Terry Riley, the composer of In C and the father of classic minimalism, returns with an ambitious new piece for Claire Chase and the JACK Quartet which we preview in this podcast alongside new albums by Alex Paxton, Denis Dufour, Hound Dog Taylor’s Hand, Charles Amirkhanian (renewing his fondness for player pianos) and the Portuguese trio Não Confundir Com. We celebrate bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma’s 70th birthday, and pay our respects to guitarist and fellow Ornette Coleman alum James Blood Ulmer. We also wrap up our months-long traversal of Frederic Rzewski’s epic “piano novel” The Road in its first complete recording, while historical gems by Britten and Bacewicz round out the playlist. Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell from 91.3 KBCS.
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Flotation Device 2026-06-14: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell - PART ONE
Intro and SET 1: Not to be confused with [0:00]
1. [2:01] Hound Dog Taylor's Hand: Monkey Organ. From Things That May Exist (HDTH, 2024) with Jeffery Taylor (guitar), John Seman (contrabass, recording engineer), Mark Ostrowski (drums)
2. [4:22] Charles Amirkhanian: In Praise of the Venerable Piano Roll, Hopper Popper. From Ratchet Attach It (Other Minds, 2025) with Rex Lawson (piano rolls), Trinity Laban Percussion Ensemble: Gosia Kepa, Rhys Davies, Lindsey Eastham, Ben Leigh Grosart, Richie Sweet, Dominic Murcott (percussion), Charles Amirkhanian (montage), Barney Brosnan (recording engineer, Trinity Laban)
3. [10:10] Denis Dufour: Messe à l’usage des enfants - Gloria (Lève, lève-toi). From Complete Acousmatic Works, Vol. 2 (Kairos, 2026) with Stéphanie, Sébastien and Cédric Dufour (children’s voices), Christian Zanési (recording engineer, GRM). NOTE: Realized 1986–2019, premiere recording. Text by Thomas Brando
4. [14:28] Não confundir com: Não confundir com uma suite. From Cumprir qualquer propósito (Robalo, 2025) with Não confundir com: Nazaré da Silva (voice), João Gato (alto saxophone), Zé Almeida (double bass), Tiago Ralha, Bernardo Tinoco (recording engineers)
5. [20:44] Hound Dog Taylor's Hand: The Structure And Dynamics of Disordered Systems (excerpt). From The Structure And Dynamics of Disordered Systems (HDTH, 2026) with Joe Paradiso (custom-designed modular synthesizer), Hound Dog Taylor’s Hand: Greg Kelley (trumpet), Jeffery Taylor (guitars, percussion), John Seman (contrabass, piano, percussion, recording engineer), Mark Ostrowski (drums, piano, percussion)
6. [21:57] Hound Dog Taylor's Hand: Let's Talk About It On Sunday. From Unease (HDTH, 2020) with Hound Dog Taylor's Hand: Greg Kelley (trumpet), Jeffery Taylor (guitar), John Seman (contrabass), Mark Ostrowski (drums)
Flotation Device 2026-06-14: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell - PART TWO
SET 2: Minimalism and cartoons [24:14]
1. [29:13] Terry Riley: The Holy Liftoff (excerpts). From The Holy Liftoff (Sono Luminus, 2026) with Claire Chase (four multitracked flutes), JACK Quartet: Christopher Otto, Austin Wulliman (violins), John Pickford Richards (viola), Jay Campbell (cello), Terry Riley (voice), Ryan Streber (recording engineer, Oktaven Audio). NOTE: Composed 2022–24, arranged and realized by Samuel Clay Birmaher
2. [54:31] Outro with Terry Riley: In C
3. [58:59] Alex Paxton: Blue Chew Cheerio Earpiece - YOUR TONGUE, Nast Catapiller Strut, Breath Smells Nice. From Candyfolk Spacedrum (Jonah, 2026) with Mike De Souza (electric guitar), Riot Ensemble: Richard Craig (flutes), Philip Haworth (oboe), Horia Dumitrache (clarinets), Fraser Tannock (trumpet), Alex Paxton (conductor, trombone, recording engineer), Myles Eastwood (recording engineer)
SET 3: End of the road [1:07:38]
1. [1:09:40] Frederic Rzewski: The Road - Part 8: The Big Day Arrives, Mile 60: Uphill, Mile 62: The Babble, Mile 64: Leaks and Plugs (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. [1:22:34] Benjamin Britten: Phaedra, Op. 93 (excerpts). From The Rescue of Penelope, Phaedra (Erato, 1996) with Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson (mezzo-soprano), Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano (conductor), Don Hartridge (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1975, premiered June 16, 1976 at Aldeburg Festival, Suffolk, UK
3. [1:25:33] Grażyna Bacewicz: Concerto for Large Symphony Orchestra - 3. Vivo. From Orchestral Works, Vol. 2 (Chandos, 2025) with BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo (conductor), Jonathan Cooper (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1962
SET 4: Tacuma at 70, Ulmer in the next world [1:30:00]
1. [1:33:30] James Blood Ulmer: Theme from Captain Black, Morning Bride. From Tales of Captain Black (Artists House, 1979) with Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone), James Blood Ulmer (guitar), Jamaaladeen Tacuma (electric bass), Denardo Coleman (drums), Mark Friedman (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded December 5, 1978 at RPM Studios, New York
2. [1:41:41] Mary Halvorson, Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Luminous Weight. From Strings & Things (Jam-All, 2022) with Mary Halvorson (guitar, electronics), Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bass guitar). NOTE: Recorded 2014 at Tacuma Express Studio, Tokyo
3. [1:46:10] Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Mind The Outsiders. From Mind The Outsiders (Jam-All, 2026) with Massimo Magee (saxophone), Alex Ward (clarinet, guitar), Michael Asukyle (guitar), Jamaaladeen Tacuma (electric bass), Sean Noonan (drums, percussion)
4. [1:54:53] Outro with Ornette Coleman: Voice Poetry
Photo credits: Grażyna Bacewicz via Wikimedia, Denis Dufour by Alexander Delaney, Claire Chase and Terry Riley via Roulette, James Blood Ulmer by OhWeh, Hound Dog Taylor’s hand, Frederic Rzewski and Daan Vandewalle via Passacaille Records, Charles Amirkhanian by Michael Karibian, Jamaaladeen Tacuma via the artist, Não confundir com (João Gato, Zé Almeida, Nazaré da Silva) via the artists, Benjamin Britten via Britten-Pears Foundation, drawing for The Holy Liftoff by Terry Riley, Alex Paxton and trombone via Jonah Records.
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://linktr.ee/MichaelSchell