 2005) with Pat Metheny (guitar, guitar synthesizer), Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone, violin), Charlie Haden (double bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Denardo Coleman (drums, percussion), Jan-Erik Kongshaug (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded December 1985 at Power Station, New York City
4. [13:05] Alice Coltrane: Universal Consciousness. From Universal Consciousness (Impulse!, 1971) with Alice Coltrane (harp, organ), John Blair, Julius Brand, Leroy Jenkins, Joan Kalisch (violins), Jimmy Garrison (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums). NOTE: Recorded April 6, 1971
5. [18:09] Jack DeJohnette: Jack 5, This, Ten Minutes (excerpts). From Made in Chicago (ECM, 2015) with Jack DeJohnette (drums, percussion), Henry Threadgill (alto saxophone, bass flute), Roscoe Mitchell (saxophones, flute, recorder), Muhal Richard Abrams (piano), Larry Gray (double bass, cello), Martin Walters (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live August 29, 2013 at Chicago Jazz Festival, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park
SET 2: Back on the road [30:43]
1. [35:52] Frederic Rzewski: The Road - Part 3: Tramps (excerpts). From The Road (Passacaille, 2025) with Daan Vandewalle (piano), Yannick Willox (recording engineer, Acoustic Recording Service). NOTE: Composed 1995–2003. First complete recording
2. [45:45] Miles Davis: Go Ahead John (excerpts). From Big Fun (Columbia/Sony, 1974) with Miles Davis (trumpet), Steve Grossman (soprano saxophone), John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Dave Holland (electric bass guitar), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Teo Macero (post-production). NOTE: Recorded with the Jack Johnson sessions in early March 1970 (some sources say March 3, others March 7)
3. [57:51] Outro with Keith Jarrett Trio: Tonight
4. [1:00:59] Meredith Monk: Cell Trio I. From Cellular Songs (ECM, 2025) Meredith Monk, Katie Geissinger, Allison Sniffin (voices), Kevin Killen, Eli Walker (recording engineers)
Flotation Device 2025-11-02: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell - Part 2
SET 3: 50 years ago with Frank Zappa [1:04:51]
1. [1:07:04] Ches Smith: Town Down. From Clone Row (Otherly Love, 2025) with Liberty Ellman (guitar L channel), Mary Halvorson (guitar R channel), Nick Dunston (bass, electronics), Ches Smith (drums, vibes, electronics), Ben Greenberg (recording engineer, Applehead Studios)
2. [1:11:11] Alex Paxton: Spit Crystal Yeast-rack dripping (à lorange) - Three Horned Tooth Garden Beast Piercing. From Delicious (New Amsterdam, 2025) with Explore Ensemble: Taylor Maclennan (flute, piccolo), Alex Roberts (clarinet), David López Ibañez (violin), Morag Robertson (viola), Deni Teo (cello), Alex Paxton (conductor, other instruments, recording engineer)
3. [1:18:28] Frank Zappa: Chunga's Revenge. From Joe's Menage (Zappa, 2008) with Frank Zappa (guitar, vocals), Norma Jean Bell (alto saxophone, vocals), Napoleon Murphy Brock (tenor saxophone, vocals), Andre Lewis (keyboards, vocals), Roy Estrada (bass, vocals), Terry Bozzio (drums, vocals), Davey Moire (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live November 1, 1975 at William & Mary Hall, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA
4. [1:32:45] Aquaserge: Copychat. From La fin de l'économie (Crammed Discs, 2024) with Audrey Ginestet (vocals), Manon Glibert (clarinet, vocals, glockenspiel), Benjamin Glibert (electric guitar, electric bass), Olivier Kelchtermans (synthesizer, vocals), Julien Chamla (drums)
SET 4: Prudencio at 70 [1:34:06]
1. [1:37:21] Cergio Prudencio: Cantos Crepusculares (excerpts). From Cantos Crepusculares, Cantos Meridianos, Estratos (Fundación Arca Ira, 1999) with Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos, Cergio Prudencio (conductor), Cantus Producciones (recording engineer)
2. [1:54:48] Outro with Cergio Prudencio: Ámbitos (Daniel Áñez, piano)