October 28, 2017

Libra ‎– Schock (Transfert - Suspence - Hypnos) (1977, Italy)

Risultati immagini per Libra Shock 1977
Also known under the erroneous title “Schock”, this LP is the soundtrack of Mario Bava’s eponymous film, also his last one before his death, which sadly occurred three years later in 1980. “Shock” was therefore released in 1977, while the Italian horror cinema was at its peak, led to international success by Dario Argento with “Deep Red” and “Suspiria”. With Goblin at work with Argento, the choice for the music of “Shock” fell on Libra, in some ways ‘related’ to Goblin anyway, thanks to drummer Walter Martino and guitarist Carlo Pennisi, and they also say about a fleeting participation by keyboardist Maurizio Guarini. In ‘77 Libra, after a brief experience on the American soul/funk label Motown, had practically split up, yet they found the necessary inspiration to record an album like “Shock”, maybe ’goblinian’ in its intentions, but full of personality. It contains in fact groovy tracks, delicate and acoustic atmospheres, up to completely dissonant and avant-garde sounds. “Shock” was released on LP only in 1977 in Italy and Japan, therefore this new AMS Records edition is therefore the first official reissue after nearly 40 years! A small yet important event, celebrated with a colored vinyl encased in a beautiful triple gatefold cover with a marvellous new artwork! The track list also includes four bonus tracks which have been released only on CD until today. A must!!!

Dr. Dopo Jam ‎– Cruisin' At Midnite (1981, LP, Denmark)

"Crusin' at Midnite" is a surprisingly great album for such a late date. Some really strong guitar, flute, synth and violin soloing + electric piano drives most of the songs. Plus plenty of nice horn charts. And the goofball quotient is mercifully down, though not completely out. There's also a funky edge present (think some of the late 70's Krautrock groups like Aera or To Be maybe). ashratom

St. Tropez ‎– Icarus (1977-78, CD, Italy)

In 1978, ST-Tropez was formed out of the collapse of Celeste, a seminal Italian band that published the fabulous "Principe di un Giorno", a couple of weaker follow ups and then promptly disbanded. Keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Ciro Perrino brought along his "celestial" mates Giorgio Battaglia on bass and Bat DiMasi on drums, adding newcomer Alex Magazzino on guitar (an obvious Steve Hillage fan) and a female "space" vocalist "Lady Mantide", plus a few others for both studio and live gigs. But contrary to the pastoral tendencies of Celeste, the St-Tropez project was firmly interested in developing space prog , more intone with latter Soft Machine, Here & Now ,Nucleus but mostly trilogy-era Gong. The band seasons its craft with numerous live performances that go very noticed, even though by now the punk phenomenon had kicked in with a vengeance all over the world. Alas, even though Polydor had picked up the contract and released "Icarus", Perrino soon lost interest in the touring routine, preferring to work on researching new synthesizer technology, which would culminate in a future solo disc "Solare". Not many ISP bands sought out the spacier, jam-infested groove music that qualifies this disc and thus makes this a rather unique one shot wonder

October 21, 2017

La Coral Cósmica ‎– Triptic (1979, LP, Spain)


This is most probably a lost gem of Spanish music from the 70's. And though not entirely Progressive in its core, it does have its interest for Spanish Prog Rock lovers. The music is mainly 70's pop with a strong folk flavor and some more complex structures, therefore the Prog connection. While the vocals are totally dated and almost entirely pop (exceptions are to be found, like in track 5, the instrumentation is crafted and thoughtful, gracing the listener with some very good musical moments. Unlike bands such as Triana or Mezquita, the folk components here presented are not exclusively based on the South (Seville) gipsy orientations. The interest here is undoubtedly focused on the music underneath the completely naif vocals, but in that department, the album does have its (very good) moments.

Hoity-Toity ‎– Sauff Aus (1978/79, 2xCD, Switzerland)

Superb, medieval prog- folk from Switzerland in the vein of first Gryphon album and Amazing Blondel, but kept in even more medieval mood. Lots of crumhorns and flutes, many original compositions from XIII and XIV centuries played with passion and charm. Fantastic!
Included 2 LP Hoity-Toity and Sauff Aus plus Early Sessions 1977

October 14, 2017

Mike Westbrook Orchestra ‎– The Cortège (1982, 2xCD, England)

The Mike Westbrook Orchestra's 1982 opus The Cortège, initially released as a sprawling three-disc vinyl set by Original Records (re-released on CD by Enja) and winner of that year's Grand Prix du Disque de Montreux, is an often stunning work of massive scope and an indisputable highlight of Westbrook's career. Originally commissioned by the Bracknell Jazz Festival in 1979 and subsequently performed at a number of European festivals, The Cortège is themed around the idea of a New Orleans funeral procession, from its dirges to its final exuberance, but this theme is used as a framework for excursions into territory that is pure Westbrook -- namely a marriage of creative jazz orchestra and European poetry written by Federico García Lorca, Arthur Rimbaud, Hermann Hesse, William Blake, and others. To be sure, the impassioned, theatrical, and -- to some -- even occasionally eccentric interpretations of the texts by singers Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton do not fit within what might traditionally be considered "jazz vocals"; both Westbrook and Minton draw mainly from European cabaret, musical theater, the avant-garde, and even opera. And they throw themselves into their performances, holding nothing back. They possess extraordinary range, control, and interpretive skill, and anyone open to a melding of jazz and European art music -- which honor each other here -- should find much to admire in the performances.
Moreover, Westbrook assembled a wonderful 17-piece ensemble for this project, capable of warmth and color in the ensembles and powerful, passionate solo statements. Notable among the players are musicians from both the British jazz and avant rock worlds, including bassoonist Lindsay Cooper (who takes a Zappa-ish solo complete with wah-wah on "Democratie"), cellist Georgie Born, guitarist Brian Godding (spitting fusiony sparks on the opening "It Starts Here" and ending "Erme Estuary" with atmospheric soundscapes), electric bassist Steve Cook, and saxophonist Chris Biscoe (pushing beyond the waltz of "Knivshult/Ash Wednesday" and taking the rhythm section with him). If you think The Cortège's band photos snapped by Kate Westbrook in a fancy hotel ballroom provide evidence that this project might be overly polite, listen to the suitably raucous treatment given to John Clare's celebration of ale-drinking companionship The Toper's Rant ("And we'll sit it in spite of the weather/Till we tumble dead drunk on the plain/When the morning shall find us together/All willing to stand it again") in "A Hearth Burns," with Minton, Kate Westbrook, and Born pumping out the vocal chorus with abandon while the horns and reeds wail around them (followed by a blues-rockin' feature for Godding). And yes, "A Hearth Burns" segues into the genuinely weird "Une Vie," with a short text by Finnish poet Pentti Saarikoski vehemently declaimed by Minton over Cook's Hugh Hopper-esque fuzz bass -- it's as bizarre as Ivor Cutler on Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom. The Cortège might be too sprawling for a first investigation of Westbrook, but it warrants consideration as the centerpiece of any Westbrook collection.

Hermeto Pascoal E Grupo ‎– Lagoa Da Canoa Município De Arapiraca (1984, CD, Brazil)

A classic Pascoal mix of fine Luso-jazz playing, elegant moments of more traditional modes (as in a pretty song with fine accordion), and various avant-gardisms, new wave-derived and more purely personal (Pascoal even samples Brazilian radio football commentators in a pair of less-than-a-minute cuts, drawing parallels between the music at hand and the announcers' narration of the games). Far more adventurous than Nascimentos and such, it still has a very solid base of excellent musicianship.

Tamarugo ‎– Tan Lejos Del Mar (1980, LP, Chile)

Risultati immagini per tamarugo - tan lejos del mar 1978
A Chilean trio that released one sole album on a French label, TAMARUGO named themselves after a very helpful edible shrub growing in deserted pampas. Obviously the group benefited from a lot of sympathy towards fleeing countrymen (and by now French refugees) LOS JAIVAS and CONGRESO whom both had much success with their Andean Folk music, a bit like other second wave Argentinean group Horizonte.
TAMARUGO's music was certainly much jazzier than the other three aforementioned groups, using much bossa nova and sometimes even sounding like CARAVAN, but they managed to remain distinctly Andean folk sounding, despite some tremendous instrumental forays in jazz-rock. Their sole album was released on the French label Escargot in February '79, and the songs are sung in Spanish, the lyrics were written bilingual, showing how this was more of a French products than it was in its Pinochet-dominated homeland. This was to be their sole album though, and I don't think the album received a legitimate Cd reissue, which is a damn shame.

October 05, 2017

Catastrophe ‎– High Dynamic (1982, LP, France)

Catastrophe High Dynamic Private French Progressive Jazz/ Zeuhl featuring: Pascal Dumont (bass), Serge Vuillier (drums), Manuel Godeck (sax), Christian Freytag (guitar).
An obscure French instrumental fusion band who released just the one album in 1982. They came from Metz, and their style was more like that of the early 1970s with a strong Zappa/Mothers fusion feel, with some Magma/Zeuhl and/or Mahavishnu type influences.
Side A
A1 Longue Distance (6:30)
A2 Noche De Marcha (7:10)
A3 Pas Si Sérieux (9:40)
Side B
B1 Rouge Mer Outre-Vert (10:20)
B2 High Dynamic (10:30)
Official DR value

October 04, 2017

Angelo Branduardi ‎– La Pulce D'Acqua (1977, CD, Italy)

 
La pulce d’acqua… Sonorità che ammiccano a tradizioni musicali irlandesi narrando di una spiritualità dei nativi d’America. Angelo Branduardi: un Maestro trasversale e multiculturale eppure… proprio italiano.
Angelo si muove con maestria ed eleganze, mai stucchevole e mai sterilmente retorico, e vola sulle contaminazioni come il suo nome: nomen est omen! La musicalità del brano entra come imperativo in chi ascolta, imperativo alla danza, al coinvolgimento globale del corpo e dell’animo in un travolgente stimolo alla vitalità.

La pulce d’acqua
Un’antica leggenda degli Indiani d’America, i nativi di quegli spazi immensamente vergini, raccontava che un insetto, una pulce d’acqua, minuscolo e sfuggevole, fosse capace di rubare l’ombra a chi avesse spezzato le regole di armonia dettate dalla Natura. La punizione per tale peccato, irrogata da una così umile creatura, era ritrovarsi spossessati, per contrappasso, della propria ombra, perché l’ombra era la parte del fisico umano, del corpo, più sfuggevole: una proiezione che raccontava del corpo medesimo dentro la Natura, una elemento promanato dal fisico ma intangibile, come lo spirito vitale.

Privato dell’ombra, il destino del peccatore, tale anche solo per imprudenza o superficialità, era segnato: perdere sé, perdere la propria vitalità a causa della malattia punitiva, a meno di… espiare la propria colpa, ripristinando l’armonia, cantando, a lungo, e la pulce d’acqua, sfuggevole tanto quanto vigile, riterrà espiata la colpa e perdonato il peccato, rendendo l’ombra al suo fisico.
Perentorio e straordinariamente didascalico è il tono di “…e ora tu sei malato”, dove l’ora è un allora, nesso eziologico di colpa, e il tu l’imputazione non mediata e non attenuata della colpa.

Procurare la morte per schiacciamento è l’emblema della pretesa superiorità dell’uomo che sopprime l’altro per sola potenza rude, per pressione, e in questo simbolo vi è tutta la tracotanza dell’uomo stesso, convinto di essere il dominatore fisico dell’universo come in realtà non è.
La sua vera forza, infatti, il vero simbolo della vitalità anche dell’uomo è non nel suo peso fisico ma in quella sua ombra intangibile di cui non si accorge nemmeno dell’importanza finché non la perde e di come sia la vera proiezione di sé grazie alla luce dell’altro da sé. Una intangibilità piena e vivificante ma spossessabile, confiscabile. Ciò che si toglie per peso e gravità si recupera per melodia e, di nuovo, intangibilità del canto.
Una visione dinamica della vita, di equilibri dinamici, cromatici, che la musica del brano rende e restituisce in tutta la sua portata semantica: così tanto in una sintesi elegantemente leggera.
E allora… a lungo… a lungo cantare per farsi perdonare!

L’arte che riporta l’uomo in equilibrio dai suoi viaggi e azioni da “deliri di onnipotenza”, il canto come formula magica ancestrale che allontana la malattia e la morte.
Il legame con Ballo in Fa diesis minore è forte ed evidente, oltre che tangibile nella pubblicazione dei lavori di Angelo: la sua visione del mondo è una visione olistica costante nel tempo, già forte in origine, intrisa fino al profondo di carica spirituale. Ma nel Ballo in Fa diesis minore il peccato dell’uomo è nella sua immanenza fisica, non è che la sua caducità fisica e la soluzione è l’astuzia espiatrice e salvifica dell’uomo: far ballare la “Morte che porta corona“, di tutti noi signora e padrona, che si presenta forte del suo strapotere ed arrogante nella sua retorica (parleremo di Ballo in Fa diesis minore in altro post).

Ogni personaggio della canzone La pulce d’acqua, di nuovo una storia di interazione per nesso come nell'altro grande successo Alla Fiera del’Est, ha una sua aggettivazione ben precisa : la pulce è d’acqua, la mosca è d’autunno, la serpe è verde. Tutto è caratterizzato per avere una individualità ben netta ma aperta, che lega ad altro, un tratto che si allarga in un gioco di colori o di stagioni o di luoghi. Un senso di comunione come di appartenenza, in un ordine fatto di sfumature leganti confini precisi.

In questo concerto, Angelo scatena il suo violino, far salire le note al cielo, porta le melodie a spingere chi ne è avvolto a danzare; è una leggerezza feconda che rifonde la vitalità a chi ha perso, nel quotidiano di oggi come di ieri, di qua nel mondo come di là nel mondo, la propria ombra.

Straordinario, Angelo, straordinario!
I diritti su musiche e testo, sulla canzone nel suo complesso e sul video, presenti in questa pagina sono di esclusiva proprietà dell’Autore/degli Autori e la divulgazione da parte nostra è solo per promozione culturale e studio. (Said.In)
Songs
1 - Ballo in fa diesis minore (7:03)
2 - Il ciliegio (4:10)
3 - Nascita di un lago (4:05)
4 - Il poeta di corte (3:47)
5 - Il Marinaio (4:08)
6 - La pulce d'acqua (4:47)
7 - La sposa rubata (3:58)
8 - La Lepre nella Luna (4:59)
9 - La bella Dama senza pietà (6:39)

Line-up / Musicians
Angelo Branduardi: Violin, Guitar, Pan-pipes
Gigi Cappellotto: Electric Bass
Bruno De Filippi: Sitar, Armonica, Ocarina
Massimiliano Di Carlo: Cetra
Franco Di Sabatino: Keyboards
Maurizio Fabrizio: Piano, Guitar, Guitar Ottavino
Roberto Puleo: Buzuki, Slide Guitar
Andy Surdi: Drums, Percussions
Guest: Luigi Lai to the launeddas

La prima edizione di questo disco era accompagnata da nove tavole disegnate da Mario Convertino, in cui l'artista interpretava, con i suoi disegni, le canzoni del disco; la tavola de La pulce d'acqua, è diventata la copertina della prima stampa in CD dell'LP. Ciascuna tavola si riferisce a un brano dell'album; la tavola relativa a Il Marinaio è un omaggio a Maxfield Parrish.

'Ballo in Fa diesis minore'. Canzone che riprende il film il settimo sigillo in cui l'uomo sfida la morte. La melodia si rifà alla celebre Schiarazula Marazula, melodia friulana di origine medievale che accompagnava riti esorcistici, raccolta da Giorgio Mainerio nell'opera "Il Primo Libro de Canti" (1578). Il testo invece è tratto dall'iscrizione che circonda la Danza Macabra di Clusone, in provincia di Bergamo e la Danza Macabra dipinta sulla Chiesa di San Vigilio a Pinzolo, in provincia di Trento:
« Io sont la morte che porto corona
Sonte Signora de ognia persona
At cossi son fiera forte et dura
Che trapaso le porte et ultra le mura »

'Il ciliegio'. È l'adattamento in italiano dalla tradizionale canzone inglese The Cherry Tree Carol (la 54^ delle celebri Child Ballads) già ripreso anche da altri artisti e gruppi quali Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Shirley Collins, Peter, Paul and Mary, Pentangle, Duo Greenoch, Josè Feliciano, Emmylou Harris, Chad Mitchell.

'Nascita di un lago'. Brano ispirato alla storia d'amore tra Merlino e Viviana
'Il poeta di corte'. Riprende passaggi del brano Canarios di Gaspar Sanz (1640-1710)
'Il marinaio'. Il brano è ispirato alla vicenda di Ulisse intento a ritornare a casa dall'amata Penelope.

'La pulce d'acqua'. È la canzone più famosa del disco. Il testo si ispira ai miti degli Indiani d'America, "Pulce d'Acqua" è infatti il nome di uno sciamano. Nella versione inglese del disco diventa un canto natalizio.

'La sposa rubata'. Questo brano riprende un antico canto bretone dal titolo Ar plac'h dimezet gant Satan ("La fidanzata di Satana"), parte della raccolta Barzhaz Breizh a cui Branduardi si è ispirato più volte.
'La lepre nella luna'. Si riferisce ad una delle tante versioni della leggenda buddista del coniglio lunare (o Sasajataka), molto popolare in Estremo Oriente.

'La bella dama senza pietà'. Rimanda ad una poesia di John Keats, a sua volta ispirata ad un componimento di Alain Chartier; la parte finale della melodia di ogni strofa riprende il brano tradizionale inglese Once I had a sweetheart, inciso in seguito dallo stesso autore nell'album Futuro Antico I.

Metropolis - Metropolis (1974, CD, Germany)

Metropolis was a German band in the mid-1970s from West Berlin, initiated by former members of other Berlin bands Tom Hildebrandt (Mythos) and Manfred Opitz and Michael Westphal (Zarathustra). Michael Duwe joined them after returning from the recording of the album Seven Up with Ash Ra Tempel and Timothy Leary. Guitarist Helmut Binzer, who came from the south of Germany, and singer Ute Kannenberg, at that time better known as Tanja Berg in German hit parades ("Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" - German version), completed the band soon after.

For almost a year the band worked hard in their rehearsal room at the "Wrangel Kaserne", former prussian barracks that were transformed into numerous rehearsal rooms in West-Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, composing and arranging the tracks for their first and, as it turned out, only album.


They signed a contract with the German record company Ariola (BMG), and in winter 1973/74 they started recording in Munich’s “Studio 70“, which had been pointed out to them by their friends and colleagues Agitation Free. They were supported by a small but brilliant classical ensemble, directed by Hartmut Westphal, well known German arranger and brother of the band’s bass player Michael.

Clearly influenced by the music of bands like early Genesis, Soft Machine or Van Der Graaf Generator, they experimented with 5/4, 7/4 or 11/4 rhythms and created a music that had symphonic- as well as psychedelic parts, jazzy influences combined with total free experimental sounds, driving-aggressive rock voices or folksong style harmony vocals, a pretty unusual mixture at that time.
Their lyrics, written in English, were in general a criticism of the state of civilization and ecology, with occasional romantic influences. (The front cover of their album shows a seemingly intact landscape that gets threatened by a monster that develops out of polluted air). Shortly after album and single were released in early summer 1974 Ute Kannenberg and Helmut Binzer left the band.

But Metropolis went on, playing concerts in Berlin and West-Germany (Germany was still divided..) and working on a new programme. Based on the story “Kaleidoscope“ of Ray Bradbury’s “Illustrated Man“ they created a multi media show that had its premiere on Christmas Eve 1975 at Berlin’s Kant Kino. The light show was created by Metropolis' roady and technician Alf Heuer with slides, liquid gel projections, film, stroboscope, spot lights and fog machines. A so-called "scent show" with the help of electric cooking plates was added. Along with new compositions they also played their version of Mr. Spaceman, the song already being recorded and meant to be their new single. But after a last open air concert in the summer of 1976 the band finally split. All members started different new projects

The album was recorded in the heavy winter 1973/ 74 while the first oil crisis took place. With their equipment loaded into their Mercedes 319 band bus the band went from Berlin to Munich on a nearly empty highway, because for weekends special permission was needed to be allowed to drive the German Autobahn. Also to print the records vinyl was needed, made of oil, and at some point it was questioned if the record company would get sufficient supplies to actually go on with this project. Fortunately for the band they did.

“Why this German band remains overlooked is beyond my imagination.“ Quote: Drago Museveni on “Cun Cun Na Ma“

Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Birth (5:30)
2. Metropolis (9:56)
3. Superplastikclub (4:24)
4. Dreamweaver (6:30)
5. Glass Roofed Courts (4:52)
6. Ecliptic (9:41)

Total Time: 40:53

Line-up / Musicians
- Ute Kannenberg / vocals, percussion
- Thomas Hildebrand / drums, percussion, choir
- Helmut Binzer / guitars, choir
- Manfred Opitz / keyboards, vocals, acoustic guitar
- Michael Westphal / bass, choir
- Michael Duwe / vocals, guitar

guest musicians:
- Heinz Loch / flute
- Guiseppe Solera / oboe
- Hartmut Westphal / string & brass arrangements

Ex Vitae ‎– Mandarine (1978, LP, France)

Ex Vitae are at the peak of the French jazzy progressive rock genre, recalling such luminaries as Moving Gelatine Plates and Ma Banlieue Flasque. The complex counterpoint rhythms, fuzz guitar, flute, violin, the "je ne sais quoi" attitude. Repost!

Side A
A1 Vice-Versa (6:15)
A2 Saxophonie (15:25)
Side B
B1 Gavarnie (10:28)
B2 Mandarine (9:42)

Musicians:
Jean Lars: basse
Jacques Lars: guitare électrique
Jean-Michel Philippe: guitares
Loulou Marlaud: sax, clarinette basse, flûte
Marc Millon: batterie, percussions, vibraphone
Alain Labarsouque: violon
René-Marc Bini: claviers
Maison des Élèves de l’École des Mines de Saint-Étienne. La future élite grise et fantomatique des multinationales déjà anonymes et bientôt insatiables, erre mollement dans les couloirs réverbérants de ces lieux sinistres et sans âme où sont parqués entre eux les cerveaux de la nation à venir (la même que celle d’avant, mais en plus chiadé). Je me demande déjà depuis un moment ce que je peux bien faire là. Mais je n’ai manifestement pas, à cette époque, encore répondu à la question. Ce sera pour plus tard.

En attendant, heureusement que je ne vais pas aux cours et qu’il y a un petit box avec un piano. Je reste enfermé des heures à improviser seul dans ces 4 mètres carrés. De temps à autres je m’aperçois que quelqu’un est entré et écoute depuis longtemps. Ce qui finit par créer des liens. Parmi eux, Jean-Michel qui joue dans un groupe à Limoges : Ex Vitae. Je finirai par me joindre à ces sympathiques campagnards neo-post-babacool dont nous qualifions nous-mêmes la musique de free-jazz-rock-de-chambre (je vous laisse juge).

Tous les week-ends je me joins (!) à eux, je me tape mes 335 km de routes de montagne, chronométrés svp (il fallait bien se défouler de toutes ces tensions, merci de ne pas me dénoncer à la police, par les temps qui courent il est bon de préciser), avec ma petite Autobianchi dans laquelle je sanglais les instruments (pour lesquels je m’était saigné) de façon qu’ils ne s’écrasent pas lors d’une quelconque glissade…

Le tout se terminait au chateau de Ligoure, très beau mais assez délabré (et où ça caillait à mort l’hiver). De bons souvenirs néanmoins, malgré une musique quand même un peu compliquée à écouter (et à faire aussi, c’était un peu le but je crois, mais c’est un autre débat). René-Marc Bini

October 01, 2017

Austin Roberts & Advent ‎– Eight Days (A Personal Journey) (1976, LP, Usa)

Peter Vermeersch ‎– De Oplosbare Vis (1995, CD, Belgium)

De Oplosbare Vis (The Soluble Fish) is an opera with a text by Josse De Pauw, based on text fragments of Witold Gombrowicz. The music was written and performed by Peter Vermeersch. It was played in 1994 by theatre company Walpurgis, who also released the cd.

Peter Vermeersch - De oplosbare vis
A music/theatre production Recorded at studio Caraibes, Brussels, april 1995

Performed by the Ensemble Walpurgis with:
Judith Vindevogel: Soprano
Charles Van Tassel: Barytone
Dirk Descheemaeker: Clarinet, Bassclarinet & Mouth-harp
Jan Kuijken: Cello
Yutake Oya: Piano & Organ
Georges van Dam: Violin
Peter Vermeersch: Clarinet & Percussion
Pierre Vervloesem: Guitar & Percussion
Ryszard Turbiasz: Spoken voice

Produced by Peter Vermeersch and Pierre Vervloesem
Risultati immagini per peter vermeersch de oplosbare
Peter Vermeersch (born 1959 in Waregem) is a Belgian composer, clarinet player and producer.
He is a main character in several Belgian bands such as X-Legged Sally, A Group and the Flat Earth Society. His compositions, balancing between classical, jazz and pop music, are often commissioned for or used by modern dance companies.
As a producer he helped to form the first album of Belgium's most prominent indie band dEUS. As such, he is one of the godfathers of the Belgian music scene.

Early career
Vermeersch' formal training include architecture and urbanization, and a modern art course. He soon got involved with music and started composing. In the eighties and early nineties, Vermeersch was part of the post-modern classical ensembles Union and Maximalist!and composed and performed music for dance productions by Rosas and Ultima Vez. He was also a member of the Simpletones and Kamagurka en the Vlaamse Primitieven. Among his first official compositions is part of the music for the dance production Rosas danst Rosas (1983).

Bands
Because Vermeersch soon grew tired of the constraints imposed by sheet music, he started his own ensemble X-Legged Sally. In a way, XLS was the last Belgian prog-rock band. In another way, it was the first band of the new Belgian scene. Many X-Legged Sally compositions were originally soundtracks to dance performances. X-Legged Sally split up in 1997.
Out of the ashes of X-Legged Sally sprung A Group, who have released two CDs and are currently inactive. A Group mixes the creativity of X-Legged Sally with pure and simple pop tunes.
Currently Peter Vermeersch' main project is the Flat Earth Society, a big band that mixes the rich Belgian brass band (HaFaBra) tradition with characteristic topsy-turvy creativity.

Compositions
As a composer, Peter Vermeersch has his own place among the long list of contemporary Belgian composers, although, due to his lack of formal training and his involvement with pop music, he doesn't necessarily fit in with the likes of Wim Henderickx, Luc Brewaeys or Boudewijn Buckinx.
From his early career, Peter Vermeersch has composed music for modern dance productions of renowned Belgian companies such as Rosas and Ultima Vez. Other pieces were composed to accompany theatre plays, such as Josse De Pauw's Weg.
Some of the songs of X-Legged Sally have been published as sheet music and performed by contemporary classical ensembles. Apart from these, various ensembles have commissioned compositions, such as a string quartet for Walpurgis and the tone poem 's Nachts brede opklaringen for the Spiegel Strijkkwartet.
Major compositions include the oratoria or mini-operas Music Hall on poems by Paul van Ostaijen for Prima la Musica, The Soluble Fish and Charms on poems by Daniil Kharms, both for Walpurgis. The grand big-band opera Heliogabal was written for the Ruhr Triennale and performed by the Flat Earth Society.
In 2004 he was appointed 'town composer' of Ghent, a position he used to compose a song for the carillon and for the Gentse Feesten (performed by Kamagurka).

Yog Sothoth ‎– Yog Sothoth (1984, LP, France)

From the land of MAGMA, VORTEX and ART ZOYD, comes YOG SOTHOTH, revisiting classic styled jazz and giving it a darkened treatment baptized in the new music stylisms. YOG SOTHOTH owes inspiration to the above mentioned bands, though giving a lighter, more playful approach to their grim, outwardly treatment of jazz or classical music.
The album opener "Nekrosis", sets the mood in a jazzy Rock In Opposition style that evolves into a playful be-bop to conclude in an early VORTEX gone electronic twist. "Maint Reve Vesperal" that closes the first side is a creepy UNIVERS ZERO turning free jazz hybrid that ends in a calming respite. All second side is taken by the crescendo of "Fou: L' Art Noir" shifting endlessly from MAGMAoid intensity, to jazzy outbursts of pure controlled chaos, then to introspective ART ZOYD influenced progressivisms and all with a unique French sense of humor. A fresh and vital potpourri of eclecticism. MS

Side A
A1 Nekrosis 17:40 
A2 Maint Rêve Vesperal Brûlé Par Le Phenix (Impro.) 5:00 
Side B
B Fou: L'Art Noir 22:10 

Musicians
Bass – Pierre-Gédéon Monteil
Drums – Olivier Lechien
Keyboards – Jean-Yves Joron
Saxophone, Flute – Philippe Guillot
Trombone – Mark Sims
Violin – Pascal Morrow
Vocals – Cathy Camilleri

Recorded at Studio Sofreson, Paris, Mai 1984.
Chaleureux remerciements a Remy Goult et toute l'equipe de Sofreson.

Official DR value