Jon Hassell

Let's talk trumpeters. Eeewwww not trumpeters! The trumpet, not everyones favorite instrument. I mean at times it can make your ears bleed! No not Louis Prima. Not Louis Armstrong. Not even the great Miles! This is about chill (not that Miles couldn't chill) but this is about being a bit further afield of mainstream and that's where Jon Hassell comes in.

Jon Hassell who's "Fourth World" musical concept uses minimalism and electronic manipulation of the trumpet to create some of the most unique and interesting musical landscapes since the late 1960's. He's collaborated with the crème de la crème such as Brian Eno, David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel and the list goes on.

If you're new to Jon Hassell's music listen to Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street released in 2009.The title is taken from a line from a 13th century poem by Jalaluddin Rumi: “Last night the moon came dropping its clothes in the street. I took it as a sign to start singing. Falling up into the bowl of sky.” This album is largely improvised and doesn't exactly fit into any one musical category. It's not jazz and it's not ambient. Experience it for yourself.


Here's another one for you... his most recent release. Listening To Pictures Pentimento Volume One from 2018. You can imagine how hard it is to pickup 4 and especially 5 stars on reviews by the critics. This album has done it and once you listen to it you'll see why. This makes for especially outstanding late night sitting in the dark (with only the stereo lights), sipping wine with a cat on your lap music.


With his extensive discography, we could talk all day about Jon Hassell's music. If you're a Jon Hassell noob, give these a spin then move on down through the rest of his output. You'll be glad you did.

Here's some more for you....


Listen to an excerpt from "Light On Water" by Jon Hassell

China Crisis

One of the best artists to come out of the Liverpool area, China Crisis music runs the full spectrum from experimental to pop. Formed in 1979 and currently a duo of Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon. Past members include Dave Reilly, Gazza Johnson, Brian McNeill, Kevin Wilkinson and yes even Walter Becker of Steely Dan fame.

Kevin Wilkinson also was a member of The League of Gentlemen, The Waterboys and Squeeze. Sadly he died in 1999 at the young age of 41.

Still performing but mostly staying close to home, they released a studio album of new material in 2015, the first since 1994. But, lets talk about the early material, in particular Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms and Working with Fire and Steel. Good examples of the conundrum of China Crisis. Is it pop music or is it experimental... I would say both... experimental pop. Take a listen to "Feel To Be Driven Away" (see below).

Some of the more experimental tracks like "Cucumber Garden" and "Dockland" dont even approach the realm of "pop" while other tracks such as the well known "Arizona Sky" are quite mainstream.

As stated China Crisis is one of the best artists of the era.

See more from China Crisis


Listen to "Feel To Be Driven Away" from China Crisis


I am a cobra
A snake that is
Reluctant to talk
Or live on grass

Passing through electrical fences
Uniform and opposition fade

I travel distance, make my
I make my exit by the tree

I hide behind chairs
Feel driven away
Too smart to answer
Questions, always questions

LFZ

This 2015 release from LFZ makes an excellent contribution to experimentation and minimalism. The almost 25 mins of title track takes you from quiet ambiance of fair winds to a more intense guitar cacophony and then gently lets you back down to the following seas.

A necessary addition to any collector of experimental music.

From Stimulus Progression:
Two 20+ minute long tracks. Fair Winds & Following Seas is a multi-movement piece for electric guitar, some synthesizer, and a plethora of analog and digital effects. It is an instrumental journey through the conceptual phenomena of life and death. Some parts are reminiscent of Fripp & Eno, others Riley-esque minimalism and improvisation with aspects of New Age ambience. The piece culminates in dark and stirring doom riffs without knuckle dragging and sets you down softly via meditative synthesizer tones.

Infinite Regress is another expansive piece, this time for live programmed sequencer, which plays upon rhythmic variable, repetition, analog manipulation, and filtering.

Listen to soundbytes from LFZ

LFZ Fair Winds & Following Seas Infinite Regress

reverse side

Science Fiction

This California duo only has 2 releases. They were privately released and originals are nearly impossible to come by. Terrible Lizards from 1981 is considered an experimental classic.

Secret Agent Man (yes a Johnny Rivers cover tune) from 1980 is the same... extremely rare and difficult to come by. Don't expect this version to be anything like the original. It's definitely unique!

Both of the rarities have been re-issued and are available on 1 cd.

From their label:

“Terrible Lizards” and “Secret Agent Man,” are two inimitable records both privately released in 1981 in criminally limited quantities and the sole output of Northern California duo, Science Fiction. These records have become the stuff of legend, fetching insane prices from collectors and sometimes being so rare as to completely fall through the cracks of experimental and avant pop awareness.

“Terrible Lizards” contains two long form pieces that are at the intersection of Anton Bruckner and Gavin Bryars. The A-side is made up entirely of bleary tape loop manipulations – beautifully meditative musique concrete spaces similar to William Basinski. Side B employs more tape loops, but with a more compositional sensibility. A woman’s voice on loop is accompanied by a plaintive piano improvisation and a fuzzed out guitar solo a-la Eddie Hazel’s psychedelic meditation on Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain.”

Listen to soundbytes from Science Fiction

Science Fiction Terrible Lizards Secret Agent Man

reverse side

Spike

If you like the early to mid 1980's music check Orange Cloud Nine. Dutch home recording master Spike Wolters recorded these tracks between 1980 and 1984. These eclectic tracks will take you back to a time when new artists were coming out of the woodwork.

These tracks are down to earth and NOT overproduced, a problem with many of the releases of the period. Do give this one a listen!



Listen to "The Golden Eye" from Spike Wolters

Spike - Orange Cloud Nine New - factory sealed CD

Reinhold Molitor

Wait! Who?? A German guy of course and a guitar player at that. Reinhold Molitor is the brother of Bodo Molitor. Ahhh of course, stupid me, I should have known....

I would bet you most likely never heard of Reinhold (or his brother Bodo). Now look at the album cover... mmm what could this be all about?

On this album he covers a few Donovan tunes. One of them is "Sun and Foam" which was originally titled "Sand and Foam" from Donovan's "Mellow Yellow" album.

His gravelly rough voice ties in nicely with the roots music he plays. This is a long forgotten gem from 1969. Give it a spin.

Listen to "Sun and Foam" from Reinhold (lyrics below)

Reinhold New - factory sealed CD

The sun was going down behind a tattooed tree And the simple act of an oar's stroke put diamonds in the sea And all because of the phosphorus there in quantity As I dug you diggin' me in Mexico. There in the valley of Scorpio, beneath the cross of jade Smoking on the seashell pipe the gypsies had made We sat and we dreamed a while of smugglers bringing wine In that crystal thought time in Mexico. Sitting in a chair of bamboo, sipping grenadine, Straining my eyes for a surfacing submarine. Kingdoms of ants walk across my feet, I'm a-shakin' in my seat in Mexico. Grasshoppers creaking in the velvet jungle night, Microscopic circles in the fluid of my sight, Watching a black-eyed native girl cut and trim the lamp, Valentino vamp in Mexico. The sun was going down behind a tattooed tree And the simple act of an oar's stroke put diamonds in the sea And all because of the phosphorus there in quantity I dug you diggin' me in Mexico.

Joy Division

"I know someone who works in a record shop where I live and I'll go in there and he'll play me "Have you heard this single?". Singles by, er the group called The Tights, so an obscure thing... and a group called, I think, er Bauhaus, a London group. That's one single. There's no one I completely like that I can say "Well I've got all this person's records. I think he's great" or "This group's records" it's just, again, odd things. " - Ian Curtis

Ian Curtis died at 23 on 18 May 1980 which coincidentally was the same day that Mt. St. Helens erupted with 24 megatons of thermal energy. Out of the ashes of Joy Division arose New Order which went on to become a 1980's and 1990's producer of consistently great albums.

Both Joy Division albums, "Closer (1980)" and "Unknown Pleasures (1979)" have become classics and the original copies extremely collectible. Both have been re-issued in recent years on 180g vinyl with true to the original packaging.

In March 2018 their extended play "An Ideal For Living" sold on Discogs for an astounding $3387 !!

Another interesting item released is the 1980 Komakino flexi disc. I just happen to have an extra copy which I've owned since it was released and you can acquire it for yourself below.


Listen to "The Eternal" from Closer by Joy Division
(lyrics below)

Komakino (flexi disc) new old stock - mint condition flexi disc in plain sleeve

Substance 1987 - New Order (cassette tape) used - very good condition - tested

Procession moves on, the shouting is over, Praise to the glory of loved ones now gone. Talking aloud as they sit round their tables, Scattering flowers washed down by the rain. Stood by the gate at the foot of the garden, Watching them pass like clouds in the sky, Try to cry out in the heat of the moment, Possessed by a fury that burns from inside. Cry like a child, though these years make me older, With children my time is so wastefully spent, A burden to keep, though their inner communion, Accept like a curse an unlucky deal. Played by the gate at the foot of the garden, My view stretches out from the fence to the wall, No words could explain, no actions determine, Just watching the trees and the leaves as they fall.

Lewis

And now from the depths of obscurity... Lewis, also know as... Lewis Baloue... and Randy Duke... and his real name Randall A Wulff.

He recorded a few albums in the 1980's including L'amour in 1983  and Romantic Times in 1985 and then... quickly slipped off into the obscurity. Then... in 2007 a record collector found L'amour at a flea market and started doing some research as well as sharing tracks with friends.

Then a second record collector found Romantic Times and the plot thickened.

Interest in these recordings continued to increase until they were re-issued in 2014, but where was Lewis? Eventually found to be living the quiet life in Canada, he refused the back royalties he was due.

Don't be fooled by the covers and titles. These are 2 very unique and interesting albums. Definitely downbeat and mellow but nothing like what you would expect judging from the cover art, oh and in 2014 an original copy of Romantic Times sold on Ebay for $2000. Imagine that. From a guy few people have ever heard of.


Listen to "Cool Night In Paris" from L'Amour
(I almost expect Leon Redbone to start singing)

L'Amour CD - new factory sealed

Romantic Times CD - new factory sealed

Sixto Rodriquez

Never heard of him? Don't feel bad, many have not but they should. You dig Bob Dylan? Give Sixto a spin. A long lost gem rediscovered. Here's a brief synopsis from Wikipedia....

Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, known professionally as Rodriguez (born July 10, 1942), is an American singer-songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. His career initially proved short lived in the United States, but unknown to Rodriguez his albums became extremely successful and influential in South Africa, where he is believed to have sold more records than Elvis Presley. Because of scarce information about Rodriguez, it was incorrectly rumored there that he had committed suicide shortly after releasing his first album.

He was the sixth child of Mexican immigrant working-class parents. He was named Sixto (pronounced "Seex-toh") because he was their sixth son.

Sixto is still here and finally getting the recognition he deserves!

Like Dylan, Rodriguez delivers powerful lyrics with a clear message. He actually has something to say instead of just fluff!

Listen to "Rich Folks Hoax" from Cold Fact (lyrics below):

Coming From Reality CD - new factory sealed

Cold Fact CD - new factory sealed

more.... Coming From Reality vinyl LP new factory sealed

Cold Fact vinyl LP new factory sealed

The moon is hanging in the purple sky The baby's sleeping while its mother sighs Talking 'bout the rich folks Rich folks have the same jokes And they park in basic places The priest is preaching from a shallow grave He counts his money, then he paints you saved Talking to the young folks Young folks share the same jokes But they meet in older places So don't tell me about your success Nor your recipes for my happiness Smoke in bed I never could digest Those illusions you claim to have going The sun is shining, as it's always done Coffin dust is the fate of everyone Talking 'bout the rich folks The poor create the rich hoax And only late breast-fed fools believe it So don't tell me about your success Nor your recipes for my happiness Smoke in bed I never could digest Those illusions you claim to have going