Flotation Device pays tribute to the late Carla Bley with a retrospective of her most exploratory works, including the jazz opera Escalator over the Hill (whose contributors range from Don Cherry and Charlie Haden to Jack Bruce and Linda Ronstadt).
We also interview Mat Maneri, one of the very few prominent improvisers to make the viola his primary instrument. Topics include his recent Ash and Dust albums, music of loss and the fragility of memory, and his recent appearance at Earshot Jazz Festival.
An exploration of the intrinsic nature of Matthew Shipp’s new solo album, and a look back to the simultaneous October 1973 unveilings of Takemitsu’s only work for gagaku orchestra, Shostakovich’s only setting of Marina Tsvetayeva, and Frank Zappa’s legendary Roxy band, round out the program. Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell. Originally aired October 29, 2023.
Annotated playlist and photo credits with Comments.
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See the video version of our interview with Mat Maneri at https://tinyurl.com/MatManeri
Flotation Device 2023-10-29: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Bley and Maneri [0:00]
1. [1:34] Carla Bley: Musique Mecanique I. From Musique Mecanique (ECM, 1979) with Eugene Chadbourne (guitars), Carla Bley Band: Michael Mantler (trumpet), Alan Braufman (alto saxophone, clarinet, flute), Gary Windo (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), John Clark (French horn), Roswell Rudd (trombone), Bob Stewart (tuba), Terry Adams (piano, electric pump organ), Carla Bley (toy piano), Steve Swallow (bass guitar), D. Sharpe (drums), Karen Mantler (glockenspiel)
2. [11:21] Mat Maneri Quartet: Cold World Lullaby. From Ash (Sunnyside, 2013) with Mat Maneri (viola), Lucian Ban (piano), John Hébert (bass), Randy Peterson (drums), Paul Antonell (recording engineer)
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SET 2: Ash in Seattle [18:42]
1. [21:12] Mat Maneri in conversation with Michael Schell
2. [35:16] Mat Maneri Quartet: Glimmer. From Ash (Sunnyside, 2013) with Mat Maneri (viola), Lucian Ban (piano), John Hébert (bass), Randy Peterson (drums), Paul Antonell (recording engineer). NOTE: composition by Lucian Ban
3. [40:38] Lucian Ban, Mat Maneri: Helas! Terre lamentable… From Oedipe Redux (Sunnyside, 2023) with Mat Maneri (viola), Lucian Ban (piano), Jen Shyu, Theo Bleckmann (voices), Louis Sclavis (clarinet, bass clarinet), Ralph Alessi (trumpet), John Hébert (bass), Tom Rainey (drums), Jurre Wieman (recording engineer)
4. [42:56] Lucian Ban, Mat Maneri: Le crime, mort de Laïos. From Oedipe Redux (credits as above)
5. [45:51] Frank Zappa: The Dog Breath Variations, Uncle Meat. From Halloween 73 (Zappa, 2019) with Frank Zappa (guitar, vocals), Napoleon Murphy Brock (vocals, tenor sax, flute), Tom Fowler (bass), Bruce Fowler (trombone), George Duke (keyboards), Ruth Underwood (percussion), Ralph Humphrey (drums, cowbells), Chester Thompson (drums). NOTE: Recorded live October 31, 1973 at Auditorium Theater, Chicago
6. [50:01] Frank Zappa: RDNZL. From Halloween 73 (as above)
7. [54:46] Outro with Carla Bley: And Now the Queen
8. [57:47] Matthew Shipp: The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp. From The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala, 2023) with Matthew Shipp (piano), Jim Clouse (recording engineer)
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SET 3: 50 years ago in the avant-garde [1:03:26]
1. [1:05:12] Tōru Takemitsu: In an Autumn Garden. From In an Autumn Garden (JVC, 1980), reissued on Complete Takemitsu Edition (2002, Shogakukan) with Tokyo Gakuso, Hiroshi Yuasa, Takashi Watanabe (recording engineers). NOTE: Premiered October 30, 1973, at the National Theatre, Tokyo. In 1979 Takemitsu expanded the work into a six-movement piece of which this became the fourth movement
2. [1:19:34] Dmitri Shostakovich: Six Songs on Poems by Marina Tsvetayeva, Op. 143 - 2. Whence all this tenderness. From Shostakovich, Szymanowski, Stravinsky: Songs (Dux, 2012) with Jadwiga Rappé (contralto), Maja Nosowska (piano). NOTE: Premiered in its original voice and piano version October 30, 1973, Leningrad
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SET 4: Carla Bley (1936–2023) [1:22:49]
1. [1:27:10] Carla Bley (piano), Steve Swallow (electric bass, recording engineer) - [Duets #05] Carla Bley: Romantic Notions #3, Walking Batteriewoman
2. [1:32:44] John Cage: Forever and Sunsmell. From Jan Steele/John Cage: Voices and Instruments (Obscure, 1976) with Carla Bley (voice), Richard Bernas (percussion). NOTE: Composed 1942
3. [1:35:27] Carla Bley: Hotel Overture. From Escalator over the Hill (JCOA, 1972, reissued 1998 by ECM) with Jazz Composer's Orchestra: Perry Robinson (solo clarinet), Jimmy Lyons (alto saxophone), Gato Barbieri (solo tenor saxophone), Chris Woods (baritone saxophone), Bob Carlisle, Sharon Freeman (French horns), Michael Mantler, Enrico Rava (trumpets), Roswell Rudd (solo trombone), Jimmy Knepper, Sam Burtis (trombones), Jack Jeffers (bass trombone), John Buckingham (tuba), Charlie Haden (bass), Bill Morimando (bells), Paul Motion (drums), Roger Dawson (congas), Michael Mantler (conductor), Karl Sjodahl (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded June 1971, editing completed November 2, 1971
3. [1:43:47] Carla Bley: Businessmen. From Escalator Over the Hill (JCOA, 1972) with Jack Bruce (voice, electric bass), John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Carla Bley (organ), Michael Mantler (ring modulated piano), Paul Motian (drums). NOTE: Text by Paul Haines. Recorded December 1970, editing completed November 2, 1971
4. [1:49:23] Carla Bley: Rawalpindi Blues. From Escalator Over the Hill (JCOA, 1972) with Desert Women: Carla Bley (voice, piano, organ), Jack/Parrot: Jack Bruce (voice, electric bass), His Friends: Steve Ferguson (voice), Sand Shepherd: Don Cherry (voice, trumpet, ceramic flute, percussion), Souren Baronian (clarinet), Leroy Jenkins (violin), Calo Scott (cello), Sam Brown (acoustic guitar), John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Ron McClure (acoustic bass), Paul Motian (drums, percussion). NOTE: Text by Paul Haines. Recorded December 1970, editing completed November 2, 1971
5. [1:53:35] Carla Bley: Why. From Escalator Over the Hill (JCOA, 1972) with Ginger: Linda Ronstadt (voice), His Friends: Charlie Haden (voice, bass), Jazz Composer's Orchestra: Carla Bley (piano), John McLaughlin (guitar), Perry Robinson (clarinet), Jimmy Lyons (alto saxophone), Gato Barbieri (tenor saxophone), Chris Woods (baritone saxophone), Sharon Freeman (French horns), Michael Mantler (trumpet, conductor), Roswell Rudd (trombone), Jack Jeffers (bass trombone), John Buckingham (tuba), Paul Motion (drums), Karl Sjodahl (recording engineer). NOTE: Text by Paul Haines. Recorded June–September 1971, editing completed November 2, 1971
6. [1:55:57] Outro with Carla Bley: …and It's Again
Photo credits: Tōru Takemitsu via Wikipedia, Mat Maneri by Žiga, Carla Bley and Steve Swallow on Night Music 1989, Carla Bley by Bill Roughan, Zappa Halloween 73 (with Napoleon Murphy Brock, George Duke, Frank Zappa and Tom Fowler from behind) via Zappa Family Trust, Dmitri Shostakovich in 1959, Linda Ronstadt via Asylum Records, Reigakusha performing Takemitsu: In an Autumn Garden by Jérémie Souteyrat, Matthew Shipp by Michael Wilderman