Flotation Device takes a fresh look at some recent items whose reception suggests they’re worth a second hearing. We revisit some creative music history via Sun Ra, Anthony Braxton and several newly unearthed Lennie Tristano free tracks, contrasting them with contemporary free improv from China, Greece and Indonesia. We’ll honor the legacies of the late cornetist Ron Miles, the eccentric Texan Jerry Hunt (inspired by his recent retrospective exhibit at Blank Forms), and the unconventional French vocalist Ghédalia Tazartès. A bit of nostalgia for silent movies and long German words, plus fusion music by Mako Sica and Hound Dog Taylor’s Hand, rounds out this eclectic playlist.
Global chart history
Top position held by this upload
Tracklist
Playing tracks by Mako Sica, Sun Ra, Eric Nathan, Charles Rumback, Ghédalia Tazartès and more.
Comments
Flotation Device 2024-02-25: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Calling Planet Chicago [0:00]
1. [1:01] Mako Sica: Unraveling. From Garland of Heads (Astral Spirits, 2021) with Tatsu Aoki (upright bass, shamisen), Thymme Jones (grand piano, trumpet, vocals, balloon, metal crate), Jacob Fawcett (drum set), Mako Sica: Przemyslaw K Drazek (trumpet, electric guitar, mandolin, percussion), Brent Fuscaldo (vocals, electric bass, electric guitar, thumb piano, harmonica, percussion), David Zuchowski (recording engineer)
2. [8:25] Sun Ra: Calling Planet Earth. From Space is the Place: Music for the Film (Enterplanetary Koncepts, 2019) with Sun Ra (piano, Minimoog, Farfisa, Hohner Clavinet, Rocksichord, vocals), Kwame Hadi (trumpet, conga, vibraphone), Wayne Harris (trumpet), Marshall Allen (alto sax, flute, oboe, bassoon, kora, percussion), Danny Davis (alto sax, flute, alto clarinet, strings, percussion), Larry Northington (alto sax, conga), John Gilmore (drums, tenor sax, percussion, strings, vocals), Eloe Omoe (bass clarinet, bongo, percussion), Danny Ray Thompson (baritone sax, percussion), Lex Humphries (drums), Ken Moshesh (conga), June Tyson (vocals, bells). NOTE: Recorded early 1972 in San Francisco, first released in 1993 by Evidence Music
3. [11:30] Eric Nathan: Missing Words II - 2. Kraftfahrzeugsinnenausstattungsneugeruchsgenuss (Automobile-interior-furnishing-aroma-pleasure). From Missing Words (New Focus, 2022) with American Brass Quintet, Andrew Bove (recording engineer)
4. [14:02] Charles Rumback: K10. From Seven Bridges (Astral Spirits, 2021) with Ron Miles (cornet), Macie Stewart (violin), Nick Macri, John Tate (basses), Charlie Rumback (drums), John Hughes (recording engineer)
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SET 2: Ghédalia Tazartès (1947–2021) [21:14]
1. [24:06] Ghédalia Tazartès: Souffle. From Gospel et le râteau (Bisou, 2022) with Ghédalia Tazartès, Quentin Rollet (editing)
2. [26:31] Wolfgang Mitterer: Mother and Grotesque. From Phantom: Music to the Silent Movie by F.W. Murnau (Col Legno, 2022) with Ensemble PHACE, Lars Mlekusch (conductor)
3. [33:41] Daphne X: Kontakion of the Apple. From The Plumb Sutra (Bezirk, 2021) with Daphne Xanthopoulou AKA Daphne X
4. [36:09] Uwalmassa: Guram. From Malar (DIVISI 62, 2022) with Harsya Wahono, Randy Pradipta, Pujangga Rahseta
5. [38:06] Uwalmassa: Caruk. From Malar (credits as above)
6. [41:01] Uwalmassa: Karnal. From Malar (as above)
7. [44:12] Hound Dog Taylor's Hand: Charming Gardeners. From Congratulations (Bandcamp, 2022) with Jeffery Taylor (guitar), John Seman (contrabass, recording engineer), Mark Ostrowski (drums)
8. [49:47] Ghédalia Tazartès: Enfance. From Gospel et le râteau (as above)
9. [52:27] Outro with Ghédalia Tazartès: Gospel et le râteau
10. [59:57] Jerry Hunt: Song Drape No. 2. From Sonic Circuits V (Innova, 1997) with Michael Schell (realization)
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SET 3: Free in New York and Shenzhen [1:06:16]
1. [1:07:40] Lennie Tristano: New Pennies. From Personal Recordings 1946–1970 (Dot Time/Mosaic, 2021) with Lennie Tristano (piano, recording). NOTE: Recorded ca.1961 at Tristano's studio, Palo Alto Street, Hollis, NY
2. [1:12:51] IZ Band: Ɵli & Tiri 生与死. From 路过旧天堂书店 Drop by Old Heaven Books (Old Heaven Books, 2021) with 马木尔 Mamer (acoustic guitar, vocals), 夏力 Xalhar (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), 张东 Zhang Dong (percussion), 曾君 Zeng Jun，罗绿野 Luo Lvye (recording engineers). NOTE: Recorded live January 2, 2021 at Old Heaven Books, Shenzhen, China
3. [1:19:39] Lennie Tristano: Formation. From Personal Recordings 1946–1970 (Dot Time/Mosaic, 2021) with Lennie Tristano (piano), Lee Konitz (alto saxophone), Warne Marsh (tenor saxophone), Billy Bauer (guitar, recording), Lenny Popkin (restoration). NOTE: Recorded 1948 at Tristano's house, Flushing, NY, 1948. Previously unreleased, this anticipates the 1949 Capitol recording of Digression and Intuition with the same quartet plus Arnold Fishkin (bass) and Denzil Best (drums)
4. [1:23:09] IZ Band: Əjim 皱纹. From 路过旧天堂书店 Drop by Old Heaven Books (Old Heaven Books, 2021) with 马木尔 Mamer (dombra, classical guitar), 曾君 Zeng Jun，罗绿野 Luo Lvye (recording engineers). NOTE: Recorded live January 3, 2021 at Old Heaven Books, Shenzhen, China
5. [1:29:31] Lennie Tristano: Pinochle Jump. From Personal Recordings 1946–1970 (same credits as Formation)
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SET 4: Jerry Hunt (1943–1993). NOTE: See JerryHunt.org and Blank Forms for more on Hunt's life and music [1:31:32]
1. [1:34:09] Anthony Braxton: You Go to My Head (Part 1). From Donna Lee (America, 1972) with Anthony Braxton (alto saxophone), Michael Smith (piano), Peter Warren (bass), Oliver Johnson (drums). NOTE: Recorded February 18, 1972 at Studio Decca, Paris. Song by J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
2. [1:40:28] Jerry Hunt: Bitom (stream): link. From Ground: Five Mechanic Convention Streams (OODiscs, 1992, reissued 2022 by Blank Forms Editions) with Jerry Hunt (cow horns, pianofortes, device arrays). NOTE: Composed 1991
3. [1:54:31] Outro with Jerry Hunt: Fluud
Photo credits: Ghédalia Tazartès via Dais Records, Jerry Hunt and friend, June Tyson and Sun Ra in Space Is the Place, Lennie Tristano by William P. Gottlieb, Uwalmassa (Harsya Wahono, Pujangga Rahseta, Randy Pradipta) via the artists, Daphne X via the artist, Eric Nathan by Rebecca Fay, Mako Sica (Przemyslaw K Drazek, Hamid Drake, Tatsu Aoki, Brent Fuscaldo, Thymme Jones) by Taylor Hales, Wolfgang Mitterer by Florian Voggeneder