Flotation Device marks the 75th birthday of Laurie Anderson, and the 50th anniversaries of an obscure Philip Glass piece and a key Miles Davis album that represents his deepest foray into the avant-garde. We espy its influence in John Zorn’s latest electric quartet album, and we also sample a newly-released CD documenting the only recorded performance of Peter Brötzmann, William Parker and Milford Graves as a trio. Plus we survey new tracks by Matthew Shipp, Michael Bisio and Tim Daisy, and new portrait albums from Europe featuring music by Thomas Larcher and the late Stefano Scodanibbio. We close by observing how Lucinda Childs’ contributions to Einstein on the Beach represent an archetype for Anderson’s own vocal style.
Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and beyond with host Michael Schell. Annotated playlist and photo credits in Comments.
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Flotation Device 2022-06-05: annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Miles' legacy and a meeting of two continents [0:00]
1. [1:29] John Zorn: Hekate. From Perchance to Dream… (Tzadik, 2022) with Bill Frisell (guitar), John Medeski (organ), Brian Marsella (piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano), Kenny Wollesen (drums, chimes), Marc Urselli (recording engineer)
2. [7:20] Peter Brötzmann, Milford Graves, William Parker: Side B. From Historic Music Past Tense Future (Black Editions, 2021) with Peter Brötzmann (reeds), Milford Graves (drums), William Parker (bass), Eremite Mobile Unit (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live March 29, 2002 at CB's 313 Gallery, New York⠀
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SET 2: On The Corner at 50 [25:39]
1. [28:51] Miles Davis: One And One (unedited master). From The Complete On The Corner Sessions (Columbia, 2007) with Miles Davis (electric trumpet with Wah Wah), Carlos Garnett (soprano and tenor saxophone), Herbie Hancock (electric piano, synthesizer), Harold I. Williams (organ, synthesizer), David Creamer (electric guitar), Michael Henderson (electric bass with Wah Wah), Bennie Maupin (bass clarinet), Collin Walcott (electric sitar), Badal Roy (tabla), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Al Foster (drums), Jabali Billy Hart (drums, bongos), Don Alias (percussion), James "Mtume" Foreman (percussion), Paul Buckmaster (cello, arrangements), Teo Macero (producer). NOTE: Recorded June 6, 1972 at Columbia Studios, New York
2. [46:48] Miles Davis: Mr. Freedom X. From On the Corner (Columbia, 1972) with Miles Davis (electric trumpet with Wah Wah), Carlos Garnett (soprano and tenor saxophone), Chick Corea (electric piano), Herbie Hancock (electric piano, synthesizer), Harold I. Williams (organ, synthesizer), Lonnie Liston Smith (organ), David Creamer (electric guitar), Michael Henderson (electric bass with Wah Wah), Collin Walcott (electric sitar), Badal Roy (tabla), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Al Foster (drums), Jabali Billy Hart (drums, bongos), Don Alias (percussion), James "Mtume" Foreman (percussion), Paul Buckmaster (cello, arrangements), Teo Macero (producer). NOTE: Recorded June 6, 1972 at Columbia Studios, New York
3. [54:02] Outro with Miles Davis: Vote for Miles
4. [58:59] Michael Bisio, Matthew Shipp: Flow of Everything. From Flow of Everything (Fundacja Słuchaj, 2022) with Michael Bisio (double bass), Matthew Shipp (piano), Jim Clouse (recording engineer)⠀
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SET 3: European excursions [1:05:33]
1. [1:06:24] Thomas Larcher: Alle Tage, Symphony for Baritone and Orchestra - 6. Storm, War. From Alle Tage, Violin Concerto (Tonkünstler Orchestra, 2022) with Tonkunstler Orchestra, Hannu Lintu (conductor), Aki Matusch (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2010–15
2. [1:17:12] Stefano Scodanibbio: Visas - Episodio 2: Alla compagna di viaggio. From String Quartets (Kairos, 2022) with Arditti Quartet: Irvine Arditti, Ashot Sarkissjan (violins), Ralf Ehlers (viola), Lucas Fels (cello), Andrea Lambertucci (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1985–1987. Recorded April 14–16, 2016 at Teatro Lauro Rossi, Macerata, Italy (first recording)⠀
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SET 4: Happy Birthday Laurie Anderson [1:23:34]
1. [1:25:09] Laurie Anderson: Our Street Is a Black River. From Landfall (Nonesuch, 2018) with Laurie Anderson (violin, vocals, keyboards, samples, percussion, filters), Kronos Quartet: David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola), Sunny Yang (cello)
2. [1:26:34] Laurie Anderson: Dreams. From Landfall (credits as above)
3. [1:30:34] Philip Glass: Music for Voices. From Early Voice (Orange Mountain, 2002) with Mabou Mines (voices). NOTE: Composed 1970–1, premiered June 1972. This performance recorded live June 3, 1972 at Paula Cooper Gallery, New York
4. [1:43:49] Timothy Daisy: Future Theater Piece (excerpts). From Future Theater Piece (Relay Recordings, 2022) with Timothy Daisy (constructions with percussion, turntables, marimba, gongs, radio)
5. [1:53:30] Outro with Philip Glass: Einstein on the Beach - Knee Play 5 featuring Lucinda Childs (voice)
Photo credits: Miles Davis by Tom Palumbo, Tim Daisy via the artist, Laurie Anderson by Ebru Yıldız, Philip Glass by Chuck Close, Stefano Scodanibbio by Heidrun Havran, Michael Bisio and Matthew Shipp by Jason Moran, Bill Frisell by Monica Frisell, Thomas Larcher by Richard Haughton, Peter Brötzmann/Milford Graves/William Parker by Andrey Henkin, Lucinda Childs by Sally Cohn.