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} 

Palladam S. Venkataramana Rao

Here is a new member in the modern instrument player family of carnatic music, Palladam S. Venkataramana Rao’s electronic organ. The man strives in a flawless and successful way to substitute a Yamaha DX100 to the traditional harmonium. A kind of W. Carlos’ alter ego in classical indian music!

Elara Sri Krishna - Tape rip {Sangeetha} / 

L'homme à la caméra - Pierre Henry

This piece of Musique Concrète by Pierre Henry was composed in 1993 for a unique screening of Dziga Vertov’s 1929 futurist film (Человек с киноаппаратом / The Man With A Camera). Mainly composed with the use of sitar and piano wire loops, buzzing like swarms of bees, the whole work can be considered quite minimalist in the repertoire of the french composer (see Gymnastique for instance).

— 1994, Mantra + Studio Son/Ré (Bernadette Mangin) - screening at Théâtre de la Ville in Paris 12 nov. 1993 > 

Trio Erik Marchand - An Tri Breur {Silex}

Erik Marchand (who took part in the previous Silex CDs I published earlier) was at the beginning of his musical experiments when he released this smart album with Thierry Robin (’ud) and Hameed Khan (tabla) in 1997. Before he ventured with romanian taraf or rock musician Rodolphe Burger, here is a minimalist and successful attempt to gather Brittany traditional songs with eastern instruments. Needless to say it has with nothing to do with the cheesy new-age lounge music that was hype at that time!


Trio Erik Marchand with Yann-Fañch Kemener, Youenn Le Bihan, Fañch Landreau - "An Tri Breur (three brothers)" Chants du Centre-Bretagne {Silex Y225008} - 1997 > 