Join us to celebrate the 90th birthday of Roger Reynolds and the 70th of Tobias Picker. We'll hear Richard Baker send Ravel’s La Valse through a disco time warp, and Kris Davis jamming Dolphy and Nancarrow together. Michael Finnissy and Tõnu Kõrvits explore the esoteric combination of flute, cello and piano, while Tim Berne, Aurora Nealand and Mark Helias present their own unconventional trio of sax, accordion and bass. Gabriel Erkoreka offers a kinder, gentler Xenakis; Jean-Luc Hervé and Philip Zoubek offer quivering electroacoustic miniatures; and Vittorio Montalti and Jacopo Salvatori channel the aesthetics of crude computer games. A pair of guitarists with roots in the Northwest—Miles Okazaki and Gordon Grdina—round out the proceedings. Creative and improvised music with host Michael Schell, from KBCS-FM Bellevue/Seattle/Tacoma.
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Flotation Device 2024-07-21: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Around the world [0:00]
1. [1:21] Aurora Nealand, Mark Helias, Tim Berne: Quodlibet: Encore. From Live at the 188 Club (Screwgun, 2024) with Tim Berne (alto saxophone), Aurora Nealand (accordion), Mark Helias (bass). NOTE: Recorded live January 13, 2023 at 188 Club, Brooklyn
2. [6:38] Gordon Grdina, Christian Lillinger: Ash. From Duo Work (AttaBoygirl, 2024) with Gordon Grdina (guitar, MIDI guitar), Christian Lillinger (drums, percussion), Martin Waschkowitsch (recording engineer)
3. [10:16] Miles Okazaki: Chutes and Ladders. From Miniature America (Cygnus, 2024) with Miles Okazaki (guitars), Patricia Brennan (vibraphone), Matt Mitchell (piano), Caroline Davis (alto saxophone), Anna Webber (tenor saxophone, flute), Jon Irabagon (mezzo soprano, soprano and slide saxophones), Jacob Garchik (trombone, bass trombone), Ganavya, Jen Shyu, Fay Victor (voices), Marc Urselli (recording Engineer, East Side Sound)
4. [11:15] Miles Okazaki: The Haze. From Miniature America (credits as above)
5. [13:29] Miles Okazaki: The Hive. From Miniature America (credits as above)
6. [14:40] Gabriel Erkoreka: Piano Concerto "Piscis" (excerpt). From Cello Concerto et al (Ondine, 2024) with Alfonso Gómez (piano), Basque National Orchestra, Juanjo Mena (conductor), Fabian Frank (recording engineer)
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SET 2: Dolphy, Nancarrow and beyond [23:08]
1. [26:46] Vittorio Montalti: 1A+1B. From The Smell of Blue Electricity (Col Legno, 2024) with Vittorio Montalti (electronics), Blow Up Percussion: Flavio Tanzi, Aurelio Scudetti, Pietro Pompei, Luca Giacobbe (percussion)
2. [31:29] Vittorio Montalti: 2C+2D+2E. From The Smell of Blue Electricity (credits as above)
3. [36:59] Jean-Luc Hervé: Topos - 2. Les êtres du rêve. From Germination (Kairos, 2024) with L'itinéraire, Léo Margue (conductor), Julien Aléonard (recording engineer)
4. [43:00] Kris Davis: Nine Hats. From Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic, 2023) with Diatom Ribbons: Kris Davis (piano, prepared piano, Arturia Microfreak synthesizer), Val Jeanty (turntables, electronics), Julian Lage (electric guitar), Trevor Dunn (electric bass, double bass), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Ron Saint Germain (recording engineer). Recorded live May 27–28, 2022 at the Village Vanguard, New York
5. [49:19] Conlon Nancarrow: Study No. 9 for player piano. From Player Piano 1 (MDG-Scene, 2005) with Jürgen Hocker (Bösendorfer Grand Piano with 1927 Ampico Player Piano Mechanism), Jörg Borchardt (restoration). NOTE: Premiered July 30, 1962 in Mexico City
6. [53:36] Outro with Eric Dolphy: Hat and Beard
7. [1:01:08] Jacopo Salvatori: Pixels. From String Quartets by aDevantgarde Composers (aDevantgarde, 2023) with Zentaur-Quartett: Annette Fritz, Marc Kaufmann (violins), Katharina Schmauder (viola), Caio de Azevedo (cello), Sascha Etezazi (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2014
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SET 3: Tobias Picker at 70 [1:08:28]
1. [1:09:19] Richard Baker: The Tyranny of Fun. From The Tyranny of Fun (NMC, 2024) with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Nye Parry (live electronics), Finnegan Downie Dear (conductor), David Lefeber (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2012
2. [1:18:35] Tobias Picker: Act III, Scene 4: The Farmyards of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. From Fantastic Mr. Fox (BMOP/sound, 2019) with Mr. Fox: John Brancy (baritone), Rita the Rat: Tynan Davis (mezzo-soprano), Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose (conductor), Antonio Oliart (recording engineer)
3. [1:26:10] Philip Zoubek Trio Extended: The Buzzing. From Mirage (Boomslang, 2023) with Philip Zoubek (piano, synthesizer), David Helm (bass), Dominik Mahnig (drums), Leonhard Huhn (woodwinds), Elisabeth Coudoux (cello), Shiau-shiuan Hung (vibraphone, cello), Stefan Deistler (recording engineer)
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SET 4: Roger Reynolds at 90 [1:28:16]
1. [1:31:35] Roger Reynolds: Symphony[Myths] (excerpts). From Whispers Out of Time: works for orchestra (Mode, 2007) with Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Kotaro Sato (conductor). NOTE: Composed 1990
2. [1:36:50] Roger Reynolds: Symphony[Myths] - 2
3. [1:39:53] Michael Finnissy: Wisdom (excerpts). From Alternative Readings (Métier/Divine Art Recording Group, 2024) with Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo soprano), Marsyas Trio: Helen Vidovich (alto flute), Valerie Welbanks (cello), Olga Stezhko (piano), Nick Powell (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2020
4. [1:44:38] Tõnu Kõrvits: Solano. From Échos de la Terre (Cypres/Outhere Music, 2024) with Trio O3: Lydie Thonnard (alto flute), Eugénie Defraigne (cello), Léna Kollmeier (piano), Vincent de Bast (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2003, first complete recording
5. [1:53:09] Outro with George Crumb: Vox Balaenae (Trio O3)
Photo credits: Kris Davis by Peter Gannushkin, Tobias Picker by Harry Heleotis, Zentaur-Quartett (Annette Fritz, Marc Kaufmann, Katharina Schmauder, Caio de Azevedo) by Stefen Holst, Vittorio Montalti by Civitella Ranieri, Conlon Nancarrow via 1750 Arch Records, Marsyas Trio (Helen Vidovich, Olga Stezhko, Valerie Welbanks) by Bibi Basch, Gabriel Erkoreka via the artist, Roger Reynolds by Malcolm Crowthers, Eric Dolphy by Chuck Stewart, Miles Okazaki by John Rogers, Aurora Nealand via Bang on a Can, Michael Finnissy via the artist, Trio O3 (Léna Kollmeier, Lydie Thonnard, Eugénie Defraigne) by Nicolas Marchant