Monday, December 17, 2012

drummige cru, 3 - kodwo special

got another massive bunch of suggestions to unload here -- and i really need to get back on track with with my own (still, amazingly, unduplicated by anybody else) - but for starters,  a post dedicated solely to the laser-focused listening of Kodwo Eshun:


Zap Pow, "River"

"Both versions of this are magnificent, I can't, or don't want, to choose between them 
 
 "These productions from 1977 are Lee Perry at his zenith 

"Were drums ever more sibilant and luminous than this?"





Watty Burnett, "Open the Gate"

"More Lee Perry- the drum-kit-at it's most dread, reggae at it's most hallowed" 




The Beatles, "Its All Too Much"

"Astonishing in its splash and thwack. Above all, its chorused beat, as if Ringo has learnt how to clone each impact and is intent on demonstrating his newly born powers"   


 




Morton Feldman, "The King of Denmark", 1962, played by Max Neuhaus

"Feldman said this should be played quiet but I always ignore this and turn the volume right up in order to luxuriate in its gamelan-esque intricacies" 




The Scratch Orchestra, "Paragraph 2" of "The Great Learning", 1971 

"The score calls for the Orchestra to beat cushions with sticks- but you would never know - I imagine the relentless courage of Maoist march into battle  - onward onward 

"Cardew said the Orchestra had to imagine themselves drumming against a waterfall "




Add N to X, "The Black Regent"

"In case anyone missed the point, I recall seeing Add N to X perform this with two drummers - what a glorious rampage" 




Michael Bundt, "The Brain of Oscar Panizza"

"The DNA of 'The Black Regent' is here in this amazing track rock-drum-kit v syncopated- synth death match from 1977"



^^^^^^^^^^^^^

wicked selections -- particularly "River" (which I know and love from a Woebot roots 'n' dub tape from years ago;  it's also on this Pressure Sounds release) and Michael Bundt, who I'd never heard of... what a find that is!