Flotation Device bids farewell to Ralph Towner with a retrospective of his career as composer, classical guitarist and cofounder of the band Oregon, whose virtuosity and unusual instrumentation (including oboe and Indian tabla instead of sax and trap drums) set them apart from other 70s-vintage modal jazz groups. We also celebrate the 90th birthday of Daniel Goode and the 50th anniversary of Iannis Xenakis’s Gigantomachian ensemble piece Phlegra, while continuing our exploration of Frederic Rzewski’s The Road and introducing ourselves to the polystylistic music of Nicholas Richter de Vroe (with help from violinist Ilya Gringolts). We sample new albums by Chaya Czernowin, Eva Novoa, Gavin Higgins and Rosa Ensemble, while Horse Lords goes microtonal and Unexplained Sounds releases their latest collection of global avant-electronica. The Crossing's new anthology of Song of Songs-inspired vocal works by David Lang rounds out the program.
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Flotation Device 2026-01-25: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell (PART ONE)
Intro and SET 1: Memories of Gigantomachy [0:00]
1. [1:54] Rosa Ensemble: Hoempa. From Oddments (Cuneiform, 2025) with Rosa Ensemble: John Dikeman (saxophones), Koen Kaptijn (trombone), Jeroen Kimman (electric guitar, 19tet baritone guitar), Peter Jessen (double bass), Mei-Yi Lee (percussion), Jasper Schonewile (recording engineer). NOTE: Composition by Floris van Bergeijk
2. [3:55] Rosa Ensemble: Miniatuur. From Oddments (credits as above). NOTE: Composition by Jeroen Kimman
3. [5:43] Daniel Goode: Piano Sonata #2 (Memories of Pre-Minimalism, 1959 and Now). From AnnCela Express (New World, 2021) with Joseph Kubera (piano), Ryan Streber (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2015
4. [14:00] Iannis Xenakis: Phlegra. From Xenakis (Erato, 2000) with Ensemble Intercontemporain: Emmanuelle Ophèle (flute), László Hadady (oboe), Alain Damiens, Guy Arnaud (clarinets), Pascal Gallois (bassoon), Jacques Deleplancque (horn), Antoine Curé (trumpet), Jérôme Naulais, Benny Sluchin (trombones), Jeanne-Marie Conquer (violin), Jean Sulem (viola), Pierre Strauch (cello), Frédéric Stochl, Alex Bouchaud (double basses), Michel Tabachnik (conductor), Jacques Doll (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1975, premiered January 28, 1976 by London Sinfonietta and Michel Tabachnik at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
SET 2: Ralph Towner (1940–2026) [27:22]
1. [31:41] Wayne Shorter: The Moors. From I Sing the Body Electric (Columbia, 1972) with Ralph Towner (12-string guitar), Weather Report: Josef Zawinul (electric and acoustic piano, ARP 2600 synthesizer), Wayne Shorter (saxophones), Miroslav Vitous (bass), Eric Gravatt (drums), Dom Um Romão (percussion)
2. [36:22] Ralph Towner: Visitation. From Solstice (ECM, 1975) with Jan Garbarek (tenor and soprano saxophone, flute), Ralph Towner (guitar, piano), Eberhard Weber (bass, cello), Jon Christensen (drums, percussion), Jan Erik Kongshaug (recording engineer)
3. [38:52] Ralph Towner: Five Glimpses (excerpts). From Time Line (ECM, 2006) with Ralph Towner (guitar), Markus Heiland (recording engineer)
4. [40:50] Oregon: Lantern. From Lantern (CAM Jazz, 2017) with Oregon: Paul McCandless (oboe, English horn, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, flute), Ralph Towner (classical guitar, piano, synthesizer), Paolino Dalla Porta (double bass), Mark Walker (drums, hand percussion, drum synthesizer), Johannes Wohlleben (recording engineer)
5. [48:48] Oregon: Roots in the Sky. From Roots in the Sky (Elektra, 1979) with Ralph Towner (trumpet), Paul McCandless (bass clarinet), Glen Moore (double bass), Collin Walcott (percussion, sitar, tabla). NOTE: Composition by Glen Moore
6. [53:11] Outro with Oregon: Waterwheel (from Out of the Woods)
7. [58:55] David Lang: The sense of senses. From The sense of senses (Cantaloupe, 2025) with The Crossing, Donald Nally (conductor). NOTE: Composed 2021, premiere recording
Flotation Device 2026-01-25: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell (PART TWO)
SET 3: Back on the road [1:06:55]
1. [1:08:13] Farabi Toshiyuki Suzuki: On The Plateau. From 11th Annual Report (Unexplained Sounds, 2025) with Farabi Toshiyuki Suzuki (shamisen, electronics)
2. [1:10:38] Frederic Rzewski: The Road - Part 5: A Few Knocks, Mile 33, Where are You Running?. From The Road (Passacaille, 2025) with Daan Vandewalle (piano), Yannick Willox (recording engineer, Acoustic Recording Service). NOTE: Composed 1995–2003. First complete recording
3. [1:16:19] Gavin Higgins: Fanfare, Air and Flourishes - 1. Fanfare. From Horn Concerto et al (Lyritz, 2025) with Ben Goldscheider (horn), Andrew Smillie (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2021, premiere recording
4. [1:19:04] Nicolaus Richter de Vroe: Violin Concerto (excerpts). From Musica Viva #48: Nicolaus Richter de Vroe (BR-Klassik, 2025) with Ilya Gringolts (violin), Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Johannes Kalitzke (conductor), Christiane Voitz (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2018–22, premiere recording
SET 4: Extended crowns [1:30:29]
1. [1:34:16] Eva Novoa: Turn On The Lights. From Novoa/Gress/Gray Trio, Vol. 2 (577, 2025) with Eva Novoa (piano, Chinese gongs, whistling), Drew Gress (bass, modular synthesizer), Devin Gray (drums), Jeremy Loucas (recording engineer, Oktaven Audio)
2. [1:40:24] Chaya Czernowin: Atara (excerpts). From Seltene Erde & Atara (Kairos, 2025) with Sofia Jernberg (soprano), Holger Falk (baritone), ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Christian Karlsen (conductor), Andreas Karlberger (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2020–21, premiere recording
3. [1:44:19] Horse Lords, Arnold Dreyblatt: Extended Field. From FRKWYS Vol. 18: Extended Field (RVNG, 2025) with Arnold Dreyblatt (double bass, microtonalisms), Andrea Belfi (drums), Horse Lords: Andrew Bernstein (saxophone, percussion, electronics), Max Eilbacher (bass, electronics), Owen Gardner (guitar, electronics), Adam Asnan (recording engineer)
4. Outro with Anthony Braxton: Composition No. 51 [1:56:11]
Photo credits: Nicolaus Richter de Vroe by Astrid Ackermann, Frederic Rzewski by Roberto Cifarelli, Ralph Towner in 1975, Eva Novoa via the artist, David Lang by Dacia Clay, Oregon in 2010 (Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Mark Walker, Glen Moore) by Efrem Lukatsky, Gavin Higgins via the artist, Chaya Czernowin by Ittai Bar-Joseph, Horse Lords expanded (Owen Gardner, Arnold Dreyblatt, Andrea Belfi, Andrew Bernstein, Max Eilbacher) by Camille Blake, Iannis Xenakis in Xenakis Revolution, Farabi Toshiyuki Suzuki via the artist, Daniel Goode via the artist.
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