Month: October 2016
on sarah hennies’ everything else and orienting response
the film works of mauricio kagel
on erik carlson’s piece for 12 violins
on sublime frequencies’ burkina faso box set
photos from john butcher and cepro music’s performance of fixations and the open road – mexico city, october 5th 2016
milford graves quartet, live on french television in 1973
Milford Graves Quartet, Live on French Television (1973)
I’m a huge fan of French Television from the 60’s and 70’s. Some of the greatest visual artifacts of music culture are thanks to its efforts (a few of which, made up my very first post on this blog). Generally speaking, you have to acknowledge that France puts most countries to shame, with regard to its historically generous embrace of the avant-garde. While the majority of the international vanguard labored in the shadows, forced to scramble for scraps, the French documented, archived, recorded, and placed them on TV – offering them new audiences on broad social and cultural scale – preserving them for all of time. Notably, they didn’t just do this for their own. They did it for all of the world. This video is one such case. The thought that anyone would put a performance like this on television, seems shocking today. But there it is, for all to see. I make no mystery of my affection for Milford Graves. His music occupies titanic proportions in my life. He is a force in history of Free-Jazz, and a personality with few parallels. This performance captures his quartet of under-recognized players at the height of its powers – ushering forth a writhing sea of sound. In addition to Graves on percussion and vocals, it features Joe Rigby and Hugh Glover on Sax, with Arthur Williams on Trumpet. I hope you enjoy, and it brings light into your day.
-Bradford Bailey
three tapes from northern spy ( by padang food tigers & sigbjørn apeland, joe westerlund, & horselover fats )
ellen fullman on austin morning magazine in 1985
Ellen Fullman on Austin Morning Magazine (1985)
Oh the things you find online! The convergence of two streams of thought. Texas is a strange and remarkable place, which seems to support avant-garde music in ways you’d never expect, and proof that popular culture’s willingness to engage with unfamiliar sounds and ideas is in decline. It seems shocking and improbable that the wonderful Ellen Fullman would have been invited to perform on a morning television show – but here is, from the archives of 1985. Clocking in at a stunning 10 minutes, a shocking artifact from another time. If you missed my earlier post of films documenting Fullman’s work, you can check it out here.
-Bradford Bailey
The Hum Blog 