09 April 2019: Babylon / Kindly Spoken Thieves

Babylon was a progressive rock band from Florida that emerged from the band Helicopter.^[2] Babylon was formed in 1976 by Rick Leonard, Rodney Best, Doroccas, J. David Boyko, and Gary Chambers.^[3]
They have been compared to Marillion, Gentle Giant, Rush, and Nursery Cryme period Genesis. The members state their main influences as Gentle Giant, Van der Graaf Generator, Happy the Man, Genesis, and others.^[4][5]. 
Very Genesis influenced Floridian band who put out a coveted album in the late seventies. This is album is extremely in the Genesis style (like Marillion) yet avoids the commerciality that this band eventually dived headfirst into.) Syn-Phonic also released two bootleg quality live albums from their heyday which show them in a rather muddy light.
Imagine an incredible dynamo of progressive energy in the mold of Nursery Cryme period Genesis, but with some slight punky undertones thrown in as well. Add to this the affected vocals of singer Doroccas, and you have a sound that, while not unlike a high energy version of early Marillion, pre-dated that band by five years. They only released one self-titled studio album around 1978, featuring four long cuts. Hopefully someday that fine album will be reissued on compact disc. A few years ago, two limited issue LPs of their live show were released, (Night Over Never and Better Conditions For The Dead) which included all of the songs from the original album, plus several other tracks not included on the studio LP. While the quality of the recording is no better than an average bootleg, the performance on both of these live albums is incredible.
Babylon, in some ways, is better than Nursery Cryme-era Genesis, although certainly not nearly as innovative, given that their album was recorded in '77. Detectable influences include peak-period Genesis, Gentle Giant, a bit of Zeppelin, even. The vocalist has a very high voice, Plant-like in tone, but phrased more like early Gabriel (if you can imagine that). There's some vague resemblance to Rush, but much more progressive and less metallic. I wish they'd been better recorded; the home-grown qualities of the studio album detract from its appeal, though it's certainly better than the "bootleg quality" ascribed to those live albums. If some really exceptional remastering (or remixing!) is done for the CD reissue, this could be a major winner!
 

Discography

• Babylon (1978, reissued 1995 and 1999)
• Night Over Never: Live at the Empty Keg 1 (1989)
• Better Conditions for the Dead: Live at the Empty Keg 2 (1989/2002)

The electronic and ambient collaboration of Steve Setzepfandt and Josh Wittman out of the Minneapolis, MN area.
Recorded from beginning of 2016 to the end of 2018. It is the first album released by the duo under the moniker, Kindly Spoken Thieves.
 

released March 30, 2019

All tracks recorded, mixed, and performed by Steve Setzepfandt and Josh Wittman

Cover Art By: Artem Gordienko
Titled: "Anthropomorphism"
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gordienko.artem/

ambient downtempo electronic guitars piano synth Minneapolis

1.	Black Lines 04:45
	2.	Copter 05:58
	3.	The Graze 07:48
	4.	Straights of Fear 03:42
	5.	Cable Two 05:58
	6.	In Queens 06:37
	7.	Grey Cradle 04:52
	8.	Vyrmillion 03:12
	9.	Amphibious 05:55
	10.	Moonraker 05:52

 

02 April 2019: In Memory of JB

Tonight's show will be two hours of jazz dedicated to the memory of JB Heineman,

 a talented musician, teacher, surveyor, and host of Sunday Night Jazz who recently passed away.
His influence on the music scene in Kodiak cannot be overestimated.

26 March 2019: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard / Kansas / Asaf Sirkis

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard is an Australian rock band formed in 2010 in Melbourne, Victoria.^[1][2] The band consists of Stu Mackenzie (vocals, guitar, keyboards, flute), Ambrose Kenny-Smith (vocals, harmonica, keyboards), Cook Craig (guitar, vocals), Joey Walker (guitar, vocals), Lucas Harwood (bass), Michael Cavanagh (drums, percussion), and Eric Moore (drums, percussion, management). They are known for their energetic live shows and prolific recording output, having released 13 studio albums since their formation.
King Gizzard'sfull-length album, Sketches of Brunswick East, a collaboration with Alex Brettin's psychedelic jazz project Mild High Club, was released on 18 August 2017.^[47] Taking inspiration from Miles Davis' 1960 album Sketches Of Spain, as well as the band's base recording location of Brunswick East in Melbourne, it is a jazz-improvisational album. Mackenzie described the record as "perhaps representing greater changes that are happening in the wider world, and (this is) our attempt to find beauty within a place that we spend so much time", referring to the constant changes in their neighbourhood.

"Listening to Asaf Sirkis" at work, two things are immediately obvious: passion and commitment. Blessed with technical skills that are disarmingly under-played, his middle-Eastern sensibility balances the potentially volcanic with the meditative and reflective. A master of creative surprise, it’s on the edge of your seat listening when Asaf’s in town." - Dr. Bill Bruford

MoonJune Music Recommends Series:
ASAF SIRKIS " Full Moon"
22 TUNES OF PROGRESSIVE JAZZ & BEYOND
featuring One Of Today's Most Versatile And talented Drummers

Tracks selected by Leonardo Pavkovic.

Featuring Aris Daryono, Ben Waghorn, Bernard Gregor-Smith, Carl Orr, Carles Benavent, Chris Garric, Demi Garcia, Dusan Jevtovic,  Dwiki Dharmawan, Eyal Maoz, Frank Harrison, Fred T. Baker, Gabi Fortuna, Gabi Mayer, Geoff Eales, Gilad Atzmon, Guillermo Rozenthuler, James Pearson, John Turville, Kevin Glasgow, Kobi Arad, Lizzie Ball (6), Mark Wingfield, Markus Reuter, Mike Outram, Nguyên Lê, Pat Bettison, Reem Kelani, Robert Wyatt, Saat Syah, Steve Lodder, Sylwia Bialas, Tassos Spiliotopoulos, Tom Mason, Vasil Hadzimanov, Yaron Stavi. 
Asaf Sirkis by John Kelman

After establishing himself as an in-demand drummer and percussionist in his home country of Israel, Asaf Sirkis' career began an greater upward trajectory upon moving to London, England in 1999. In addition to garnering significant critical praise for his own groups - most notably his Messiaen-informed Inner Noise, with guitarist Mike Outram and organist Steve Lodder, and his Asaf Sirkis Trio, with guitarist Tassos Spiliotopoulos and bassist Yaron Stavi - Sirkis has also made important contributions to the music of other emergent artists based in the UK. Bringing a unique pan-cultural vision to reed and woodwind multi-instrumentalist Tim Garland's Lighthouse Trio, fellow Israeli expat, reed multi-instrumentalist Gilad Atzmon's Orient house Ensemble and Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier's Group, Sirkis has also recorded with artists including reed multi-instrumentalist Klaus Gesing (Norma Winstone, Anouar Brahem), pianist Glauco Venier (Norma Winstone), guitarists Phil Robson (Partisans), pianist Gwilym Simcock (Tim Garland, The Impossible Gentlemen) and double bassist Yuri Golubev (Gwilym Simcock, Alex Hutton).

More recently, Sirkis has been working in a collaborative quartet with singer Sylvia Bialas, which also features keyboardist Frank Harrison and bassist Patrick Bettison, but perhaps most significant is his recent affiliation with New York's MoonJune Records. Sirkis made his first MoonJune appearance alongside fellow Israeli expat, bassist Yaron Stavi, on guitarist Mark Wingfield's critically acclaimed Proof of Light, but the fall of 2016 will see the percussionist's involvement with the label accelerate significantly.

Sirkis made his second MoonJune showing in September 2016 on Dwiki Dharmawan's Pasar Klewar, an ambitious double-disc set that also includes other names either already familiar or destined to become so to MoonJune fans in the coming year; in addition to Wingfield, guitarist Nicolas Meier, Yaron Stavi, Italian vocalist Boris Savoldelli and Gilad Atzmon all join Sirkis in making the Indonesian pianist/keyboardist's sophomore effort for MoonJune a truly earth-shattering, trans-cultural affair that blends unrepentant jazz improvisation with music indigenous to Dharmawan's home country.

Coming in the early 2017, the result of an intensive six days' recording in Barcelona, Spain this past winter will see no fewer than four MoonJune releases involving Sirkis: first, the percussionist joins Stavi, Wingfield and progressive trio Stick Men's touch guitarist Markus Reuter for The Stone House; following that, a collaborative trio recording with Wingfield, Reuter and Sirkis; a new Wingfield recording with Stavi and Sirkis; and, finally, a new recording from Serbian guitarist Dusan Jevtovic - whose MoonJune debut, 2014's Am I Walking Wrong?, was well-received by critics and fans alike - that will include Sirkis, in addition to fellow Serb, pianist Vasil Hadzimanov.

It's a busy year ahead for the London-based percussionist, and that's only counting recordings that have already been made. With Sirkis' remarkable ability to fit into any musical context and sound like he's been at it for his entire life, things can only look even further up for this tremendously talented, empathically intuitive and, above all, supremely musical percussionist. 


bill bruford ecm jazz jazz fusion moonjune records fusion London
 

19 March 2019: Dick Dale / KLM / Leaving Richmond

We begin tonight's show by honoring Dick Dale who just recently passed away.
From Wikipedia:

1960s

Dale began playing in local country bars where he met Texas Tiny,^[16] who gave him the name "Dick Dale" because he thought it was a good name for a country singer.^[17]
Dale is credited^{[by whom?]} as one of the first electric guitarists to employ non-Western scales in his playing. He regularly used reverb, which became a trademark of surf guitar. Being left-handed, Dale tried to play a right-handed guitar, but then changed to a left handed model.^[9] However, he did so without restringing the guitar, leading him to effectively play the guitar upside-down, often playing by reaching over the fretboard, rather than wrapping his fingers up from underneath. He partnered with Leo Fender to test new equipment, later saying "When it can withstand the barrage of punishment from Dick Dale, then it is fit for the human consumption." His combination of loud amplifiers and heavy gauge strings led him to be called the "Father of Heavy Metal".^[8] After blowing up several Fender amplifiers, Leo Fender and Freddie Tavares saw Dale play at the Rendezvous Ballroom, Balboa, California and identified the problem with creating a sound louder than the audience screaming. The pair visited the James B. Lansing loudspeaker company and ask for a custom 15-inch loudspeaker, which became the JBL D130F model, and was known as the Single Showman Amp. Dale's combination of a Fender Stratocaster and Fender Showman Amp allowed him to attain significantly louder volume levels unobtainable by then-conventional equipment.^[18]
Dale's performances at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa in mid to late 1961 are credited with the creation of the surf music phenomenon. Dale asked for and gained permission to use the 3,000 person capacity ballroom for surfer dances after overcrowding at a local ice cream parlor where he performed made him seek other venues.^[19] The Rendezvous ownership and the city of Newport Beach agreed to Dale's request on the condition that he prohibit alcohol sales and implement a dress code. Dale's events at the ballrooms, called "stomps," quickly became legendary, and the events routinely sold out.^[19]
"Let's Go Trippin'" is one of the first surf rock songs.^[20] This was followed by more locally released songs, including "Jungle Fever" and "Surf Beat" on his own Deltone label. His first full-length album was Surfers' Choice in 1962. The album was picked up by Capitol Records and distributed nationally, and Dale soon began appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and in films where he played his signature single "Misirlou". He later stated, "I still remember the first night we played it ("Misirlou"). I changed the tempo, and just started cranking on that mother. And ... it was eerie. The people came rising up off the floor, and they were chanting and stomping. I guess that was the beginning of the surfer's stomp."^[21] His second album was named after his performing nickname, "King of the Surf Guitar".^[22] Dale later said "There was a tremendous amount of power I felt while surfing and that feeling of power was simply transferred into my guitar". His playing style reflected the experience he had when surfing, and projecting the power of the ocean to people.^[23]
Dale and the Del-Tones performed both sides of his Capitol single, "Secret Surfin' Spot" in the 1963 movie, Beach Party, starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.^[24] The group performed the songs "My First Love," "Runnin' Wild" and "Muscle Beach" in the 1964 film, Muscle Beach Party.

The Bucket List is the collective effort of guitar extraordinaire Phil Keaggy, legendary bassist Tony Levin and rhythm master Jerry Marotta featuring 12 original instrumentals that showcase the strengths of these three musicians.
Having recorded over 60 albums since the late 1960’s, Phil Keaggy is one of the most admired guitarists in the Contemporary Christian music world. Phil’s talents have earned him two Grammy nominations as well as being a seven time recipient of the GMA Dove Award for Instrumental Album of the Year.
How many musicians can claim they recorded/toured with King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Yes, and let’s not forget John Lennon? Bassist and Stick player Tony Levin can and that’s barely scratching the surface of his musical biography. When Tony’s not bouncing between King Crimson and Peter Gabriel, he’s usually found on the road with The Stick Men.
For over a decade, Tony along with drummer Jerry Marotta were the rhythm section for the classic Peter Gabriel years. Jerry’s unique percussion style has graced the music of Paul McCartney, Hall & Oats, Elvis Costello, The Indigo Girls and so many others. These days, Jerry never takes a break working with The Security Project, The Marotta Brothers Band, The Fragile Fate and Flav Martin.
The genesis of this super trio can be traced back over ten years ago when Phil, Tony and Jerry first met in Woodstock for an impromptu jam session that lead to a live show and a whole lot of improvisation left in the can. Over the years the material was revisited and reworked then left to age in the barrel a little longer.
Fast forward to 2018, the recordings are given a fresh breath of air plus added tracks to formulate a collection of actual songs. The end result is executive producer Paul Grimsland finally getting to tick off a box of his Bucket List. Like a fine wine, The Bucket List has been aged to perfection and is ready for consumption from an audience thirsting for this musical delight.
Phil Keaggy – Guitars
Tony Levin – Bass/Stick
Jerry Marotta – Drums/Percussion
Executive Producer: Paul Grimsland
Produced by: KLM
Recorded at: Jersville Studio, Woodstock, NY
Dreamland Recording Studio, Woodstock, NY
Kegworth Studio, Nashville, TN
Engineers: Roman Klun, Pete Caigan, Adam Armstrong, Dylan Shad, Ariel Shafir
Engineer/Editor Extraordinaire: PTK
Mixed by: Michael Cozzi
Mastering: Chris Athens

Art Direction/Cover Design: Christine Baldelli/Lillypod Media
Photography: Edward AJAJ
Strategic Liaison: A.J. Chippero
https://tonylevin.com/road-diaries/klm-2019-shows/klm-winter-tour-2019

Subcircuits is the 6th studio album from the Los Angeles based electronic music project: leaving richmond.

A futuristic vibe while very human at the same time, creating a soundscape for your mind to traverse.

Let us soundtrack your day.

credits

released March 16, 2018

Our thanks to Leaving Richmond for providing a promo copy for tonight's show.
electronic ambient atmospheric chill chillout cinematic downtempo ethereal instrumental techno trance Los Angeles

12 March 2019: d'Voxx (DiN58) / Parallel Worlds - Tonal Paintings

The DiN ambient electronica label run by the well known UK synth artist Ian Boddy has reached the milestone of 20 years of releasing music in this year of 2019. During this time Boddy has curated DiN to bring a series of critically acclaimed albums by both well known and up and coming artists through almost 60 CD releases. It’s always particularly satisfying to give new artists a platform for their music and so it is with “Télégraphe” (DiN58) the debut album by d’Voxx.

This duo of Nino Auricchio and Paul Borg explore the post-digital landscape working within the constraints of analogue systems and the evolving phenomena of New Modular synthesis. The project has developed over the past three years through a series of acclaimed live performances at festivals and expos across Europe, which included the world premiere of a live new modular performance in 3D-Audio at the London College of Music in 2016.

Both Paul and Nino have enviable music careers in the worlds of music production, engineering, remixing and musical education that gives them a wealth of experience that they bring to bear both on stage and in the studio. “Télégraphe” unfolds over 9 tracks to create a sonic travelogue where each track segues into the next via field recordings at various subway stations throughout the world. The music both looks at the past with it’s tightly choreographed, Berlin School inspired sequence lines but wraps this in a gorgeous blanket of modern ambience. Some beautiful vintage Fender Rhodes adds to the textures via glitched up modular effects. What is most impressive though is the sheer musicality of the sequencing which is showcased in the glorious opening track “Opera”.

Even after 20 years the DiN label shows no signs of resting on it’s laurels and in promoting new acts such as d’Voxx is helping to expand the worlds of ambient electronica. 

credits

releases March 15, 2019

Composed and produced by Gaetano Auricchio and Paul Borg.
Station announcements by Jutta Bushell.
Mastered by John Webber at AIR Studios, London.
Special Thanks to Ian Boddy, Robin Rimbaud, Ben Wilson, Phelan Kane, Andreas Schneider, Ross Lamond, Jason Lim (Instruō), Larry Whelan & Luke Oxlade. 

ambient em electronic electronic music electronica chill out downtempo modular synth Sunderland

Parallel Worlds’ music is a combination of dreamy/atmospheric textures with pure analogue electronic rhythms and sequences, combining the feel of 70s electronic music with modern electronica and ambient music.

Delving deep into a ghostly landscape, Parallel Worlds make his personal journey through ambient-soundtracks music created by a selected range of synths. This personal and introspective album is composed by eight tracks which come from far away and unraveling between horror atmospheres, dark desolate landscapes and sci-fi visions. After a series of incredible albums for labels such as Shima Records and DiN, Parallel Worlds lands on Lost In It Records with an intense and visceral work ready to leave its mark in your soul.

Biography:
Parallel Worlds’ music is a combination of dreamy/atmospheric textures with pure analogue electronic rhythms and sequences, combining the feel of 70s electronic music with modern electronica and ambient music. For Parallel Worlds, melody is essential, but most important is emotional context.

Parallel Worlds are the main project of Bakis Sirros with John Sirros (and some occasional collaborators). They were originally born in 1994, but only after 1998 they started to be a part of the active greek electronic music scene.

Parallel Worlds have collaborated, so far, with established Italian ambient composer Alio Die, with the very well-known UK electronic music master Ian Boddy, and with the music professor Dave Bessell (member of the NODE synth supergroup).

Bakis Sirros also participates on some collaboration projects, the project “Interconnected” with the german musician Ingo Zobel (of DRON, Signalform, Self Oscillate, Datasette, etc.), the ambient / experimental project “Memory Geist” with the australian electronica musician Steve Law (of Zen Paradox, Starseed Transmission, Guild Of Fire, etc.).

Bakis Sirros has also teached Synthesizer Programming at an (after-high-school) public learning institution and also instructed a Workshop on Analogue Modular Synthesis in Synch Festival 2008. 

credits

released October 22, 2018

Machines used:
Yamaha CS-01, CS-5, CS-15, Roland SH-101, Novation Bassstation rack, Korg Mono/poly, Roland JX-8P, Akai
AX-80, S-950, Korg Wavestation, 03R/W

All tracks written and produced by Bakis Sirros, in Wavemountain studio, Athens, Greece, between 1995 - 1997

Mastered by Andrea Merlini
Cover Design by LaCosta
Photography by Francesco Stella

2018 - Lost In It Records 

ambient berlin school cosmic downtempo electro electronic experimental synth techno Roma

15 January 2019: King Crimson / Ian Boddy "Spirits" (DiNDDL22)

On the evening of Monday January 13th, 1969, King Crimson formally began rehearsals in the basement of the Fulham Palace Road Cafe. After hauling their equipment down the stairs into their cramped rehearsal room Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Michael Giles, Robert Fripp plugged in their instruments, and with Peter Sinfield operating lights and sound, played and worked on material for the next hour and a half.

By July of that year, the band was performing in Hyde Park on the same bill as The Rolling Stones to an audience of up to 500,000 people. By October, the debut album: “In the Court of the Crimson King” was in the Top 5 of the UK album charts, shortly followed by a top 30 position in the US album charts and a No 1 slot – replacing Abbey Road – in the Japanese international chart. By December, following a series of US concerts finishing at San Francisco’s Fillmore West, the band’s first line-up had imploded.

That was just the beginning…

We will play the original album in its entirety plus some live recordings from the Hyde Park show.

NOTE:
In celebration of their 50th anniversary, pioneering English prog-rockers King Crimson is releasing 50 rare or unusual tracks from the band’s archives.

After the success of his first vinyl album, “The Climb”, Boddy moved onto working on his second vinyl release “Spirits”. Dominated by the sound of his recently acquired Yamaha DX7 the album has an all together starker sound than its predecessor. He actually premiered a version of the title track at the first ever UK Electronica held in 1983. The album was recorded at Newcastle Media Workshops between December 1983 & February 1984 and released toward the end of 1984.

The title track which spans an entire side of the vinyl release is a huge, sprawling, Gothic soundscape which features a pounding middle section with the live drums of Ian McCormack. The first side opens with the track “Pulse” which could almost have been released as a single with its dance like rhythms and “catchy” tune. The next track “Living In A Ritual” is a unique track for Boddy in that it features vocals from Blitzkreig front man Brian Ross. Overlaid on a pulsing arpeggiator rhythm & with Vocoder keyboards from Boddy it has rather surprisingly become a bit of a cult classic in some Berlin nightclubs!

As with “The Climb” the vinyl edition of “Spirits” quickly sold out and was also reissued on CD in 1995 on Boddy’s Something Else Records label. A bonus track “Lamalode” was added to this edition which tries to follow on from the Gothic mood of the title track albeit with a more orchestral feel. This edition also sold out and other than a limited run on CDr this classic album has been out of print for many years. Since then Boddy has set up his successful DiN label and whilst he has moved on musically it is important not to forget his past. Thus Boddy intends to reissue each of his early albums on the DiNDDL download sub-label of DiN to give new listeners access to the full CD quality audio with as much of the original artwork as possible.  

credits

released January 8, 2019

Ian Boddy: Synthesisers, Samplers and Electronic rhythms.
Brian Ross: Vocals on "Living In A Ritual".
Ian McCormack: Drums on "Spirits". 

 

You will find "Spirits" and other releases by Ian Boddy on Bandcamp.

08 January 2019: Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980

It seems only fitting after this evening's fear-mongering fictional oration to play this classic album.

01 January 2019: The Emporium Project (Cousin Silas & Friends)

 Tonight on FreeForm Radio, we offer an ambient journey from Cousin Silas & Friends as a contrast to your New Year's Eve revelry.

Coming in at just over two hours long (two hours and nine minutes to be precise) is the first part of the first "The Emporium Project" ... a collection of collaborations that span multiple genres but hold true to their central, uniting force ... Cousin Silas.

On 1.1, Cousin Silas & his Friends bring to the table longform ambient and unique sounds inspired by ska ... atmospheric soundscapes that use field recordings and tracks that feel like they were recorded in an out-of-the-way Blues club ... dark ambient eeriness and more percussive sounds. It is, without doubt, a varied set, one that will appeal to the curious and the adventurous in equal measure.

As mentioned above, this is the first part of the first Emporium Project ... you can expect four more parts in the coming days and weeks ... roughly ten hours in total and plenty to keep you occupied in the dark days of winter (in the Northern Hemisphere).

As with Cousin Silas & Friends releases before, we will use this series to give a little back to our wider community. All monies raised from the sale of this album will be donated to Hospice UK. I am both fortunate and grateful to work for an employer who actively matches all donations made ... so every purchase will be doubled for the benefit of a very worthy cause.

I really do hope you will enjoy this album as much as I have.

- Thomas

**Please Note:** due to the fundraising aspect of this album, it will not be added to our collection over at archive.org.  

credits

released December 15, 2018

All music initiated by Cousin Silas. Please refer to each individual track for details of collaborator.

Photograph by Carrie Favretto

Design & Logistics by Thomas Mathie for weareallghosts.co.uk

All proceeds of this release will be donated to hospiceuk.org

18 December 2018: A Jethro Tull / California Guitar Trio / Markus Reuter Christmas

The Jethro Tull Christmas Album is the 21st studio album released by Jethro Tull, on 30 September 2003 (see 2003 in music). The songs are a mix of new material, re-recordings of Tull's own suitably themed material and arrangements of traditional Christmas music. In 2009, the live album Christmas at St Bride's 2008 was included with the original album on CD.
Ian Anderson about the song Birthday Card at Christmas: "My daughter Gael, like millions of other unfortunates, celebrates her birthday within a gnat’s whisker of Christmas. Overshadowed by the Great Occasion, such birthdays can be flat, perfunctory and fleetingly token in their uneventful passing. The daunting party and festive celebration of the Christian calendar overshadows too, some might argue, the humble birthday of one Mr. J. Christ. Funny old 25ths, Decembers…"

California Guitar Trio - 10 Christmas Songs

AllMusic Review by Glenn Astarita

Not that there is an abundance of progressive rock-tinged acoustic guitar trios among the ranks, but this aggregation stands tall among its peers as the guitarists' inventiveness surges forward with this altogether warmhearted reckoning of Christmas carols and other pleasantries. The guitarists' nimble yet at times forceful approach is wholly evident during their highly rhythmic spin on "Jingle Bells." They perform the classic "Greensleeves" with a sensitive, chamber-like approach while also tackling the Lennon/Ono favorite "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)." However, part of the magic resides within the trio's ability to delve into the inherent frameworks of each song, while also reformulating themes and rhythms into personalized statements. Essentially, the artists have produced a rather poignant Christmas outing, awash with interweaving lines and lilting harmonies, as they complement their superior artisanship and forward-thinking deployments with a cheerfully rendered collection of holiday favorites.

Markus Reuter - Winter Solstice EP

Bizarre soundscape versions of traditional songs usually associated with this time of year, at least here in Germany. In addition to the meditative soundscapes (which are based on the series of pitches of each tune) I've also overdubbed straight versions of the original melodies. Enjoy this parallel universe... It's strangely hypnotizing. Only available from December 17th to December 31st.

credits

released December 17, 2018

1. Silent (Night) / Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht

5. Night (Silent) / Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht

11 December 2018: A FreeForm Twisted Christmas

Join us for a FreeForm Radio holiday tradition as we spotlight hilarious Christmas song parodies from the Bob Rivers Comedy Corp.   We'll also hear tunes from the Capitol Steps, the Fools, Mojo Nixon, John Prine, the Reduced Shakespeare Company, and others.  There will be COWS!!!
Both Elvis AND Sarah Palin will be on the show - you won't want to miss it!
And it's not too late to pledge your support to public radio KMXT online at kmxt.org

04 December 2018: Joachim Cooder - Quantum Tangle - Iceberg

Fuchsia Machu Picchu continues Coode's ethereal explorations. The title song, as Joachim explained while opening for his dad in concert recently, began as a simple serenade to a plant he was urging to grow in his Los Angeles garden. Among the best of the seven tunes are “Everyone Sleeps in the Light,” a performance of which you can view below (Hey, who’s that old guy on bass?), and “Because the Moonlight,” which has a little Talking Timbuktu-style guitar sprinkled into the music courtesy of Dad. The album is a definite departure from the conventional roots music often featured on this blog. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for some flowing, atmospheric melodies but aren’t looking to go full Eno, Joachim’s music might hit the spot. The EP is available for download at various places around the internet.

Where is the most compelling and innovative music being made right now in Canada? Your first guess might be one of the country’s major urban centres, but a strong argument can be made that Canada’s North is truly changing the game. Case in point is Quantum Tangle who, after their 2016 EP Tiny Hands won the JUNO for Indigenous Album of the Year, have followed it up with a dynamic full-length debut, Shelter as we go…

Quantum Tangle combines the wide-ranging artistic visions of Greyson Gritt and Tiffany Ayalik who draw from their respective Anishinaabe-Métis and Inuit backgrounds to create a fusion of old-world sounds and new-world flair. Woven throughout Shelter as we go…, deep blues riffs, traditional throat singing and haunting melodies intertwine with hard beats and equally hard-hitting storytelling.

Proudly and boldly displaying their Indigenous roots, Gritt and Ayalik tailor their music to examine systemic racism and colonialism, while offering ways to empower marginalized groups. As vocal advocates for gender-equality and the need for safe-spaces, Quantum Tangle looks back through history to challenge, educate and encourage audiences to be socially aware.

With their JUNO win and the release of Shelter as We Go…, Quantum Tangle joins Tanya Tagaq and A Tribe Called Red as artists who are revolutionizing the genre of Indigenous music and bringing it to the mainstream. These are the most vital voices in Canada at this moment, and they will no longer be denied.

1. Tiny Hands Listen/Download on Bandcamp

2. Igluvut Listen/Download on Bandcamp

3. Freeze, Melt, Boil Listen/Download on Bandcamp

4. Love is Love Pt.1 Listen/Download on Bandcamp

5. Love is Love Pt. 2 Listen/Download on Bandcamp

6. Ikersuaq Listen/Download on Bandcamp

7. Tiny Hands (Reimagined) Listen/Download on Bandcamp

8. Angnahiak Listen/Download on Bandcamp

Iceberg biography

Founded in Barcelona, Spain in 1974 - Disbanded in 1979 

ICEBERG from the middle of the 70's were easily one of *the* best Progressive bands to come from Spain. This Spanish band ICEBERG came (like Manuel from Fawlty Towers) from Barcelona and consisted of: Max Sune (guitar), Josep Mas Kitflus (keyboards), Primi Sancho (bass) and Jordi Colomer (drums), Angel Riba (voice) could only be heard on the first record. Their style was definitely jazzier but with continuous conversations between the guitars and keyboards in a mixture of fusion and symphonic sounds. The band mixed RETURN FOREVER or THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA's crazy and energetic music and SANTANA's more latin one.

ICEBERG made four studio-albums entitled: "Tutankhamon" ('75), "Coses Nostres" ('76), "Sentiments" ('77) and "Arc-en-Ciel" ('78). Their final release was the live-LP "En directe" from '79. Their debut album "Tutankhamon" (eleven tracks) is their most 'symphonic': tasteful songs with many shifting moods, ranging from fluent with biting and howling, wah-wah drenched guitar solos to dreamy with floods of choir-Mellotron and tender Fender Rhodes piano. The vocals are often passionate and the interplay between guitar and keyboards is flowing. The other albums contain splendid jazzrock/fusion music with spectacular guitar - and keyboard work. Try for "Coses Nostres" or "Sentiments" as they're a bit better than "En Directe" or "Arc-En-Ciel" though any of these are fantastic. "Coses Nostres" is a very strong release from the ultimate Spanish fusion ensemble. An absolute must if you can find any of the albums. FOR THE FUSION-LOVERS...! 

27 November 2018: People Folk and Blue Tech (DiN57)

NOTE:  I'll also be hosting the "Rural Electric Show" from 7-9 pm Alaska Standard Time this same night.   FreeForm featuring the People Folk and Blue Tech begins at 9 pm AST.

Album release: Friday, July 13, 2018.

People Folk is a five-piece folk-rock band with a concept album related to popular characters, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes. 

Guitar, cello, flute, percussion, and a blend of harmonies give off a variety of sounds where there's something for everyone. 

Liner notes from Cellist/vocalist Mary Gaughan:

The fairytale concept of the album was inspired  guitarist, George Macias, who has 3 young daughters and every single night would read his daughters fairy tales before they went to sleep. Slowly over time he began writing songs that encompassed these beloved stories that his daughters loved so much. From there, the band was formed in California through meeting at mutual open mic gatherings and collaborated together on unfinished songs, created individual instrumental parts, unique harmonies, and each member also has an original song featured on the album (mine is Wishing Well). The album took a little over 3 years to fully complete because after the band was fully formed, we had 4 months left before I moved back to Arizona and George moved to Pennsylvania. In those short 4 months, we finished the songs, performed many of them in the southern California area, and recorded all at the same time. Once George and I moved away, we then had to do the rest of the recording, planning, and producing long distance, which is why it took so long to fully finish the project. Even though the band is now split, 3 original members (Chase, Kaitlin, and Ronald) still live in California and continue to perform the songs and they are actually writing new songs for a potential second album, featuring many more beloved fairy tales.

You can purchase the cd and/or a digital download here:  https://peoplefolk.bandcamp.com/album/timeless-tales

1.Roast Ribs 04:08 2.Little Red 04:10 3.Tin Man 05:46 4.Wishing Well 03:50 5.Mary 02:59 6.Naughty in Me 02:50 7.If I Fall 04:58 8.Around the Bend 05:10 9.The Surface 04:36 10.Claudia Maria 03:33 11.Humpty 04:17

Evan Bartholomew has been performing electronic music for nearly 20 years as Bluetech, Evan Marc, Invisible Allies (with Kilowatts), and is one of the founders of MicrodoseVR, with Android Jones and the Vision Agency team. He is an internationally recognised touring music producer with over 27 album/EP releases in the last 15+ years, and has a seasoned portfolio of video game and film/tv scoring credits. Bluetech is a master of analogue and modular sound synthesis and DSP audio manipulation, and brings a passion for sound design and cutting edge audio exploration into all the work he touches. His music transcends the constructs normally associated with a calculated “electronic artist,” pursuing music with meaning and purpose in various styles like ambient and downtempo, future bass, and techno.

“Liquid Geometries” sees him exploring shifting, fractal landscapes of melodic, sequenced lines using a huge range of analogue modular synthesisers. With a distinct nod to the Berlin School masters of the past he upgrades that musical heritage with nine shimmering soundscapes utilising modern production techniques to create beautiful tapestries of sound. These benefit from repeated, deep listening as there are so many details and interlaced patterns that will reveal themselves over time. Evan also invited DiN... more credits released November 16, 2018 Buy this and other cds/digital downloads at    http://www.dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ Composed & Produced by Evan Bartholomew for Tribal Alchemy Media, ASCAP Mastered by Shawn @ Audibleoddities.com Eurorack Modular Gear: Verbos, Intellijel, Random Source Serge, 4ms, Synthesis Technology, WMD, Mutable Instruments, Make Noise, Rossum Electro, Mannequins, Hexinverter, Xaoc, Alright Devices, System 80, Music Thing Modular, ALM, Magpie Modular & Strymon MU Modular: Moon Modular, Synthesizers.com, Free State FX, STG Soundlabs & Synthcube Synths: Moog Voyager, David Smith Prophet 6 & Korg Arp Odyssey FX Pedals: Strymon, Eventide, Empress, Earthquaker Devices & Shift Line Software: Ableton Live, Soundtoys & Native Instruments Reaktor Analogue Systems French Connection & Make Noise O-Coast on Track #7 by: Ian Boddy license all rights reserved

1.
Bardo Waves 06:41

2.
Vessels 07:34
3.
Helix 05:17
4.
Crystalline Forms 06:22
5.
Subterranea 05:17
6.
Dawn Ascent 07:16
7.
Tranquility Gate 07:52
8.
Resonating Heart 05:41
9.
Underground Lakes 06:09

30 October 2018: It's a FreeForm Radio Halloween!

Tonight's Halloween playlist: