Christian Marclay / Elliott Sharp ‎– High Noon

A great release from two american sonic outsiders: Christian Marclay, one the first muscican who used turntables as a real mean of composing (a true DJ also as he literally trod on discs!) and Elliott Sharp, the multitalented guitar hero from NYC.
• listen to some excerpts here
• check-out the release details on Discogs
• Intakt Records – Intakt CD 063 - 2000 

Grand Nord - recordings by Deben Bhattacharya

Deben Bhattacharya recorded these pieces some fifty years ago, in 1963 precisely, probably when he was working in Sweden. This LP contains indeed traditionnal music from Finland, Lapland and Sweden. Some of the finnish pieces have been later released on CD (Musique Populaires - Finlande - nord>sud NSCD 1170), like the beautiful Love song from Karelia, played by Tyyne Niikko on Kantele.

• 1963 {Musique Folklorique du Monde - Musidisc – 30 CV 1117} 

Stockhausen Stimmung: Collegium Vocale Köln

This is the first recording of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Stimmung, actually comissioned by the Collegium Vocale Köln in 1968, and recorded in 1969. Stockhausen wrote it in the US after he met (and taught to) minimalist composer La Monte Young… It seems that the drone influence was strong on him on this composition, for it does not sound like other piece I know of Stockhausen.

This rip was made after a mint vinyl disc out of the ORTF archives and I pretty much appreciate the cracking sounds of the disc along with the hummings of the piece. Play it loud! ;)
 
— LP rip — {Deutsche Grammophon avant garde 2561 043} — 

Gongs from Vietnam-Laos

A very widespread instrument in South East Asia, the gong is mainly played on its own in small tribal mountain villages (just like in other parts of Indonesia and the Philippines). But on the contrary to the sophisticated burmese or indonesian orchestras, the pace here is with little ornaments and quite repetitive, only played along with small drums, sometimes with singing. The result is mesmerizing, hypnotizing like some unplugged techno music — listen to an excerpt —
— 2001 {PlayaSound PS65256} — 

Katchinas - Gérard Marais Sextet

A fine piece of french avant-garde jazz indeed, from the early 1990's. Featuring Gérard Marais (guitar), Jean-François Canape (trumpet), Jacques Mahieux (drums), Henri Texier (double bass), Michel Godard (tuba) and Yves Robert (trombone). You will defintively love it if you fancy Albert Mangelsdorff, fine swing and subtle compositions.
1990 / Thelonious {THE 0501} / 

La Soustraction des Fleurs

Jean-François Vrod (whom I already spoke about in this album) was playing at Rosa Bonheur (Chevilly-Larue) near Paris a few days ago, with his trio La Soustraction des Fleurs (violin + zarb). A friendly and homely concert within the exhibition of his private "art brut" collection.

Poire_z : + {erstwhile 022}

Günter Müller, Norbert Möslang and Jason Kahn were playing at Les Instants Chavirés yesterday evening. A good opportunity to share a Poire_Z album featuring: Günter Müller - Otomo Yosihide - Norbert Möslang - Christian Marclay - Voice Crack - Andy Guhl - eRikm • Track 1 recorded May 14th, 2001, on Amplify 2001: Mainsine Festival, New York, USA • Track 2 recorded October 26th, 2000, at Le Confort Moderne, Poitiers, France • Track 3 recorded May 15th, 2001, on Amplify 2001:Mainsine Festival, New York, USA.

Poire_z {+} {erstwhile 022} — 2002 — check the Discog file about this release / 

Jamiila - Songs from a Somali city

Songs from Baraawe — These recordings were conducted in the Eighties in the streets of Baraawe (or Brava, a few kilometres from Mogadiscio); they are little gems of popular african music. As in major areas of the horn, Arab and Asian influences are very strong, the guitar is played like the ’ud and the vibes of Bollywood trill through a small flute. Most surprising is however the free use of a small electric Casio-type organ and of its cheap drum machine, which gives quite a "video games" feeling to this rudimentary and totally unheard Taarab.

— Original Music {OMA 107} / 1987 — 

Saw Le Aung

Picked-up on a market in the north of Burma where it was unreservedly played on a loudspeaker, this tape is the recording of a young boy known as Saw Le Aung (from what I got as tranlsation), singing solo on an electric mandoline. His tunes are pretty cheerful with subtle variations of tones and attacks. The recording will enrapture lovers of repetitive musics and children voices, and those also keen on modern versions of traditional mountain tribes music from the area, such as the lao-thaï Mo Lam.
Listen to some excerpts here. 

RIP Gérard

Gérard Rinaldi left us a few days ago… One of the finest french pop singer of the 20th century, leader of the infamous "Charlots" actually inspired Jimy Hendrix himself in the 60's with his title "Hey Max" ;) !

— Les Charlots — {Vogue EPL 8577} 