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Flotation Device presents the rest of the best of 2025, led by premiere recordings of music by Sofia Gubaidulina, Valentin Silvestrov, Arvo Pärt (channeling the Eiffel Tower's tri-level architecture), Timo Andres (channeling the chaconne form) and Keith Jarrett (channeling the Second Viennese School). Plus Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri’s expand their Bartók project with an added saxophone, while Ingrid Laubrock and John Zorn appear *without* their saxes. We revisit Meredith Monk and Gabriel Prokofiev's new albums one more time, along with the Courvoisier/Halvorson duo, Norman Teale's remix of Cosa Brava and Gregg Belisle-Chi's traversal of Tim Berne tunes. Dai Fujikura writes for Beckmesser harp, and a 50th anniversary salute to Ornette Coleman’s Dancing in Your Head album (which inaugurated his Prime Time band) plus a 100th birthday celebration of electronic music pioneer Daphne Oram round out the proceedings. Creative and improvised music with host Michael Schell.
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Flotation Device 2025-12-28: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell (PART ONE)
Intro and SET 1: Daphne Oram at 100 [0:00]
1. [1:35] Gabriel Prokofiev: Craven Spirals. From Dark Lights (Nonclassical, 2025) with Gabriel Prokofiev (electronics, synthesizers), Viviana-Zarah Baudis (piano), FAMES European Youth Orchestra, Etienne Abelin (conductor), Dragisa Stojanov (recording engineer, FAMES Studio)
2. [8:55] Meredith Monk: Cell Trio III. From Cellular Songs (ECM, 2025) Meredith Monk, Katie Geissinger, Allison Sniffin (voices), Kevin Killen, Eli Walker (recording engineers)
3. [11:40] Daphne Oram: Still Point - Movement I. From Turning World (NMC, 2022) with Shiva Feshareki (turntables, electronics), James Bulley (live orchestra mix, electronics), London Contemporary Orchestra, Robert Ames (conductor), Gilly Chauhan (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1948–49, realized by Shiva Feshareki and James Bulley
4. [21:21] Keith Jarrett: New Vienna, Part VI. From New Vienna (ECM, 2025) with Keith Jarrett (piano), Martin Pearson (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live July 9, 2016 at Goldener Saal, Musikverein, Vienna
SET 2: Dancing in Your Head at 50 [29:39]
1. [36:14] Ornette Coleman: Theme from a Symphony (Variation Two). From Dancing in Your Head (Horizon, 1977) with Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone), Bern Nix, Charlie Ellerbee (guitars), Jamaaladeen Tacuma (electric bass), Ronald Shannon Jackson (drums), Francis Maimay (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded December 28, 1975 at Barclay Studios, Paris
2. [47:24] John Zorn: Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics That Will Be Able to Present Itself as a Science (excerpts). From Prolegomena (Tzadik, 2025) with Yura Lee (viola), Michael Nicolas (cello), JACK Quartet: Austin Wulliman, Christopher Otto (violins), John Richards (viola), Jay Campbell (cello), Ryan Streber (recording engineer, Oktaven Audio). NOTE: Composed 2020, premiere recording
3. [51:04] Lucian Ban, John Surman, Mat Maneri: Violin Song II. From Cantica Profana: The Béla Bartók Field Recordings (Sunnyside, 2025) with John Surman (soprano saxophone), Mat Maneri (viola), Lucian Ban (piano), Boris Thome (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live April 21, 2023 at Stanser Musiktage, Stans, Switzerland
4. [58:49] Outro with Ornette Coleman, Master Musicians of Joujouka: Midnight Sunrise
5. [1:02:11] Mary Halvorson: Folded Secret. From Bone Bells (Pyroclastic, 2025) with Mary Halvorson (guitar), Sylvie Courvoisier (prepared piano), Ryan Streber (recording engineer, Oktaven Audio)
Flotation Device 2025-12-28: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell (PART TWO)
SET 3: More of the best of 2025 [1:07:19]
1. [1:08:40] Ingrid Laubrock: Koan 3. From Purposing the Air (Pyroclastic, 2025) with Sara Serpa (voice), Matt Mitchell (piano), Charles Mueller (recording engineer)
2. [1:11:27] Ingrid Laubrock: Koan 49. From Purposing the Air (credits as above)
3. [1:13:31] Cosa Brava: Veniena. From Z Sides (Klanggalerie, 2024) with Fred Frith (guitar, bass guitar, voice), Carla Kihlstedt (violin, voice), Zeena Parkins (keyboards, voice), Shahzad Ismaily (bass guitar), Matthias Bossi (drums, voice), Norman Teale AKA The Norman Conquest (creative live sound)
4. [1:17:58] Gregg Belisle-Chi: Carl(s) Jr.. From Slow Crawl: Performing the Music of Tim Berne (Intakt, 2025) with Gregg Belisle-Chi (acoustic guitar), Ken Rich (recording engineer, Grand Street Recording)
5. [1:21:57] Sofia Gubaidulina: Zeitgestalten (excerpt). From Figures of Time (Naxos, 2025) with Basel Sinfonietta, Titus Engel (conductor), Thomas Wegner (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1994, premiered November 29, 1994 by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK. First complete recording
6. [1:29:21] Dai Fujikura: Drunken Master (excerpt). From Luminous (Minabel/New Focus, 2025) with Eri Matsumura (beckmesser harp), Yasutaka Hemmi (recording engineer)
SET 4: Still more of the best of 2025 [1:33:49]
1. [1:38:10] Timo Andres: Colorful History. From The Blind Banister (Nonesuch, 2024) with Timo Andres (piano)
2. [1:47:34] Arvo Pärt: Silhouette. From Credo (Alpha, 2025) with Estonian Festival Orchestra, Paavo Järvi (conductor), Andres Olema (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2009, first recording
3. [1:56:05] Outro with Valentin Silvestrov: Symphony No. 8
Photo credits: Sofia Gubaidulina via Sikorski, Timo Andres by Jason Marck, Koan 3 by Ingrid Laubrock, John Zorn in MindFlux 2010, Keith Jarrett by Rose Anne Colavito, Beckmesser harp by Horngacher, Daphne Oram via Electronic Sound, Gabriel Prokofiev by Nathan Gallagher, Meredith Monk by Julieta Cervantes, Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson by Caroline Mardok, Ornette Coleman by Michael Hoefner, Cosa Brava (Zeena Parkins, Norman Teale, Fred Frith, Carla Kihlstedt, Matthias Bossi) by Heike Liss, Eiffel Tower by Leslie Fehling, Cantica Profana (John Surman, Lucian Ban, Mat Maneri) by Mircea Albutiu.
Flotation Device features creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell, Sunday nights 10pm–Midnight Pacific Time on 91.3 KBCS-FM Bellevue/Seattle/Tacoma. Visit us online at https://www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDevice