Two new albums from Wayne Horvitz take the spotlight in this show: a pandemic era remote project and a collection of previously unissued live tracks by Horvitz's formidable 1980s trio with Bobby Previte and Butch Morris. Their release coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s first post-Paris studio album, which showcases the versatility of that iconic quintet while extending its capabilities through the participation of Muhal Richard Abrams.
We also check out a new orchestral work by Anna Thorvaldsdottir that reminds us of Gloria Coates, a ten-piece improvisational project by Lucas Niggli that reminds us of John Zorn, some modern solos on Asian instruments from Lao Dan and Mamer, a stuttering trio track by Matt Mitchell, Kate Gentile and Brandon Seabrook, a just-recorded string quartet by Mark-Anthony Turnage, and some nostalgic fixed-media works from Evgueni Galperine and two more of our favorite Northwest musicians: Steve Layton and Marc Barreca.
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Flotation Device 2023-09-10: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: 50 years ago in the avant-garde [0:00]
1. [1:08] Art Ensemble of Chicago: Fanfare for the Warriors. From Fanfare for the Warriors (Atlantic, 1974) with Muhal Richard Abrams (piano), Art Ensemble of Chicago: Lester Bowie (trumpet, percussion instruments), Malachi Favors Maghostut (bass, percussion instruments, vocals), Joseph Jarman (saxophones, clarinets, percussion instruments), Roscoe Mitchell (saxophones, clarinets, flute, percussion instruments), Don Moye (drums, percussion), Christian Sabold (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded September 6–8, 1973. Composition by Joseph Jarman
2. [9:01] Wayne Horvitz: Been Here Before. From In Absentia (Right Brain, 2023) with Wayne Horvitz (amplified piano), Peggy Lee (cello), Bobby Previte (drums). NOTE: Recorded remotely in 2020
3. [12:24] Frank Martin: Polyptyque for violin and two small string orchestras - 3. Image de Juda. From Polyptique [sic], Etudes, Sonata da Chiesa (Koch Schwann Musica Mundi, 1999) with Gottfried Schneider (violin), Munich Chamber Orchestra, Hans Stadlmair (conductor). NOTE: Premiered September 9, 1973 in Lausanne by Yehudi Menuhin (violin), Zürcher Kammerorchester and Edmond de Stoutz (conductor)
4. [14:44] Frank Martin: Polyptyque for violin and two small string orchestras - 4. Image de Gethsémané. From Polyptique [sic], Etudes, Sonata da Chiesa (as above)
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SET 2: In the tradition [19:07]
1. [22:15] Horvitz, Morris, Previte Trio: Leverkusen 1. 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 October 10, 1989 at Leverkusener Jazztage, Leverkusen, Germany
2. [28:58] Lao Dan: Swordswoman Ingesting the Flying Herb 侠⼥⻝蹑空草. From Empty Mountain Calling Suite 空⼭唤曲 (Modern Sky World Music, 2023) with Lao Dan 老丹 (dizi)
3. [30:44] Mark-Anthony Turnage: Shroud - March. From Winter's Edge (Delphian, 2023) with Piatti Quartet: Michael Trainor, Rebecca Chan (violins), Tetsuumi Nagata (viola), Jessie Ann Richardson (cello), Paul Baxter (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2016
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SET 3: The Art Ensemble of East Turkestan [34:59]
1. [37:08] Wayne Horvitz on Butch Morris and the Art Ensemble of Chicago (from Radio Eclectus, September 12, 2019)
2. [39:44] Art Ensemble of Chicago: Nonaah. From Fanfare for the Warriors (credits as above). NOTE: Composition by Roscoe Mitchell
3. [45:26] Matt Mitchell, Kate Gentile: key tettle | FLARDLE. From Snark Horse (Pi, 2021) with Matt Mitchell (piano, synthesizers, electronics), Kate Gentile (drums, percussion), Brandon Seabrook (guitar, tenor banjo)
4. [51:31] Mamer: Improv (dombra) 1. From Drop by Old Heaven Books 路过旧天堂书店 (Old Heaven Books, 2021) with Mamer 马木尔 (dombra), Zeng Jun 曾君, Luo Lvye 罗绿野 (recording engineers)
5. [55:33] Outro with Roscoe Mitchell: Nonaah
6. [59:27] Steve Layton: Wending. From Pandemic 6 (NiwoSound, 2021) with Steve Layton (Reason 11/12, Audacity)
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SET 4: Game music [1:03:52]
1. [1:05:23] Lucas Niggli: Play! - Movement 2. From Play! (Intakt, 2023) with Sound of Serendipity Tentet: Joana Maria Aderi (voice, electronics), Marina Tantanozi (flute, electronics), Silke Strahl (tenor saxophone), Marc Unternährer (tuba), Dominik Blum (Hammond organ), Helena Winkelman (violin), Christian Weber (double bass), Tizia Zimmermann (accordion), Peter Conradin Zumthor (drums, celesta), Lucas Niggli (drums, melodica), Jonas Häni (recording engineer)
2. [1:19:08] Evgueni Galperine: Kaddish. From The Theory of Becoming (ECM, 2022) with Evgueni Galperine (electroncs, sampling)
3. [1:21:46] Marc Barreca: Image Bloom. From Recordings of Failing Light (Palace of Lights, 2022) with Marc Barreca (modular and virtual synthesizers, samplers and granular effects)
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SET 5: Change from catastrophe [1:29:12]
1. [1:33:00] Anna Thorvaldsdottir: CATAMORPHOSIS. From Atmospheriques (Sono Luminus, 2023) with Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Daníel Bjarnason (conductor), Daniel Shores (recording engineer)
2. [1:54:12] Outro with Gloria Coates: Illuminatio in Tenebris
Photo credits: Matt Mitchell and Kate Gentile via the artists, Live Forever (Butch Morris, Bobby Previte, Wayne Horvitz) by Keri Peckett, Mark-Anthony Turnage via Boosey & Hawkes, Lao Dan via Old Heaven Books, Steve Layton via the artist, Art Ensemble of Chicago (Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Don Moye, Joseph Jarman, Malachi Favors) by Gilbert Moreau, playing cards from Lucas Niggli: Play!, Anna Thorvaldsdottir by Saga Sigurdardottir, Frank Martin via Wikipedia