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Old meets New in this edition of Flotation Device, as Bright Sheng reflects on Chinese astrology, Francisco Mela revisits the piano trio format, and Kate Gentile and Matt Mitchell reassess the art of one-bar compositions. The London Experimental Ensemble offers an craggy perspective on plagues and Celtic ballads, while Prach Boondiskulchok composes for an archaic portative organ and the Dal:Um duet improvises on Korean zithers. Northwest transplant Steph Richards joins with Joshua White for a soggier kind of duet, while RN White, Cedrik Fermont and Ilya P. offer loopy but compassionate dark ambient flavors. Some chamber improv from Goat's NoteS’ Acoustic Fringe, a multitrack guitar serenade by Seattle native Peter Adriaansz and a historical cameo by the A.R.C. trio (Chick Corea, Dave Holland and Barry Altschul) round out the proceedings. Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell, originally broadcast May 25, 2025.
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Flotation Device 2025-05-25: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
SET 1: New York, Seoul and Seattle [0:00]
1. [1:15] Matt Mitchell, Kate Gentile: igh | dogmacile. From Snark Horse (Pi, 2021) with Matt Mitchell (piano, synthesizers, electronics), Kate Gentile (drums, percussion), Kim Cass (acoustic and electroacoustic bass), Ben Gerstein (trombone), Jon Irabagon (saxophones, alto clarinet), Ava Mendoza (guitar)
2. [12:07] Steph Richards: Sacred Sea - Anza. From Zephyr (Relative Pitch, 2021) with Steph Richards (trumpet, flugelhorn, resonating water vessels), Joshua White (prepared piano, percussion)
3. [15:49] dal:um: Trace. From similar & different (Glitterbeat, 2021) with Hwang Hyeyoung (geomungo), Ha Suyean (gayageum)
4. [24:41] RN White: Delivered. From Cerebral Split (Obscure & Terrible, 2021) with Rachel N LeBlanc AKA RN White (vocals, guitar pedals, echophon, lfo), Paurl Walsh (recording engineer, ExEx Audio)
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SET 2: Heavens [28:58]
1. [31:25] Ilya P.: Matière. From Le ciel pour abîme (CAVE 43, 2020) with Ludovic Medery AKA Ilya P. (instruments by Peter Blasser)
2. [36:29] Bright Sheng: Zodiac Tales - 1. The God of Rain. From Let Fly (Naxos, 2021) with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Bright Sheng (conductor). NOTE: Composed 2006, revised 2016. First recording
3. [41:40] Bright Sheng: Zodiac Tales - 5. The Tomb of the Soulful Dog. From Let Fly (credits as above)
4. [51:02] Bright Sheng: Zodiac Tales - 6. The Flying Horses. From Let Fly (credits as above)
5. [56:36] Outro with Bright Sheng: My Other Song - 4. Slow funeral march (Peter Serkin)
6. [1:00:07] Peter Adriaansz: Serenade II. From Adjacence (New Focus, 2024) with Daniel Lippel (electric guitars, electric bass), Ryan Streber (recording engineer, Oktaven Audio)
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SET 3: Music for a plague [1:04:48]
1. [1:05:46] London Experimental Ensemble: Bessie Bell and Mary Grey. From Child Ballads (Split Rock, 2019) with Ed Pettersen (vocals, resonator guitar), Carole Finer (Cümbüş, violin, objects), Antonio Acunzo (piano, electric bass, effects), John Eyles (saxophone), Tony Hardie-Bick (piano), Ken Ikeda, Daniel Kordik (synthesizers), Edward Lucas (trombone), Keisuke Matsui (electric guitar), NO Moore (electric guitar), Jordan Muscatello (double bass), Joe Wright (saxophone, electronics)
2. [1:15:47] Acoustic Fringe: Ritual Dances. From Theater (Fancy Music, 2020) with Goat's Notes Acoustic Fringe: Anna Chekasina (violin), Maria Logofet (violin), Sergey Poltavsky (viola), Vladimir Kudryavtsev (double bass), Gregory Sandomirsky (piano, percussion), Maxim Khaikin (recording engineer)
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SET 4: Old and new [1:23:08]
1. [1:25:24] Cedrik Fermont: Passage. From Détails (Syrphe, 2021) with Cedrik Fermont AKA C-drík (synthesizer, zither, gong, computer)
2. [1:29:31] Prach Boondiskulchok: Squonk Diptych. From Organic Creatures (Consouling Sounds, 2020) with Catalina Vicens (portative organ)
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SET 5: In the tradition [1:34:21]
1. [1:36:14] Francisco Mela Trio: Light of Mind. From Music Frees Our Souls, Vol. 1 (577, 2021) with Francisco Mela (drums), Matthew Shipp (piano), William Parker (bass), Jeremy Loucas (recording engineer)
2. [1:56:22] Outro with A.R.C.: Drone
Photo credits: Matt Mitchell and Kate Gentile via the artists, Steph Richards by Chris Weiss, Bright Sheng via the artist, Music Frees Our Souls (Matt Shipp, William Parker, Francisco Mela) by Kenneth Jimenez, Peter Adriaansz by Alex Schröder, Catalina Vicens by Kurt Van der Elst, Dal:Um (Hyeyoung Hwang, Ha Suyean) via Glitterbeat Records, Prach Boondiskulchok via the artist