Showing posts with label Robert Ashley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Ashley. Show all posts

November 25, 2020

Robert Ashley articles/mentions

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Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs            
Terry Riley ~ A Rainbow In Curved Air   
Pamela Z ~ A Secret Code     
     
     
     
     
     
Robert Ashley w/Buchla 200 - 1975    
photo by Pat Kelly  
 


















20,000 vinyl LPs 254: Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs

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Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs 
vinyl LP front cover 
album design by Victor Diaz/Chic-Art Studio
photo by Rollo Phlecks 
photo of album cover by Styrous®


By all rights this album should go in the “Just the cover, ma’am!” category because I only bought it because of the cover photo. However, it is just too great to limit it to that category.     
 
 
 
Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs 
vinyl LP back cover 
album design by Victor Diaz/Chic-Art Studio
photo by Rollo Phlecks 
photo of album cover by Styrous®
 
 
Joan La Barbara is an American vocalist and composer known for her explorations of non-conventional or "extended" vocal techniques. Considered to be a vocal virtuoso in the field of contemporary music, she is credited with advancing a new vocabulary of vocal sounds including trills, whispers, cries, sighs, inhaled tones, and multiphonics (singing two or more pitches simultaneously).          
 
She has worked with the "Greats" of experimental music, John Cage, Philip Glass in 1978 (Einstein On the Beach), Alvin Lucier, Robert Ashley, Morton Subotnick, Morton Feldman (Three Voices),       
 
 
 
 
Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs 
vinyl LP back cover details
album design by Victor Diaz/Chic-Art Studio
photo by Rollo Phlecks 
detail photos of album cover by Styrous® 
 

 
 
Her career as a composer/performer/soundartist/actor explores the human voice as a multi-faceted instrument expanding traditional boundaries in developing a unique vocabulary of experimental and extended vocal techniques: multiphonics, circular singing, ululation and glottal clicks that have become her "signature sounds, influencing several generations of composers and singers.         
 
 
 
 Joan La Barbara ~ Cathing 
vinyl LP back cover details
detail photos of album cover by Styrous® 
 
 
 

Joan La Barbara ~ Solo for Voice 
vinyl LP back cover details
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®  
 
 
 



Her awards in the U.S. and Europe include: Foundation for Contemporary Arts John Cage Award (2016); NewMusicUSA Project Awards: "The Early Immersive Music of Joan La Barbara" and "Dreams of Water Beyod One’s Depth"; Civitella Ranieri Fellowship (2013); Premio Internazionale "Demetrio Stratos" Per la sperimentazione musicale (2011); the American Music Center Letter of Distinction for her significant contributions to contemporary American Music (2008); Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition (2004); DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program; 7 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships in Music Composition, Opera/Music Theatre, Inter-Arts, Recording (2), Solo Recitalist and Visual Arts; ISCM International Jury Award; Akustische International Competition Award; Aaron Copland Fund for Music; Foundation for Contemporary Arts grants; Collaboration Award of NY Coalition of Professional Women in the Arts and Media Finalist; Meet The Composer, New Music USA and ASCAP Awards.           
 
        



La Barbara has collaborated with artists including Lita Albuquerque, Matthew Barney, Cathey Billian, Melody Sumner Carnahan, Judy Chicago, Ed Emshwiller, Kenneth Goldsmith, Peter Gordon, Christian Marclay, Bruce Nauman, conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner and Steina and Woody Vasulka who founded The Kitchen in 1971.          
    



 




Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs 
vinyl LP, side 1
photo by Styrous® 


Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs 
vinyl LP label, side 1
photo by Styrous® 


Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs 
vinyl LP, side 2
photo by Styrous® 



Joan La Barbara ~ Tape Songs 
vinyl LP label, side 2
photo by Styrous® 

             
Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Cathing - 8:02
A2 - Solo For Voice 45 (From Songbooks), Arranged By [Realized By] – Joan La Barbara, Composed By – John Cage - 13:30

Side 2:

B - Thunder - Electronics – Joan La Barbara, Timpani [Tympani] – Bruce Ditmas, Warren Smith - 22:59

Companies, etc.

    Phonographic Copyright (p) – Chiaroscuro Records
    Recorded At – Downtown Sound Studio, New York

Credits:

    Art Direction – Ron Warwell
    Composed By – Joan La Barbara (tracks: A1, B1)
    Design [Album] – Victor Diaz (2)
    Engineer [Recording] – Gerry Garszva*
    Liner Notes [Mesostic] – John Cage
    Photography – Rollo Phlecks
    Producer – Hank O'Neal, Joan La Barbara
    Voice – Joan La Barbara

Notes:

 Solo For Voice 45 (From Songbooks) composed by John Cage for Joan La Barbara.
Recorded at Downtown Sound November 1977.
 
Barcode and Other Identifiers

Rights Society: ASCAP
 
Joan La Barbara ‎– Tapesongs
Label: Chiaroscuro Records ‎– CR 196
Series: Jazz Band Series –
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: Electronic
Style: Modern Classical, Experimental, Minimal
   
   
   
         
Viewfinder links:        
         
Robert Ashley          
John Cage        
Philip Glass        
Alvin Lucier         
Morton Subotnick        
Pamela Z        
        
Net links:        
         
Joan La Barbara website        
        
YouTube links:        
         
Tapesongs (1977) (complete album)   
         
         
        
        
        
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Sunday, July 19, 2020       
       
















September 4, 2012

20,000 Vinyl LPs 8: Terry Riley - A Rainbow In Curved Air

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I started the Vinyl LP series because I have over 20,000 albums I am selling; each blog entry of the series is about an album from my collection. Inquire for more information.

I remember being very, very, VERY stoned late in 1969 at a friend's house and hearing a piece of music the like of which I'd never heard before. It was rhythmic, fast and seemed to last an eternity. In those days, unless it was a piece of classical music, 18 minutes and 39 seconds was an eternity even if you weren't stoned. Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream and Mike Oldfield hadn't hit the music scene yet with their half-hour long pieces. I was mesmerized and nailed to the spot, whatever spot I was in at that moment; it could have been a bean bag (it had just been invented) but it could have been the floor, I can't recall. But I will never forget the experience of hearing it for the first time.

The music was A Rainbow in Curved Air by Terry Riley from the album of the same name. The next day I rushed out and bought the album (not much of a surprise). It was one of the albums I recorded on tape as I knew I would play it to death, and I did (the tape, not the record which is still pristine).

 (click on any image to see slideshow)
A Rainbow in Curved Air album cover
front cover montage by John Berg
photo of album cover by Styrous®


A Rainbow in Curved Air album cover back
back cover illustration by Virginia Team
photo of album cover back by Styrous®

I kept up with Riley's music career and bought all the music he produced thereafter, In C was his follow up album. I listened to his music for decades then had the incredible luck to see, hear and photograph him in concert exactly 40 years later in 2009 at the Berkeley Art Museum (BAM).

Now I ask: How can anyone be so lucky?




Some background




A Rainbow in Curved Air was the third album by Terry Riley who is an experimental music and classical minimalism pioneer. Through the use of overdubbing, Riley, a keyboard virtuoso, played all the instruments on the title track: electric organ, electric harpsichord (Rock-Si-Chord), dumbec (or goblet drum), and tambourine.

photo by Kevin Hartnell

The album was recorded from 1967 to 1968 and released in 1969. The producer for the album was David Behrman one of the founders of The Sonic Arts Union along with Robert Ashley, David Behrman, Alvin Lucier and Gordon Mumma. These people have worked with music luminaries such as John Cage (his 100th birthday is this month) and David Tudor. The element uniting these divergent individuals, according to David Behrman, was the desire to create pieces "in which established techniques were thrown away and the nature of sound was dealt with from scratch."

The entire 18 minutes and 39 seconds of A Rainbow In Curved Air can be heard on YouTube.

Born in Colfax, California, Riley studied at Shasta College, San Francisco State University, and the San Francisco Conservatory before earning an MA in composition at the University of California, Berkeley, studying with Seymour Shifrin and Robert Erickson. He was involved in the experimental San Francisco Tape Music Center working with Morton Subotnick, Steve Reich, Pauline Oliveros, and Ramon Sender.

My thanks to all these creative people who have given me such pleasure.


The entire collection is for sale. Interested? Contact Styrous®


Styrous® ~ September 4, 2012



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