26 December 2017: Grails and Nik Bärtsch's Ronin

 

AllMusic Review by Paul Simpson  [-]

Chalice Hymnal is the first proper full-length from Grails since 2011's remarkable Deep Politics, although a second collection of their exploratory Black Tar Prophecies EP series arrived in between. As with every Grails album, the group continues to push its sound further, incorporating new influences, instruments, and production techniques. As clichéd as the genre name "post-rock" has become, the musical progression of the Grails catalog embodies the term perfectly, as the band has continually moved far beyond convention into something truly unique and indefinable. Chalice Hymnal easily seems like their least "rock" album yet; while they haven't entirely abandoned blazing psych-rock guitars (just check the sludgy yet funky "New Prague"), they're certainly less present here, and many of the guitars that appear are acoustic. There's a much greater presence of electronics and dark, nearly trip-hop grooves on this album, especially on "Tough Guy." It almost seems like Chalice Hymnal could be billed as a joint release between Grails and Lilacs & Champagne, the sample-heavy instrumental hip-hop side project formed by Grails members Alex John Hall and Emil Amos. One of L&C's other members, Ash Black Bufflo, contributes percolating synthesizers to the album's second track, "Pelham," suggesting Giorgio Moroder as a possible influence along with soundtrack composers such as Ennio Morricone and Hugo Montenegro. The acoustic instrumentation throughout the album is lush and engrossing, with several tracks augmented by majestic string arrangements courtesy of Timba Harris, and dusky saxophone from Niklas Kraft or Daniel Fisher-Lochhead. Some of the album's pieces are sequels to selections from Grails' previous album. "Deeper Politics" is, appropriately enough, more tense than the prior release's title track, and while it seems gray and rainy at first, its resplendent strings ultimately signal hope for a glorious rebirth. "Deep Snow II," however, bends Deep Politics' knotty yet dreamy finale into something significantly more distraught. In the midst of all of this, the group finds time for a slow jam, "Rebecca," which buries "In the Air Tonight"-esque drum machine pulsations with sunset-like guitar wisps and serene synth pads. "The Moth & the Flame" is even more ethereal, with forests of echo surrounding smooth fretless bass and saxophone, before David Axelrod-worthy cavernous drums boom in during the track's second half. All of this culminates in the ten-minute "After the Funeral," which features perhaps the most grandiose arrangement of Grails' entire career. Not only is Chalice Hymnal well worth the wait, it makes it even harder to choose which album is the pinnacle of Grails' ever-fascinating discography.

	1.	Chalice Hymnal 04:22
	2.	Pelham 02:48
	3.	Empty Chamber 02:32
	4.	New Prague 04:50
	5.	Deeper Politics 03:48
	6.	Tough Guy 03:56
	7.	Rebecca 03:47
	8.	Deep Snow II 05:47
	9.	The Moth & The Flame 04:07
	10.	Thorns II 03:59
	11.	After The Funeral 10:18

Live is a live album by Swiss pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch's band Ronin recorded in Switzerland in 2002 and first released on the Tonus Music label.

The Allmusic review by Michael G. Nastos called it "compelling, commanding, well worth a close listen, and a prelude for things to be heard stateside. This may be a difficult recording to acquire, but worth the search".^[2] On All About Jazz Budd Kopman noted "When listening to Live, it becomes clear that, while the feeling of improvisation, of taking off, of winging it, is very strong, where it is happening is frustratingly unclear".

Track listing

All compositions by Nik Bärtsch.

	1.	Modul 14 13:52
	2.	Modul 17 09:17
	3.	Modul 11 12:15
	4.	Modul 16 11:37
	5.	Modul 8_9 15:49
	6.	Modul 15 15:09

credits

released May 1, 2006

Nik Bärtsch: Piano, Fender Rhodes, DX-7
Kaspar Rast: Drums
Björn Meyer: Bass
Andi Pupato: Percussion 

 

19 December 2017: A Jethro Tull 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…"

Track listing

1. "Birthday Card at Christmas" (Ian Anderson) – 3:37
2. "Holly Herald" (Instrumental medley arranged by Anderson) – 4:16
3. "A Christmas Song" (Anderson) – 2:47
4. "Another Christmas Song" (Anderson) – 3:31
5. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" (Trad. instrumental arranged by Anderson) – 4:35
6. "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow" (Anderson) – 3:37
7. "Last Man at the Party" (Anderson) – 4:48
8. "Weathercock" (Anderson) – 4:17
9. "Pavane" (Instrumental, Gabriel Fauré, arranged by Anderson) – 4:19
10. "First Snow on Brooklyn" (Anderson) – 4:57
11. "Greensleeved" (Trad. instrumental based on "Greensleeves". Arranged by Anderson) – 2:39
12. "Fire at Midnight" (Anderson) – 2:26
13. "We Five Kings" (Instrumental) (Instrumental "We Three Kings", Rev. J. Hopkins, arranged by Anderson) – 3:16
14. "Ring Out Solstice Bells" (Anderson) – 4:04
15. "Bourée" (Instrumental J. S. Bach, arranged by Anderson) – 4:25
16. "A Winter Snowscape" (Instrumental, Martin Barre) – 4:57

Tracks 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, and 15 are all re-recordings of previously released pieces. 'Bourée', however, has significant alterations to the musical arrangement.

Christmas at St Bride's 2008

Recorded Live at St Bride's Church

1. "Weathercock" (Ian Anderson) – 4:41
2. "Introduction: Rev. George Pitcher / Choir: What Cheer" (William Walton) – 3:32
3. "A Christmas Song" (Anderson) – 3:19
4. "Living in These Hard Times" (Anderson) – 3:44
5. "Choir: Silent Night" (Traditional) – 3:06
6. "Reading: Ian Anderson, Marmion" (Sir Walter Scott) – 2:17
7. "Jack in the Green" (Anderson) – 2:33
8. "Another Christmas Song" (Anderson) – 3:56
9. "Reading: Gavin Esler, God's Grandeur" (Gerard Manley Hopkins) – 1:50
10. "Choir: Oh, Come All Ye Faithful" (Traditional) – 3:50
11. "Reading: Mark Billingham, The Ballad of The Breadman" (Charles Causley) – 3:33
12. "A Winter Snowscape" (Martin Barre) – 3:39
13. "Reading: Andrew Lincoln, Christmas" (Sir John Betjeman) – 3:12
14. "Fires at Midnight" (Anderson) – 3:38
15. "We Five Kings" (Instrumental "We Three Kings", Rev. J. Hopkins, arranged by Anderson) – 3:19
16. "Choir: Gaudete" (Trad. arranged by Anderson) – 3:39
17. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen / Thick as a Brick" (Trad. arranged by Anderson / Anderson) – 10:25

Personnel

Jethro Tull

• Ian Anderson – flute, vocals, acoustic guitars, mandolin, piccolo, percussion
• Martin Barre – electric and acoustic guitars
• Andrew Giddings – keyboards, accordion and keyboard bass
• Jonathan Noyce – bass guitar
• Doane Perry – drums and percussion

Additional personnel

• James Duncan – drums and percussion
• Dave Pegg – bass, mandolin
• The Sturcz String Quartet:

• Gábor Csonka – 1st violin
• Péter Szilágyi – 2nd violin
• Gyula Benkő – viola
• András Sturcz – cello (leader)

05 December 2017: Twisted Christmas with Bob Rivers, The Fools, The Capitol Steps, and more

Join us for a FreeForm Radio holiday tradition as we spotlight hilarious Christmas song parodies from the Bob Rivers Comedy Corp.  

It's also pledge week for KMXT and we'd like to have TEN - 10!  new or renewing members pledge between 9 and 11 pm during the show.  Please go online to KMXT.org and click the "Donate to KMXT" button in the upper right hand corner.

03 December 2017: Sunday Night Jazz from 6-8 pm

I'll be doing the Sunday Night Jazz show from 6-8 pm tonight on KMXT 100.1 fm, streaming live at kmxt.org

21 November 2017: Airbag & Markus Reuter

AIRBAG's first release on KARISMA RECORDS.

Norwegian Airbag's 'Identity' gives us the sound of rich classic progressive rock blended with scenic soundscapes, epic guitars and soulful vocals.

The sound of classic progressive rock blended with scenic soundscapes, epic guitars and soulful vocals – as legendary Classic Rock Magazine said: “prog at its most chilled, honeyed and soothing.”

In the second half of tonight's show, we'll feature a live performance from touch guitarist, Markus Reuter. 

	1.	Black Sky, Part 1 12:16
	2.	Black Sky, Part 2 15:18
	3.	White Horse 10:41
	4.	Michoacan 12:55

about

Performed and recorded live on August 12 2016 at Teatro José Rubén Romero, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.

Presented here mixed down to stereo, and in slightly edited form, that is with shortened intros. "Black Sky" was orginally played as one long continuous piece, but was split into two parts for this release.

An 8-channel playback system was used for the concert, and the pieces were conceived more as "sound sculptures" than traditional concert pieces.

Write to info@markusreuter.com should you be interested in an unedited 5.1 mix of this concert, which was created by the renowned Mexican sound engineer Carlos Cortes.

credits

released November 20, 2017

Markus Reuter: Instant composition, Touch Guitars® AU8, Processing
www.markusreuter.com

Mixed and mastered by Markus Reuter using a Moon by Simaudio Neo 230HAD headphone amp/DAC.

www.unsung-productions.com

The cover artwork is a fragment of the mural "Gente y paisaje de Michoacán" by Alfredo Zalce.

Touch Guitar®
www.touchguitars.com

Driver and local support: Carlos Cortes

Thanks to CMMAS (www.cmmas.org) for the invitation to play in Morelia. In particular I would like to thank these wonderful people: Sebastian Torrella Reinoso, Paulina López Salazar, Silvia de la Cueva plus all the rest of the CMMAS team.

Very special thanks to my friends Carlos Cortes, Daniel Rosas, and Sergio Osvaldo Camacho for their assistance and for keeping me company, and George Bley for everything else.

24 October 2017: ARC (Ian Boddy & Mark Shreeve); Bernhard Wöstheinrich & Gaston Klares

An evening of electronic music with four virtuosos of the genre: Ian Boddy, Mark Shreeve, Bernhard Wöstheinrich & Gaston Klares

“Fleet” (DiN53) is the seventh concert album by the duo ARC (DiN label boss Ian Boddy and Mark Shreeve). This fact alone should tell you how popular this musical partnership is in a live setting where they continue to dazzle audiences with their mix of live electronics underpinned by huge slabs of analogue sequencing.

“Fleet” was recorded to multitrack at the E-Scape Electronic Music Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk on 13th May 2017. On returning to the studio this allowed Mark Shreeve to mix and master the resulting performance in fine detail to produce a stunning, dynamic album that preserves all the power and richness of their live show. The seven tracks, complete with enthusiastic audience ambience, spans almost 78 minutes for the next best thing to actually being there!

What is most evident on this ARC album are the richly harmonic themes, most notably in the opening title track which builds and grows through a series of gorgeous melodies to it’s climax. Tracks such as “Soar” are more delicate in nature with distant mellotrons overlaid with intertwining sequencer patterns whereas “Crux” opens with a spooky ambient section before ramping up to a live sequencer fest that lovers of Berlin School electronica will lap up. ARC always like to leave the stage with a bang and for the last...  more

credits

released October 20, 2017

All tracks composed, played & produced by Ian Boddy & Mark Shreeve.
Recorded in concert at the E-Scape electronic music festival, The Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk on May 13th 2017.

Mixed & mastered by Mark Shreeve (June - July 2017).

Ian Boddy:
Eurorack modular, Moog Voyager, Dave Smith Poly Evolver & Ableton Live

Mark Shreeve:
Moog & Moon modular sequencing, Roland System 100-M, Roland Juno 60 & Logic Pro X 

	1.	Fleet 08:38
	2.	Soar 08:37
	3.	Surge 12:23
	4.	Escape 08:07
	5.	Crux 13:59
	6.	Runner 12:01
	7.	Howl 10:42

 

 

Nuu-Chah-Hulth

Materiaal Series, Part VIII | On March 25, 2016, Gaston Klares and Bernhard Wöstheinrich met in the 'Radio Modul' basement studio in Berlin-Kreuzberg for an elaborate recording session in between stacks of their electronic appliances.

From 1992 until 2014 Gaston Klares was the host of the well-established Luxembourgian Electronic Music radio show "Silent Running" (Radio ARA). He is still an active steam punk artisan and a spaced-out synth-wizard.

In these sessions the two like-minded fellows take a deep bow to the fore-mothers and -fathers of the movement of traditional electronic music and drift about in deep pulsating electronic ostinatos and coalescing soundscapes.

The title and the track names of this release are referencing the names of native tribes from the Northwest American Coast.

credits

released July 1, 2016

Bernhard Wöstheinrich: Keyboards and virtual synthesizers, Live-Sequencing
Gaston Klares: Keyboards, analog and digital Synthesizers, modified field recordings

Editing and mastering: Markus Reuter
Cover drawing: Christine Kriegerowski

Special thanks to Lukas Schmolzi

	1.Ahousaht 20:28
	2.	Ehatteshaht 31:54
	3.	Hesquiaht 30:32
	4.	Hupacasath 23:08

 

12 September 2017: Steven Wilson; Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy

The first half of tonight's show will feature Steven Wilson's new release.

From the Steven Wilson HQ:    My fifth record is in many ways inspired by the hugely ambitious progressive pop records that I loved in my youth (think Peter Gabriel’s So, Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love, Talk Talk’s Colour of Spring and Tears for Fears’ Seeds of Love).

Lyrically, the album’s eleven tracks veer from the paranoid chaos of the current era in which truth can apparently be a flexible notion, observations of the everyday lives of refugees, terrorists and religious fundamentalists, and a welcome shot of some of the most joyous wide-eyed escapism I’ve created in my career so far. Something for all the family!”– Steven Wilson

1. To The Bone (6.41)
2. Nowhere Now (4.04)
3. Pariah (4.44)
4. The Same Asylum As Before (5.14)
5. Refuge (6.42)
6. Permanating (3.35)
7. Blank Tapes (2.09)
8. People Who Eat Darkness (6.03)
9. Song of I (5.22)
10. Detonation (9.20)
11. Song of Unborn (5.56)

The second half of tonight's show will feature a new, download-only release from Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter.

DiNDDL19 | released September 8, 2017 | Released on the download only sub-label of DiN, “Stay”, once again showcases the musical virtuosity & understanding of these two renowned composers.


“Memento” (DiN52) was the fifth DiN CD collaboration between the musical duo of Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter. The bulk of the material was recorded by the two musicians at the private studio of Boddy in the North-East of England. As so often happens in these sessions more music was laid down than could be used in the final release. The tracks on “Memento” oscillated between the more up-tempo pieces such as the title track & the two glorious ambient soundscapes, “Linger” and the album closer “Stay”. On reflection Boddy & Reuter decided to record some further material in the style of the latter two tracks, use one of the unreleased pieces and to mix an extended version of “Stay”, to create a new work that would be a companion piece to “Memento”.
Thus “Stay” (DiNDDL19) contains six tracks that reflect and extend the languid mood of the quiet moments found on “Memento”. Each of the tracks uses a different musical mode that gives each a different flavour. The pieces are built on the foundation of one of Reuter’s looped touch guitar soundscapes with Boddy employing his analogue modular systems, ranging from the haunting Ondes Martenot like solo lines of the opener “Waken” to the growling menacing tones of his Serge modular in “Vesper”.
credits
All tracks composed, played and produced by Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter (September 2016 – May 2017).
Mixed by Ian Boddy (June 2017).
Mastered by Markus Reuter (July 2017).
Ian Boddy:
Keyboards, Serge & Eurorack modular
Markus Reuter:
Touch Guitars® AU8, 6-string Electric Guitar, Looping, Programming, soundscapes

Stay (DiNDDL19)

buy share

Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter

• 1.Waken00:0008:18
• 2.Haze09:41
• 3.Vesper10:02
• 4.Shore09:05
• 5.Aeolian09:30
• 6.Stay09:09

20 June 2017: Roger Waters and The Beatles Sgt. Pepper Remix

Is This the Life We Really Want? (stylised as is this the life we really want?) is the fifth studio album by English rock musician and former Pink Floyd bassist and vocalist Roger Waters, released on 2 June 2017^[2][3][4] by Columbia Records. It is his first studio album in nearly 25 years since Amused to Death (1992), as well as his first solo album in 12 years since Ça Ira (2005). On 20 April, the single "Smell the Roses" was released.

Track listing

The official track listing was revealed on 20 April.^[17] Though previously confirmed by Waters, the track "Crystal Clear Brooks" does not appear.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"When We Were Young"	1:38
2.	"Déjà Vu"	4:27
3.	"The Last Refugee"	4:12
4.	"Picture That"	6:47
5.	"Broken Bones"	4:57
6.	"Is This the Life We Really Want?"	5:55
7.	"Bird in a Gale"	5:31
8.	"The Most Beautiful Girl"	6:09
9.	"Smell the Roses"	5:15
10.	"Wait for Her"	4:56
11.	"Oceans Apart"	1:07
12.	"Part of Me Died"	3:12
Total length:		54:06

From a review by The Audiophiliac:

"I make no bones about it, I love the Beatles, from "Meet the Beatles" to "Abbey Road" -- every album is extraordinary. I'm hardly alone in my praise. Every fan has their own story arc and mine is deep and long. Speaking of long, the Beatles iconic "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album is now celebrating its 50th anniversary with a brand new stereo mix. The spiffed up version sounds very different from the original 1967 mix, so much so it takes some getting used to. It sounds like a different album.

The difference in clarity is the first thing you notice, Ringo Starr's drums are so much more present, Paul McCartney's incredible bass playing is positively vivid. George Harrison and John Lennon's guitars are likewise more alive. Vocals are clearer than ever."

Read the entire review here.

26 April 2017: Wednesday Night Jazz

 I'll be hosting the Wednesday Night Jazz show from 9-11 pm this evening.  The playlist includes Pat Metheny Group, Djam Karet, Duke Ellington, Camel, Caravan, King Crimson, and Gong featuring Pierre Moerlein and Alan Holdsworth.

25 April 2017: New Releases from Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter and Steve Hackett

There is a strong theme (the historical plight of refugees and the hope for a more unified world), there is an orchestra, there is a choir, there is (most of) Hackett’s amazing band, there is Flamenco guitar, there is flute and mandolin, there is Prog, there is Rock, there is a mixture of styles, and yes, there is world music. And yet, there is always Hackett’s unmistakable electric guitar.
“Behind the Smoke” starts the album gently with a flamenco-style intro but soon turns into a massive grinding riff that suddenly, mid-song, reveals Hackett’s intention to expose his world music proclivities, with an eastern-sounding interlude. Soon enough, though, the massive wailing Hackett electric guitar that we know and love, returns to end the song.  The second track, “Martian Sea”, is a quick-paced, pop ditty that relies on Gary O’Toole’s cheerful and up-beat drumming. It has a catchy hook and a nice Hackett solo. Again the international influence is to be found in the sitar and violin interludes, which sound more Eastern and Middle-Eastern than Martian.
“Fifty Miles From the North Pole” is a slow and solid track with a James Bond-themed guitar sound. 007’s presence notwithstanding, the song conjures images of icy, arctic travel undergone by our poor protagonist, without the resources of “M”, nor indeed anyone else, behind him. The solo is typical Hackett. The icy vocals are almost spoken rather than sung, and the Eastern influences are insistently present in the strings parts. One is just beginning to feel that the song could have been edited to be half the length, when Hackett stamps his authority with a great solo that could have been found on an early Genesis record.
Tabla-like percussion (perhaps played on an acoustic guitar) hints that “Anything but Love” might end up being pure world music, but inexplicably, a typical Hackett acoustic guitar solo then gives way to a pure and simple pop song that could be a top ten hit with the hook “But you’ll never get away with anything but love”. It even has a harmonica solo, and definitely sounds like BOC’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper”. It’s not GTR, but it’s a great pop song.
“Inca Terra” starts as a slow and gentle ode with mythical lyrics sung in pastoral harmony. It is the heart of the album, and given its theme, one expects a Proggy direction, and that expectation is fulfilled later in the song. At times it sounds almost like a Greek traditional hymn (is that a bouzouki?), but then Hackett shows his roots with an acoustic guitar flourish that leads into a complex and fast-paced arrangement, climaxing in a huge Hackett solo that any Progger will appreciate. Hints of classic Genesis in full flight appear towards the end. A very good Prog arrangement indeed.
“In the Skeleton Gallery” has been performed live quite a few times by now, While it is not an obvious “single” (does such a thing exist in Prog anyway?), it seems at the start to be one of the more accessible songs, but don’t be fooled. Slow and intense, it has a pleasing initial melody, but expect a dark, eastern-sounding woodwind interlude, and a quirky change of direction led by keyboardist Roger King. It then leads into a heavy Prog instrumental arrangement built around that quirky keyboard riff that also comprises the ending. King’s influence is strong on this one.
“West to East” is another story of international alienation and the need for the world to unite. While the instrumentation is suitably precise and excellent, up to the standards expected of a musician like Hackett, this song is all about the message. If you are opposed the exit of Great Britain from the Union, or certain immigration policies recently implemented by the US, expect to identify with these lyrics.  “The Gift” is a short instrumental closer that will please fans of Hackett’s traditional guitar achievements. It is sad, lonely and reflective and ends the album with due pensiveness.
Although not as immediately accessible as his most recent releases times, due to the many directions taken, as well as the many world music influences introduced, ‘The Night Siren’ is still a Steve Hackett album, and it is one worth investing in. ‘The Night Siren’ is an album with substance and an urgent message.  Expect to be transported to the East (or Middle East) from time to time, but expect your Prog hunger to be satiated as well. Perhaps Steve Hackett’s darkest work, it still has many great moments and reminds us we simply cannot ignore the fact that Steve Hackett is indeed a living legend.
CD:
1. Behind the Smoke (6:59)
2. Martian Sea (4:40)
3. Fifty Miles from the North Pole (7:08)
4. El Niño (3:52)
5. Other Side of the Wall (4:01)
6. Anything but Love (5:56)
7. Inca Terra (5:54)
8. In Another Life (6:07)
9. In the Skeleton Gallery (5:09)
10. West to East (5:14)
11. The Gift (2:45)
Line-Up:
Steve Hackett – electric & acoustic guitars, oud,
charango, sitar guitar, harmonica, vocals (1 – 11)
Roger King – keyboards and programming (1 – 10)
Amanda Lehmann – vocals (1,2,3,6,7,8,9,10)
Christine Townsend – violin, viola (3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10)
Rob Townsend – baritone & soprano sax, flute, flageolet,
quena, duduk, bass clarinet (1, 4, 7, 9)
Gary O’Toole – drums (3, 4, 10)
Nick D’Virgilio – drums (2)
Gulli Briem – drums, cajon, percussion (7,9)
Mira Awad – vocals (10)
Leslie-Miriam Bennett – keyboards (11)
Troy Donockley – Uilleann pipes (8)
Dick Driver – Double bass (3,4,5,7)
Nad Sylvan – vocals (7)
Kobi Farhi – vocals (10)
Benedict Fenner – keyboards and programming (11)
Jo Hackett – vocals (10)
John Hackett – flute (2,10)
Ferenc Kovács – trumpet (3)
Sara Kovács – didgeridoo (3)
Malik Mansurov – tar (1)

“Memento” (DiN52) is the fifth DiN CD collaboration between label boss Ian Boddy & renowned composer and touch guitarist Markus Reuter. They were there at the birth of DiN in 1999 with their inaugural release Distant Rituals (DiN2) and this latest work not only affectionately looks back to that album but forges ahead into new musical territory.
The album opens with the powerful tour de force of “Gyroscope” with its ever evolving guitar arpeggios and thunderous percussion. The following track “Spindrift” has a mysterious harmonic feel highlighted by Reuter’s beautiful guitar playing & Boddy’s ambient production. “Linger” & “Stay” form a pair of soundscapes where Reuter’s guitar loop ambiences are intermingled with extraordinary analogue textures from Boddy’s Serge modular synthesiser. The former provides a breathing space within the album after the two opening tracks whereas the latter brings the CD to a gentle, drifting close. The title track hearkens back to the duos first collaborative album with it’s pulsing cut up treatment of a Reuter guitar loop soundscape and perhaps informs the listener as to the nature of this “Memento”. Although Boddy often keeps in the background in terms of lead solo work when working with Reuter the track “Deadlock” features an Ondes Martenot style synth line that soars above this dark emotionally laden piece.
Once again Reuter & Boddy have proved to be a potent musical team with their balance of styles producing a complex, deep album. Effortlessly crossing genres between prog and ambient electronica it not only looks back to their roots but creates new sonic landscapes for the listener to explore.
Track listing:
01 Gyroscope (07:45)
02 Spindrift (06:56)
03 Linger (06:24)
04 Memento (06:31)
05 Vermilion (09:08)
06 Deadlock (09:34)
07 Stay (06:26)
Total Time: 52:58
All tracks composed, played & produced by Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy (September - November 2016).
Mixed by Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter (November 2016).
Mastered by Ian Boddy @ DiN studio (December 2016).
Markus Reuter:
Touch Guitars® AU8, 6-string Electric Guitar, Looping, Programming
Ian Boddy:
Serge & Eurorack Modulars, Moog Voyager, Ableton Live running NI Kontakt, Spectrasonics Omnisphere & Camel Audio Alchemy

18 April 2017: Allan Holdsworth & Djam Karet

Allan Holdsworth died unexpectedly on April 15 at age 70.  We'll feature some of his solo work in the first half of tonight's show.

Allan Holdsworth (6 August 1946 – 15 April 2017)^[1] was a British guitarist and composer. He released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played a variety of musical styles spanning a period of more than four decades, but is best known for his work in jazz fusion.
Holdsworth was known for his advanced knowledge of music, through which he incorporated a vast array of complex chord progressions and intricate solos; the latter comprising myriad scale forms often derived from those such as the diminished, augmented, whole tone, chromatic and altered scales, among others, resulting in an unpredictable and "outside" sound. His unique legato soloing technique stemmed from his original desire to play the saxophone. Having been unable to afford one, he strove to use the guitar to create similarly smooth lines of notes. He also become associated with playing an early form of guitar synthesizer called the SynthAxe, a company he endorsed in the 1980s.
Holdsworth has been cited as an influence by such renowned rock, metal and jazz guitarists as Eddie Van Halen,^[2] Joe Satriani,^[3] Greg Howe,^[4] Shawn Lane,^[5] Richie Kotzen,^[6] John Petrucci,^[7] Alex Lifeson,^[8] Kurt Rosenwinkel,^[9] Yngwie Malmsteen,^[10] Michael Romeo,^[11] and Tom Morello.^[12] Frank Zappa once lauded him as "one of the most interesting guys on guitar on the planet",^[13] while Robben Ford has said: "I think Allan Holdsworth is the John Coltrane of the guitar. I don't think anyone can do as much with the guitar as Allan Holdsworth can."^[14]

 

Review – Djam Karet – Sonic Celluloid – by Progradar
 Djam Karet (pronounced ‘jam care-RAY) is an Indonesian word that translates loosely as “elastic time”.
Djam Karet was founded in 1984 by guitarists Gayle Ellett and Mike Henderson, bassist Henry J. Osborne, and drummer Chuck Oken, Jr., and continue making new music even to this day, 33 years later! So far … they have released 18 full-length albums, including the newest release ‘Sonic Celluloid’ (as well as an additional 24 minor releases and EPs and compilations, see the discography).
Compared by the press with King Crimson, Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead, Ozric Tentacles and Porcupine Tree, they are credited with breathing new life into progressive rock, leading the way to the genre’s future growth. The California-based instrumental group has often been called America’s greatest undiscovered band.
To my ears this most inventive of bands has always been a psychedelic instrumental sounding board and their musical ideas have always expanded and evolved to give the listener a real Smörgåsbord of acoustic delights. When Gayle asked me if I would be interested in reviewing ‘Sonic Celluloid’ it was a definite no-brainer!

Sonic Celluloid includes all four founding members of Djam Karet: Chuck Oken jr, Henry Osborne, Mike Henderson, and Gayle Ellett, as well as Aaron Kenyon and Mike Murray. All six play (to varying degrees) on the new album. Everyone contributed as much or as little as they wanted to, with the huge bulk of the work being done mostly by Ellett and Oken.
This new release is as cinematic as they come, little musical-movies running in your mind as you listen to the tracks, opener Saul Says So has a really electronic, 70’s sci-fi feel running throughout. Quite dark and moody in style at the start, it has you on the edge of your seat before it opens up into something akin to a psychedelic revelation, only one that is experienced in a supremely leisurely fashion. It seems to float across your synapses, leaving a gentle memory everywhere where the intricate guitar playing touches your mind. Forced Perspective takes that soundscape and leads it on a convoluted, meandering journey with a Southern California vibe, edgy drums, funky bass and super smooth electronica transport you to vast landscapes of sound in your mind. There’s more of that psychedelia that I come to expect from this exceedingly expressive band, I just close my eyes and let the music wash over me. It brings to mind independent art movie soundtracks, cerebral music for the connoisseur.
The muted classical music inspired intro to Long Shot makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Subdued minimalistic synths bring to mind Jean-Michel Jarre and even a touch of early Kraftwerk to the 70’s nostalgia reunion that is going on in my mind. I begin to think of films like ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ as the track evolves into a kind of Prog inspired sci-fi melodrama. It really is an intricate sepia-tinged cinematic delight. No Narration Needed starts with a full-on free form jazz trumpet before the music takes on a more suspenseful tone layered with atmospheric keyboards and electronica. There’s a timeless aura to this track, like a primordial beast that has lived across epochs and never notices the short lived lives of the pitiful humans who inhabit its planet. A medieval sounding guitar and flute then punctuate the stillness to add a layer of calm and collection. This is a track that engenders meditation and reflection and has dignity and character at its core. There are some great titles to the tracks on this release, Numerous Mechanical Circles being one of them and it is a musical composition that seems to grow around you, the flute sounds and electronic synthesisers forming a symbiosis with an almost alien quality to it. It moves across your mind in a slow but sure manner, all the time in the world to achieve its purpose. I can sense a slight apprehension in the occasionally caustic keyboards and the hesitant voice you hear in the background has a spooky, mystical ambience to it, it is disturbing but in a very enjoyable way.

The sounds of waves and seabirds opens Oceanside Exterior, a rhythmic and meditative piece of music that flows through space and time and engenders images in your mind of powerful oceans braking on immovable rocks, time and space standing still against the majesty of nature. This is music as an elemental force but one that has no need to be brash and in your face. The incredibly laid back guitar playing is utterly addictive and is best experienced through a pair of high-end headphones with a great quality glass of wine in your hand. 70’s synths come back strongly on Au Revoir Au Reve, a strong sentimental note can be felt all over this wistful track. Dreamy and fanciful with a Gallic undertone, you could be walking the streets of 1950’s Paris, a suavely dressed detective in the seedy underbelly of this great city. The plaintive guitar is full of angst, perhaps railing against an unsolved crime, who knows but you feel the pain. A masterful piece of music that, once again, has your furtive mind working overtime.
Pink Floyd guitar notes are very evident at the opening of Flashback, a more hard-edged track that has an incredible depth to it, like it has survived eons in the primordial soup of creation. It seems to be treading water, awaiting what, we don’t know. There is a timeless grandeur and stature to every note, especially when the powerfully cultured guitar breaks out. The synths are the stage on which Gayle’s fiery, blues infused guitar takes centre stage. Lower has a post-rock gravity to it, the elegant keyboards glide around you as the mournful guitar tells its seemingly grief stricken tale. A soulfully forlorn piece of music that propagates a sombreness deep in your heart and soul and moves you inside. Another excellently titled track closes out the album, The Denouement Device is music that stimulates a sonic journey for your body and soul, music that will have differing effects on different people. Intense and thought provoking, a wide-ranging and all-encompassing sound that fills your entire being with a feeling of wonderment and lets you see things with a childlike innocence. Genuine, contemplative and thoughtful yet it treats you with kid gloves as it strips you of any pre-conceived ideas and back to your bare soul.

‘Sonic Celluloid’ is yet another triumph for this ever inventive band. An intricate instrumental tour-de-force that takes the listener on a cinematic journey through ever-evolving soundscapes engendered in their own mind. Djam Karet are the masters of cerebral, intelligent music for the erudite listener and have delivered a superlative musical odyssey once again.