noise, electroacoustic, "avant-garde," free jazz

i've slowly been learning and exploring these worlds of sound for a long time. only recently did i start to seriously delve into these things.

i really would like to make this a long lasting thread, one that is constantly alive and expanding the knowledge of all who participate.

to get a feeling for the worlds I speak of, this is a really fantastic 6 part documentary:

one artist that has recently made me regain my interest in this was Otomo Yoshihide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMxQ41WjNfQ

i will not turn away from this for a long time!

another artist i've become very fond of is Merzbow.

1930 and Pulse Demon were two albums that got me into his music. over time I've found he has a diverse range of sounds that he creates.

the music contained on these takes me to a unique state of mind, but i often find that it's far too horrifying and demonic to listen to.

for instance, when i listen to either i begin to hallucinate and find it hard to ignore the "spirits" that surround me as I play the music.

Pulse Demon and 1930 are also my two favorite releases by Merzbow.

If we're including Power Electronics, I would recommend looking into Whitehouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gPEgLfyk-s&fmt=18

As for Electroacoustic stuff, I'm really digging Philip Jeck and William Basinski.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve4CX2rnrdo&feature=related&fmt=18

Haven't gotten much into Free Jazz unfortunately, I have John Coltrane's 'Ascension' as well as Ornette Coleman's 'Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation', both of which are pretty good, I just haven't dug deeper into the genre beyond that.

free jazz is a very expansive genre. i've found over time that my admiration of "ascension" has slowly deteriorated. maybe it will come back in full force at some point.

right now i feel like it doesn't achieve what it reaches for. it's still a great record but i've found others that i prefer.

for instance, Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures. I recently found that one and it's great. It's highly structured but still quite out there. probably a good album for getting further into free jazz.

then there are the extremely loud free jazzes - i really like those.

for instance:

Peter Brotzmann - Machine Gun

pure nihilism to my ears. i love it

Alexander Schlippenbach - all his releases are mindfucking.

that whitehouse track is good. i think i've heard something similar - maybe it was them - on a noise compilation. i need to hear more. furious music.

reminds me a bit of masonna, who i haven't given much time/thought yet.

another major recent favorite is the group AMM featuring Keith Rowe.

I was about to say Unit Structures and Machine Gun... both incredible.

If you dig those at all Brotzmann and Cecil Taylor both have great discographies.

Albert Ayler is really great... check out Live in Greenwich Village.

Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch is a classic but much more subdued.

Ornette is a challenge to listen to because he makes such a conscious effort to keep the musicians from merging their sound together/getting into a jam, so his "Free Jazz" is very disjoint and schizophrenic.

Kill the King and A Thirsty Fish by The Hafler Trio are essentials

i've heard a thirsty fish. i really like it although it first it was irritating. i look forward to exploring more halfer trio in the future.

if you like noise check out - Pain Jerk, AMK, the Haters, Big City Orchestra, CCCC, John Wiesse

if you like free jazz check - Blowhole (more like jazz noise) & Art Ensemble of Chicago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGNKgah948s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8klW9trVTQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfoIS2fdIvA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDkXBI05Fh8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q78XFkQOqds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf_hC_ew_Eg&feature=related

The only noise record i've ever really needed

The New Blockaders - Gesamtnichtswerk

it's weird that a lot of people trying to get into free jazz start with things like ornette coleman - free jazz and john coltrane - ascension. those aren't the easiest albums in the genre to get into. people would be better off starting with early ornette or cecil taylor albums, or maybe free jazz-leaning hard bop like eric dolphy - out to lunch.

the printer music and multiplying caterpillar is legit. masonna is really funny.

this thread is also for all forms of classical, concrete, and jazz

anyway, i've been getting more and more into john cage.

currently i've been listening to Roaratorio... seek it out

and of course the Prepared Piano Sonatas/Interludes which are easily among my top 5 piano works

  On 10/12/2010 at 6:32 AM, happycase said:

the printer music and multiplying caterpillar is legit. masonna is really funny.

yeah that printer music really touched me. everything about the woman and her creations, i felt that sense of despair and loneliness / longing.

masonna is hilarious. i haven't been furiously nihilistic and despairing for a few weeks though so i haven't had any reason to listen to his music...

Well maybe I'll give my teacher a bit of a plug. First heard this piece a few years back in the albert hall, was amazing in such a vast space. Doubt he'd be best pleased about me putting this online so check it out before I have to take it down!

http://soundcloud.com/patrick-brennan/bofhsample