Playlist, Week of 2018-01-21

I have been particularly drawn to large-ensemble improvisational music for the last 20 or so years, fueled largely by the two CD-length pieces on Alms/Tiergarten (Spree) in Cecil Taylor's mammoth box set In Berlin '88 and by various Anthony Braxton compositions for large ensemble like Composition 96 and those on Eugene (1989)... some of the most invigorating and inspiring music in this area is the work by the Globe Unity Orchestra... standard disclaimers apply on the (sort of tired) teasing out of what's "composed" and what's "improvised"... what interests me is how various sub-groups and individuals alter and contrast textures and timbres against a backdrop of often free, unstructured rhythm... of course this activity is interesting with smaller groups as well (I experience this frequently myself, with New Ting Ting Loft), but I love the possibilities of how it can play out with a big group... my recent explorations of Barry Guy's music have been quite fruitful in this regard... Got a pile of super-cheap classical CDs at the library book sale, so I'll be working my way through them... Will get back deeper into Threadgill-land in a couple of weeks... Still absorbing the way-out music Rodger Coleman and I recorded in December... massive walls o' sound...

Playlist, Week of 2018-01-22:

*Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1-4 (German Bach Soloists)
*Berg: Violin Concerto/Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht (BBC Symphony Orchestra)
*Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony (BBC National Orchestra of Wales)
*Schubert: "Death and the Maiden" and "Rosamunde" Quartets (Endellion String Quartet)
*AMM: AMMMusic 1966
*Daniel Barbiero/Cristiano Bocci: Non-Places
*Anthony Braxton Quartet: Live at Moers Festival (sides 1, 2)
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2017-12-27 Nashville (wav)
*John Coltrane: The Major Works of John Coltrane (disc 2)
*Tomas Fujiwara: Triple Double
*Globe Unity Orchestra: Globe Unity ‘67 & ‘70
*Hutcherson, Bobby. Stick-Up!
*Music Improvisation Company: Music Improvisation Company
*Cecil Taylor: Conquistador!
*Deerhoof: Mountain Moves
*Bob Dylan: The 1966 Live Recordings (discs 25, 26, 27)
*Fable: 1978-09-25 Hopewell, VA (CDR)
*Oh Sees: Orc
*Tito Puente: The Complete 78s: Vol 3 (disc 2)
*Tito Puente: The Complete 78s: Vol. 4 (disc 1)
*Radiohead: OK Computer
*Frank Sinatra: In the Wee Small Hours
*Various artists: Eccentric Soul: The Deep City Label
*Various artists: Eccentric Soul: The Young Disciples
*Various artists: Nu Yorica! Culture Clash in New York City: Experiments in Latin Music 1970-77 (disc 2)
*XTC: Skylarking (The Surround Sound Series) (disc 2) (selections)
*Yes: 1975-02-16 Philadelphia (CDR) (disc 2)