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january 20th, 2010
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threads:
free-jazz
harsh-noise
guitar-themed
electro-acoustic-improvisation
live-electronic
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| | | agaric (usa) #ag 1980 cd borbetomagus “sauter, dietrich, miller, doherty (“the white album”)” compact disc - concordat 1 (12:13)
- concordat 2 (5:48)
- concordat 3 (5:19)
- concordat 4 (9:28)
- concordat 5 (7:34)
- lost concordat (7:55)
| 1995 release ; cd version of the 1980 debut album (including a “lost concordat” which remained un-issued until now due to “badly deteriorated master tapes of the session”) from donald miller, don dietrich, and jim sauter’s borbetomagus (here augmented by future they might be giants drummer brian doherty on “live electronics”) ...
the ripples this and subsequent yearly borbetomagus releases sent out into the worlds of noise, free jazz, industrial, live electronics, and general “energy music” are incalculably present every time i sign for a package here at the mms office ; it’s endlessly inspiring that these guys are going strong after 30 years in the trenches, during which their impact has never lessened, their formula never diluted with outside influence ...
to paraphrase jimmy johnson ; no home should be without at least one borbetomagus recording ... or at least the homes that value the development of an ultra-personalized freedom-of-expression spec that, while taking cues from the movements mentioned above, could never rightly be classified solely into any one avenue other than “borbetomagus music” ...
a chronological progression through the band’s recorded oeuvre is recommended over random, stray dips ... this is where to begin ... |
| | in this world of multitude, quantity and excessive consumer saturation, it is hard to even imagine today the enormous impact made by the very first public broadcast of electronic music made in western europe during the years following world war ii.
pierre schaeffer's seminal "musique concrete" was quickly followed by the first tentative works of karlheinz stockhausen, merging a world of transformed "concrete" sounds with one of mechanically "generated" electronic purity. ultimately, this created a unique genre of compositions that would greatly influence future composers, whether their tools were to be tape recorders, sequencers, oscillators and sine wave generators; or jazz oriented live improvisatory sessions with acoustic and non-acoustic instruments, synthesizers and inevitably any object within reach that could be hit, shaken, or enthusiastically abused.
it is unnecessary to mention here all the exponents of this musical vanguard whose work expanded rapidly on a global scale during the ensuing decades. fortunately, they have been recorded on vinyl, and these rare, invaluable discs ought to comprise any decent record collection covering the evolution of this genre.
it is within this "classic" frame of reference that i would like to introduce the the first recording of borbetomagus. this "tight" group of musicians has been playing together for years, but surprisingly, and regrettably, has been enjoyed by audiences at only a few performances scattered here and there throughout the metropolitan area. they deserve for better than that.
this rather unusual but intriguing combination of instrumentalists is able to create what i, after attending a live performance, would like to call a "pollock of sound": a sustained piece of music where unity and performance in its totality is the main objective; and where naturally evolving passages of tranquility still leave ample space for non-excessive individualism, gradually gaining momentum again when members join to ensure climactic high-energy unity-attested to very appropriately by the five titles on the lp.
the "concordant" matters described above are here, freely chosen with a great dose of admirable humor. this sound palette should be fully enjoyed at a high level of amplification to do justice to its very diversified texture and color, which seems to change constantly and gradually, displaying at times a sense of daringly controlled dissonance. when the threshold of acceptability has been surpassed, feedback seems to come into its own, demanding a fascinating ear-shattering tolerance of a soundscape defying standard norms.
the most fascinating aspect of this sound texture is the combination of conventional reed instruments and electric guitar, with high amplification and electronically altered and generated sounds - all performed live, with no pyrotechnic studio wizardry, which seems hard to believe at times.
all five pieces on this disc display a highly variegated approach to the realization of these massive, linearly and spontaneously evolving soundings. soundings that are, paradoxically, more attributable to the musicians' good listening sense than to relentlessly contributing.
borbetomagus has a strong linkage with such revered classic examples as kagel, cage, stockhausen, mev (to name but a few), whose provocative musical field of taboo and permissiveness has not been fully explored on this side of the ocean. keep an eye on this group and its future developments.
may i recommend this piece of vinyl highly to the well-seasoned ear.
henk berkman
cadence, november 1980 |
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