Electronic Jazz, Part 1: Before the Synthesizer

Episode 13

Electronic Jazz, Part 1: Before the Synthesizer

Playlist:

1. André Hodeir: “Jazz et Jazz” (1960)
2. Terry Riley and Chet Baker, “Music for The Gift,” part 1 (1963).
3. Walter De Maria, “Cricket Music,” 1964, privately released (excerpt).
4. Bob James, “Untitled Tracks” from Explosions, 1965.
5. Rahsaan Roland Kirk, “Slippery, Hippery, Flippery,” from Rip, Rig, and Panic 1965.
6. Bernard Parmegiani, “JazzEx,” 1966.
7. Roger Kellaway, “Spirit Feel,” from the album Spirit Feel, 1967.
8. Frank Zappa, from the album Lumpy Gravy, about nine minutes into side 1, 1968.
9. Barney Wilen, “Auto Jazz: The Tragic Destiny of Lorenzo Bandini,” part 2, 1968.

The Archive Mix includes two additional tracks played at the same time to see what happens. These two additional tracks are additional examples of electronic jazz with tape:

1. Walter De Maria, Ocean Music, privately released, 1968 (excerpt).
2. Barney Wilen, Auto Jazz, part 1, 1968.

Read my book: Electronic and Experimental Music (sixth edition), by Thom Holmes (Routledge 2020).

Read this important paper by George Lewis on improvisation and jazz origins: George E. Lewis, “Improvised Music after 1950: Afrological and Eurological Perspectives,” Black Music Research Journal 16, no. 1 (1996): 93.