The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music

Sonic Suitcase Edition—Springtime Apparition

Episode 35
Sonic Suitcase Edition—Springtime Apparition
 
Playlist
Springtime Apparition (2021 Holmes) is an original electronic composition that comprises a remixed portion of the recording:
Leopold Stokowski Conducting Members of The NBC Symphony, 'Pastoral' Symphony and Sounds of Nature (1954 RCA Victor Red Seal, mono). This is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, In F, Op. 68 ("Pastoral").
Another recording used for about two minutes of the work is:
Peter Paul Kellogg, Arthur A. Allen, Voices Of The Night­–The Calls Of 34 Frogs And Toads Of The United States And Canada (1953 Cornell University Records).
 
Other electronic sounds and field recordings by Thom Holmes.
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
 

When Synth-Pop Ruled Britannia

Episode 34
 
When Synth-Pop Ruled Britannia
An exploration of synth-pop that was popular in the UK.
Playlist
Space, “Magic Fly” (1977 United Artists). French group led by Didier Marouani (aka Ecama) and Roland Romanelli. Flirted with electronic disco music. 4:18
Giorgio Moroder, “The Chase” (1978 Casablanca). Big synths programmed and played by Moroder. Produced in Germany. An extended play “Casablanca Disco Single.” 13:08
The Normal, “Warm Leatherette” (1978Mute). UK artist Daniel Miller. 3:21
Vice Versa, “New Girls Neutrons” (1979 Neutron Records). Electronic New Wave / Minimal Synth band from Sheffield, UK. Synthesizers, David Sydenham. 2:02
Gary Numan, “Metal” from The Pleasure Principle (1979 Beggar’s Banquet). UK group. Gary Numan on keyboards, synthetic percussion. 3:28
Telex, “Moskow Diskow” from Looking For Saint Tropez (1979 Vogue). This Belgian synth group included Dan Lacksman, Marc Moulin, and Michel Moers. 4:12
Yellow Magic Orchestra, “Rydeen” from X∞Multiplies (1980 A&M Records). Japanese band featuring electronic keyboards, synthesis and processing, Ryuichi Sakamoto; Guitar, Kenji Omura; synthesis programming, Hideki Matsutake; vocals, Chris Mosdell. 4:25
Suicide, “Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne” from Suicide: Alan Vega · Martin Rev (1980 Antilles). UK group. Electronics, Martin Rev; vocals, Alan Vega. 3:18
Yello, “Bostich” from Bostich (1981 Stiff America). Swiss electronic band formed in 1979 in Zürich, Switzerland. Electronics, vocals, Boris Blank; lyrics, vocals, Dieter Meier; tape, Carlos Peron. 4:32
Jon Foxx, “Underpass” (1980 Metal Beat). UK artist. Electronics, John Foxx. 3:21
Visage, “Fade to Grey” (1980 Polydor). UK artist. Produced by Midge Ure (Ultravox). 3:50
The Human League, “Love Action (I Believe in Love)” (1981 A&M). Electronic band from Sheffield, England. Synthesis Philip Oakey. 3:49
Heaven 17, “Play to Win” (1981 Virgin). UK artist. Formed as a side project of the British Electric Foundation (B.E.F.), the production company formed by Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware, after their departure from the The Human League in 1980. 7:26
Soft Cell, “Memorabilia” (1981 Some Bizarre). UK artist. Synthesizer, percussion, David Ball; vocals, percussion, Marc Almond. 4:48
Depeche Mode, “Just Can’t Get Enough” from Speak & Spell (1981 Mute). UK group. English electronic music band formed March 1980 in Basildon, Essex. Lead vocals, Dave Gahan; keyboards, guitar, vocals, Martin Gore; keyboards, Andy Fletcher; keyboards, Vince Clarke. 3:39
Yazoo, “Don’t Go” (1982 Mute). Yazoo was an English Synth-Pop duo from Basildon, Essex. Vocals, Alison Moyet; synthesizers, Vince Clarke. 4:58
Kajagoogoo, “Hang on Now” (1983 EMI). UK group.Lead vocals, Limahl; bass, Nick Beggs; E-bow and guitar, Steve Askew; synthesizers, Stuart Croxford Neale; drums and electronic programming, Jez Strode. 3:38
The Art of Noise, “Moments in Love” (1985 ZTT). UK group. Vocals, Camilla Pilkington; keyboards, Ann Dudley; engineering, Gary Langan; electronics, Fairlight CMI, J.J. Jeczalik; bass, producer, Trevor Horn. 4:32
Propaganda, “Dr. Mabuse” (1984 Island Records). German group.German group from Düsseldorf; formed in 1982 by former Die Krupps keyboarder Ralf Dörper and Andreas Thein. Produced by Trevor Horn. 4:46
Pet Shop Boys, “West End Girls” (1985 Parlophone). UK group. Lead vocals, keyboards, occasional guitar, Neil Tennant; keyboards, occasional vocals, Chris Lowe. 3:58
Bronski Beat, “Smalltown Boy” (1984 Forbidden Fruit). UK group. Keyboardists Steve Bronski, Larry Steinbachek; vocals Jimmy Somerville. 4:59
Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Black Night White Light” from Welcome To The Pleasuredome (1984 ZTT). UK group. Lead vocals, Holly Johnson; backing vocals, Paul Rutherford; guitar, Brian Nash; bass, Mark O'Toole; drums Peter Gill; keyboards, programming, software, J. J. Jeczalik. 4:02
Prefab Sprout, “Appetite” (1985 Kitchenware Records). English pop band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham. This track produced by Thomas Dolby. 3:54
Ivan, “Fotonovela” (1984 CBS). Spanish singer, Juan Carlos Ramos Vaquero; produced by Pedro Vidal. 4:32
A-HA, “The Blue Sky” (1986 Warner Brothers). Norwegian band formed in Oslo in 1982. Lead vocals, Morten Harket; guitar, vocals, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy; keyboards, vocals, Magne Furuholmen. 3:15
 
 
Opening background music: David Bowie, “Subterraneans” from Low (1977 RCA Victor). Vocals, saxophones, guitar, ARP synthesizer, Chamberlin (tape horn and brass, synthetic strings, tape cellos), David Bowie; Minimoog, ARP, EMS Synthi AKS, piano, Chamberlin, other synthesizers, vocals, guitar treatments, synthetics, Brian Eno; rhythm guitar, Carlos Alomar; bass, George Murray; produced by David Bowie, Tony Visconti. 5:38
This list, not the recordings, originally appeared in the February 2018 edition of Classic Pop in an article by Paul Lester. Check it out!
 
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
 

Youseff Yancy--Pioneer of Electronic Jazz

Episode 33
Youseff Yancy--Pioneer of Electronic Jazz  
Part 1
Playlist
Yuseff Lateef, “Sound Wave” from A Flat, G Flat And C (1966 Impulse!). Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Oboe, Theremin, Yusef Lateef; Bass, Reggie Workman; Drums, Roy Brooks; Piano, Hugh Lawson. 4:00.
Dorothy Ashby, “Soul Vibrations” from Afro-Harping (1968 Cadet). Harp, Dorothy Ashby. No other credits are given. Unknown Theremin player. 3:19.
Sunny Murray’s Untouchable Factor, “New York Maze” from Apple Cores (1978 Philly Jazz). Composed by Sunny Murray; Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Theremin and Various Electro-acoustical Sound Manipulating Devices, Youseff Yancy; Alto Saxophone, Arthur Blythe; Baritone Saxophone, Hamiet Bluiett; Bass, Fred Hopkins; Guitar, Monnette Sudler. 18:34.
Sunny Murray’s Untouchable Factor, “Applebluff” from Apple Cores (1978 Philly Jazz). Composed by Sunny Murray; Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Theremin and Various Electro-acoustical Sound Manipulating Devices, Youseff Yancy; Drums, Sonny Brown; Flutes], Whistles, Percussion, Abdul Zahir Batin. 9:10.
Muhal Richard Abrams, “Spihumonesty” (1980 Black Saint). Composer, Piano, Synthesizer, Muhal Richard Abrams; Theremin – Yousef Yancey; Trombone, Sousaphone, Synthesizer, George Lewis; Voice, Jay Clayton; Alto Saxophone, Flute, Roscoe Mitchell; Bass, Leonard Jones; Piano, Electric Piano, Organ, Amina Myers. 6:50.
Muhal Richard Abrams, “Inneroutersight” from Spihumonesty” (1980 Black Saint). Composer, Piano, Synthesizer, Muhal Richard Abrams; Theremin – Yousef Yancey; Trombone, Sousaphone, Synthesizer, George Lewis; Voice, Jay Clayton; Alto Saxophone, Flute, Roscoe Mitchell; Bass, Leonard Jones; Piano, Electric Piano, Organ, Amina Myers. 7:54.
Byard Lancaster, “Blue Nature” from, Documentation The End of a Decade (1980 Bellows). Theremin and trumpet, Youseff Yancy. Recorded in New York in 1979, this is a multi-tracked, solo performance by Yancy on his own composition. One track of straight trumpet, at least one track of electronically modified trumpet, and another track of Theremin. On the liner notes, “B. Lancaster acknowledges the spiritual and education guidance from Youseff Yancy and family.” 2:43.
Garrett List and the A-1 Art Band, “Where We Are” from Various ‎– From The Kitchen Archives - New Music New York 1979 (2004 Orange Mountain Music). Piano, Trombone, Garrett List; Theremin, Trumpet, Youseff Yancy; Soprano Saxophone, Byard Lancaster; Voice, Genie Sherman. Recorded live at The Kitchen, New York City. 8:38.
Opening background music: Garrett List / A-1 Band, “Passions of Miles” from ‎Fire & Ice (1982 Lovely Music). Composed by, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Theremin, Electronics, Youseff Yancy; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute, Byard Lancaster; Drums, Percussion, Ronald Shannon Jackson; Trombone, Piano, Vocals, Garrett List; Vocals, Genie Sherman.
Second background track: Better Daze, “Heavenly Sweetness” from First Flight E.P. (1995 Ubiquity). Acid jazz remix of “Sweetness,” a song that originated on the 1980 album by Byard Lancaster featuring Youseff Yancy and vocalist Joan Hansom.
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
 
 

African American Pioneers of Electronic Music, Part 1

Episode 32
African American Pioneers of Electronic Music
Olly Wilson
Playlist
Olly Wilson, “Cetus” from Electronic Music IV (1967 Turnabout). Composer, electronic realization on tape, Olly Wilson. Realized in the studio for Experimental Music of the University of Illinois. Wilson was the winner of the First International Electronic Music Competition, Dartmouth College, April 5, 1968. The competition was judged by composers Milton Babbitt, Vladimir Ussachevsky, and George Balch Wilson. The winner was awarded a $500 prize. 9:15.
Olly Wilson, “Piano Piece for Piano And Electronic Sound” from Natalie Hinderas Plays Music By Black Composers (1971 Desto). Composer, electronic realization on tape, Olly Wilson; piano, Natalie Hinderas. Electronic sound realized at the Electronic Music Studio of the University of California at Berkeley. No apologetic electronics here. Wilson deftly blends a full range of electronic sounds, from loud and rumbling to delicately wavering, with a piano piece that moves through many of the dynamics of the piano. 10:56.
Olly Wilson, “Akwan, For Piano, Electric Piano, Amplified Strings and Orchestra” from Black Composer’s Series, Akwan/Squares/Visions of Ishwara (1975 Columbia Masterworks). Composer, electronic realization on tape, Olly Wilson; Piano, Electric Piano, Richard Bunger; Baltimore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Freeman. Electronic sound realized at the Electronic Music Studio of the University of California at Berkeley. The word “akwan” comes fromt the Akwan language of West Africa. It means “roads, pathways, opportunities, or directions” (from the liner notes). This large-scale work serves as a kind of conversation between the soloist/orchestra and the electronic sounds. 16.26.
Olly Wilson, “Echoes” from American Contemporary, Fantasy/4 Preludes/Echoes/Automobile (1977 CRI). Composer, electronic realization on tape, Olly Wilson; clarinet, Phillip Rehfeldt. Electronic sound realized at the Electronic Music Studio of the University of California at Berkeley. Close integration and interplay of clarinet and tape sounds. This was a performance piece for which the clarinet was amplified, and the tape sounds were projected on a 4-channel speaker system. 10:37.
Olly Wilson, “Sometimes” from Other Voices (1977 CRI). Composer, electronic realization on tape, Olly Wilson; tenor, William A Brown. Electronic sound realized at the Electronic Music Studio of the University of California at Berkeley. Based on the Black spiritual “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child,” this work evolves through a variety of roles for the voice and tape. Opening with highly modified sounds and distorted electronics (yes, those are beautiful and purposeful distortions you hear as part of the original tape!) the tenor is next featured as a soloist, then the elements are combined and mixed in various combinations for the rest of the work. 17.24.
Opening and background music is excerpted from Olly Wilson, “Expansion III,” William Grant Still, Olly Wilson, Afro American Symphony, Kaintuck,' Dismal Swamp, Expansions III (1997 Centaur Records). Cincinnati Philharmonia Orchestra. Recorded October 29, 1995 at the Great Hall, University of Cincinnati.
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
 
 

Electronic Literature

Episode 31
Electronic Literature
The Marriage of Electronic Music, Poetry, and Literature
 
Playlist
Luciano Berio, "Thema (Omaggio A Joyce)," from Orient-Occident/Momenti-Omaggio A Joyce/Continuo/Transition 1 (1967 Philips). Composed by Luciano Berio at the RAI studio in Milan. Vocals, Cathy Berberian. The piece dates from 1958-59. An exploration of editing and tape composition with the voice as a key source of audio material. This is an interpretative reading of the poem "Sirens" from chapter 11 of the novel Ulysses by James Joyce. This release on the Philips Prospective 21e Siècle is shorter than the one released around the same time on the Turnabout label in America. It omits the spoken sequence at the beginning where Berberian recites the words prior to them being manipulated on tape.
John Cage/David Tudor, "Side 3" excerpt from Indeterminacy: New Aspect of Form in Instrumental And Electronic Music (1959 Folkways). John Cage reads previously prepared stories and anecdotes, David Tudor performs electronic music at the same time with no Earthly connection between the two. This was a long-standing performance practice of theirs and I saw them do this several times.
John Cage, "Part One (To Line 220)" from Roaratorio: An Irish Circus On Finnegans Wake (1992 Mode), excerpt, for speaker, Irish musicians and 62-track tape. Speaker, John Cage. Production: WDR, Köln; Süddeutscher Rundfunk, Stuttgart; Katholieke Radio Omroep, Hilversum; Technical cooperation: IRCAM, Paris. First transmission: 22 October 1979, WDR3-Hörspielstudio. This score is a means for translating any book into a performance without actors, a performance which is both literary and musical or one or the other. In this case, the book was Finnegans Wake by James Joyce. The text of Roaratorio was published separately as Writing for the Second Time Through Finnegans Wake. This was part of the evolution of Cage's interest in creating works of text for performance with music and other activities. It further evolved into his use of texts by Henry David Thoreau for which he used chance processes to derive a text for solo vocal performance.
Shakespeare, excerpt, (1962 Odhams Books Ltd.). BBC radioplay production with musique concrète by Desmond Leslie. King Henry is played by Richard Burton. Electronic music provided on tape for a set of Shakespeare play productions. This short. 2 and a half-minute segment is from Act IV, Scene 3 and gives you an idea of how the sound effects was joined with the dialog. This was a common outlet for electronic music in the UK.
Shackleton, “Music For The Quiet Hour, Part 2,” excerpt, from Music For The Quiet Hour (2012 Woe To The Septic Heart!). Vocals, words (poetry), Vengeance Tenfold; Composer, producer, A. Gerth, K. Biswas, Sam Shackleton. A collaboration between producer Shackleton and vocalist Vengeance Tenfold. Beats, bass and rhythm patterns provide a backdrop for some stark poetry. This is a portion of a longer work that whose overall length is about an hour.
Lily Greenham, “Traffic” from Lingual Music (2007 Paradigm Discs). Reissue of text-sound works made by Danish concrete poet Lily Greenham, probably between 1972-75. Hugh Davies is credited with assisting on the electronics for this work. Voice: Lily Greenham.
Anne Clark, "Swimming" and "An Ordinary Life" from The Sitting Room (1982 Red Flame). Clark is a foremost British poet who fuses her texts with electronic music. This was the first of her albums. Words, Keyboards, Electronic Percussion, Water Percussion, Anne Clark; Guitar, Effects, Voice, Gary Mundy; Keyboards, Domonic Appleton, Patrik Fitzgerald; Keyboards, Electronic Percussion, Andrea Laschetti.
Rick Wakeman, “The Journey,” excerpt, from Journey to the Center of the Earth (1974 A&M). Recorded in concert at The Royal Festival Hall London on Friday January 18th 1974. Synthesizers and other keyboards, Rick Wakeman; Narrator, David Hemmings; drums, Barney James; guitar, Mike Egan; accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Measham.
Alan Parsons Project, "The Raven" from Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe (1976 Charisma). Words from the tale of the same name by Poe. The Harmony Vocoder heard on "The Raven" was invented and built by EMI Central Research Laboratories.Keyboards, Alan Parsons, Andrew Powell, Billy Lyall, Christopher North, Eric Woolfson, Francis Monkman; Composed by Alan Parsons, Andrew Powell, and Eric Woolfson.
Silver Apples, "Dust" from Silver Apples (1968 Kapp). "INSTRUCTIONS: Play Twice Before Listening." Composed and Arranged by Dan Taylor and Simeon; Percussion, Dan Taylor; Oscillators, mixers, electronic gear (The Simeon), Simeon; Vocals, Dan Taylor, Simeon.
Alice Shields, " Study For Voice And Tape" from Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center 1961-1973 (1998 New World Records). Recorded Voice, Buchla synthesizer, poem by Alice Shields.
Ronald Perera, "Three Poems of Gunter Grass," part 1, “Gleisdreieck" from Music And Words (1980 CRI. Ronald Perera, electronic music on tape created in the Smith College Electronic Music Studio; soprano, Elsa Charlston; Conductor, Richard Pittman.
John Hill, "Europa" from Six Moons Of Jupiter (2009 Finders Keepers). Recorded at Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, January-August 1970, but I don't think it was ever released. Uses a Moog Modular synthesizer programmed by Walter Sear. Composed, arranged produced, Moog Modular Synthesizer, Guitar, Bass, Flute, Recorder, Hammond organ, John Hill; Drums, Percussion, Jimmy Valerio; Performer (Poetry), Susan Christie; poetry, Ian Michaels.
Ruth White, "The Clock," "Evening Harmony," "Lover's Wine," Owls," from Flowers of Evil (1969, Limelight). Composer, vocals, electronics (Moog Synthesizer), Ruth White; based on poetry by Charles Baudelaire, translated by Ruth White. Fantastic music from this singular composer who owned a Moog Modular Synthesizer. Her other music was often composed for media, television, and children’s records.
 
 
Archive Mix
In which I play two records at the same time to see what happens. The recordings were:
Lily Greenham, “ABC in Sound” from Lingual Music (1968/2007 Paradigm Discs). Recording from 1968 and includes the words of poet Bob Cobbing.
Arif Mardin, “The Prophet,” excerpt from side 1, from The Prophet (1974 Atlantic). Narrator Richard Harris; keyboards, Bob James, Pat Rebillot, and Ken Bichel (ARP 2600). Poetry by Kahlil Gibran.
 
 
The opening montage consists of excerpts from Milt Gabler and a reading of “The People Yes (Excerpt)” by Carl Sandburg and some saxophone music from Avant Slant (1968 Decca); James Joyce reading “Anna Livia Plurabelle” (1929 The Orthographic Institute); John Cage and David Tudor, Indeterminacy (1959 Folkways); Alice Shields, Dance Piece No. 3 from Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center 1961-1973 (1998 New World Records); Luciano Berio, "Thema (Omaggio A Joyce)," from Electronic Music III (1967 Turnabout);  Anne Clark, "The Sitting Room " from The Sitting Room (1982 Red Flame); Arif Mardin, “The Prophet,” excerpt from The Prophet (1974 Atlantic); Ruth White, "Owls" from Flowers of Evil (1969, Limelight).
 
Background music is excerpted from Shackleton, “Music For The Quiet Hour, Part 2,” from Music For The Quiet Hour (2012 Woe To The Septic Heart!).
 
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
 
 
 

Music of the Body

Episode 30
Music of the Body
 
Playlist
 
The Heart
Orphx, “Biorhythm” from The Living Tissue (2001 Hands Productions). Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey, modular and analog synthesizers, software, location recordings and feedback circuits. Includes the modified sounds of the heartbeat, breath and synthesizer.
The Brain
Alvin Lucier, “Music for Solo Performer” from Music for Solo Performer (1982 Lovely Music). Performance by Pauline Oliveros. Percussion Arrangement, Ron Kuivila; Engineers, Jack Stang, Nicolas Collins; Producer, Alvin Lucier. Recorded January 21-24, 1982 at Nickel Recording, Hartford, CT. Reportedly, the first musical work in history to use brain waves to generate sound (whereas the sonification of brain waves has been around since the 1930s). Composed by Lucier during the winter of 1964-65 and first performed with the help of physicist Edmond Dewan on May 5, 1965. Lucier had the brilliant idea to let the amplified brain wave signals create music through sympathetically vibrating various percussion surfaces and objects through loudspeakers. For this recording, Nic Collins also created a number of voltage-driven solonoids to act as “electric drumsticks” to play various metal instruments and small drums, all controlled by the Alpha waves generated by the brain of the performer.
Pierre Henry, “Levitation” from Mise En Musique Du Corticalart De Roger Lafosse (1971 Philips). Live improvisations recorded Feb. 15-21, 1971 by Pierre Henry from Roger Lafosse's Corticalart device, allowing to transcribe the electric cortex waves in electronic signals for further raw manipulations.
The Human Voice
Orphx, “Mother Tongue” from The Living Tissue (2001 Hands Productions). Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey, modular and analog synthesizers, software, location recordings and feedback circuits. Includes the modified sounds of the human body and voice.
Ben Patterson, “A Fluxus Elegy” (excerpt) from A Fluxus Elegy (2006 Alga Marghen). Limited edition of 345 copies. Patterson, a double bass player, was an original member of the Fluxus movement of the 1960s. This elegy to Fluxus artists consists of the initials of the names of key Fluxus artists, encoded into basic Morse code and then performed using a Yamaha DJX keyboard (voice pattern setting) connected to a Digitech JamMan Looper (over-dub setting) connected to a Eurorack MX 602 mixer.
The Breath, Lungs
Johan Timman, “The Windpipe” and “The Lungs” from Trip Into the Body (1981 Fleet). Composed, performed, recorded, and mixed by Johan Timman. Timman had a massive private studio consisting of Moog synthesizers, some privately made, plus other electronic music instruments. Brands represented include Moog, Oberheim, Roland, EMS, and Synton (vocoder). His was an elaborate analog studio on the eve of the digital revolution.
Roger Waters and Ron Geesin, “Body Transport” from Music From the Body (1970 Harvest). Roger Waters and Ron Geesin, guitars, body sounds, field recordings, tape composition. Geesin was a composer and tape music technician who worked with Pink Floyd on 1970’s Atom Heart Mother. He collaborated with Waters on this set of songs inspired by the human body, the most tuneful of which were used in a 30-minute television production. The rest of the material not used for the TV production included this piece for clapping, vocal and other sounds.
Endoscopy
Teresa Rampazzi, “Musica Endoscopica” (1972/2008 Die Schachtel) in entirety. Teresa Rampazzi was an Italian pianist and composer of electronic music. After meeting John Cage in 1958 she devoted herself to developing electronic music. In 1965 she founded the Gruppo NPS (Nuove Proposte Sonore) in Padua which also experimented with computer music. This is a soundtrack made in 1972 for a documentary film called Gastroscopia. Rampazzi wove the actual sound of “gloomy sound blocks and textures of convulsive rhythms” into electronic works for each stage of the digestive system. The sequence is named after sections of the digestive tract: Fibre Ottiche, Laringe, Stomaco, Esofago, Stomaco, Esofago, Stomaco, Stomaco Più Esofago, Stomaco Operato, Duodeno Normale, Duodeno Patologico, and Papille Di F. E Altro (optical fibres).
 
The Archive Mix—where two tracks are played at the same time to see what happens.
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Nasal Retentive Caliope Music (1968 Verve).
Johan Timman, “Heart” from Trip Into the Body (1981 Fleet). Composed, performed, recorded, and mixed by Johan Timman.
 
Other Notes
Opening track: Roger Waters and Ron Geesin, “Our Song” (excerpt) from Music From the Body (1970 Harvest). Roger Waters and Ron Geesin, guitars, body sounds, field recordings, tape composition.
 
Also heard from time to time, excerpts from Auscultation Of The Heart (1966 London) by J. B. Barlow* & W. A. Pocock, narration by Stephen O'Reilly. A medical reference recording with discussion and examples of various heartbeats and pathologies. “Provided as a service to medical students as a part of the Medical School Program of Warner-Chilcott Laboratories.”
 
I encourage you to pick up a copy of Alvin Lucier’s Music 109: Notes on Experimental Music. This is the most digestible and thoughtful book about the avant garde since Cage’s Silence and it is grounded by Lucier’s real-world experience teaching and mentoring musicians for his many years at Wesleyan.
 
Opening and closing sequences were voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
 

Sitars and Synthesizers

Episode 29
Sitars and Synthesizers
 
Playlist
Vincent Bell With Orchestra, “Quiet Village,” from Pop Goes The Electric Sitar (1967 Decca). The Coral Electric Sitar with chorus and orchestra. Coral electric sitar, Vinnie Bell (its inventor). AKA Vincent Gambella, a popular session player, primarily on guitar.
Big Jim Sullivan, “Flower Power,” from Sitar Beat (1967 Mercury). Sitar and electric guitar, Jim Sullivan.
Ultimate Spinach, “Your Head is Reeling,” from Ultimate Spinach (1968 MGM). Vocals, Lead Guitar, Guitar Feedback, Sitar [Electric], Geoffrey Winthrop. A very brief introduction to this longer track, featuring the Coral Electric Sitar.
Enoch Light And The Light Brigade, “Marrakesh Express,” from ‎Permissive Polyphonics (1970 Project 3 Total Sound). Coral Electric Sitar, Vinnie Bell; Moog Modular Synthesizer, Dick Hyman; Electric Alto Sax, Arnie Lawrence; Bass, Julie Ruggiero; Drums, Billy LaVorgna.
Ami Dang, “Conch and Crow” from Parted Plains (2019 Leaving Records). Sitar, electronics, audio processing, voice, Ami Dang.
Ami Dang, “Souterrain” from Parted Plains (2019 Leaving Records). Sitar, electronics, audio processing, voice, Ami Dang.
Ami Dang, “Simplicity Mind Tool” from Meditations Mixtape Vol.1 (2020 Leaving Records). Sitar, electronics, audio processing, voice, Ami Dang.
Ananda Shankar, “Dance Indra,” from Ananda Shankar (1970 Reprise). Ananda Shankar is not related to Ravi Shankar, the great classical Indian sitar master. Sitar, Ananda Shankar; Keyboards, Moog Modular Synthesizer, Paul Lewinson; Tabla, Pranish Khan; Drums, Joe Pollard, Michael Botts; Bass, Jerry Scheff, Mark Tulin; Guitar, Dick Rosmini, Drake Levin. Trivia, produced by James Lowe and included Mark Tulin on bass, both members of the Electric Prunes from the late Sixties. Paul Lewison was playing a Moog owned by producer Alex Hassilev. Shankar wanted to combine Western and Indian music into a “new form” as he called it. Melodious, touching, combining modern electronics and traditional sitar. I think he succeeded. I have included two striking examples that stray a bit from the pop rock flavor of many of the tracks.
Ananda Shankar, “Raghupati,” from Ananda Shankar (1970 Reprise). Sitar, Ananda Shankar; Keyboards, Moog Modular Synthesizer, Paul Lewinson; Tabla, Pranish Khan; Drums, Joe Pollard, Michael Botts; Bass, Jerry Scheff, Mark Tulin; Guitar, Dick Rosmini, Drake Levin.
Okko Bekker, “East Indian Traffic,” Sitar & Electronics (1970 BASF). Sitar, Moog Modular Synthesizer, Tabla, Okko Bekker; Moog Modular Synthesizer, Simon Alcott (alias of British pop pianist Les Humphries); Flute, Herb Geller; Guitar, Peter Haesslein. Bekker is a Dutch sitarist, keyboardist, and producer. Indian influenced psychedelic music from the days of the Moog Modular, recorded in Germany. This came several years after the Beatles and Stones experimented with the sitar but was an early album to combine the sitar with a Moog modular synthesizer. I have no idea where he learned sitar but I do know whose Moog he used for this recording. The producer Simon Alcott had purchased some Moog modular units in 1970. Alcott is also the alias of Les Humphries. Most of the album consists of cover tunes of rock songs, such as The Beatles. I chose one of bolder Moog tunes.
Okko Bekker, “Delphin, Makarasana,” from Yoga Für Millionen (1978? Maritim). A German album of yoga instruction with musical soloist Bekker playing Sitar, Tabla, Moog Synthesizer, Flute, and Percussion. The narrator is Ulrich Brockmann.
Amon Duul II, “Wie Der Wind Am Ende Einer Strasse” from Wolf City (1972 United Artists). Bass, Lothar Meid; Drums, D. Secundus Fichelscher; Electric Guitar, John Weinzieri; Sitar, Al Sri Al Gromer; Tabla, Pandit Shankar; Tambura, Liz van Neienhoff; Organ, Synthesizer, Falk-U Rogner; Soprano Saxophone, Olaf Kübler; Timpani, Peter Leopold; Violin, Chris Karrer Paul Heyda.
Yves Hayat, “Path to Ascension” from Conversation Between the East and The West (1976 DeWolfe). Composer, sitar, guitars, bass, synthesizers, Yves Hayat; keyboards, vocals, Diane Crisanti. Produced as a record for broadcast libraries.
Cosmology, “Out of the Kiva,” from Cosmology (1977 Vanguard). Sitar, congas, percussion, Collin Walcott; Vocals, Percussion; Dawn Thompson; Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass, Rick Kilburn; Drums, Bells, Bob Jospé; Fender Rhodes, Piano, Oberheim Synthesizer, Armen Donelian; Trombone, Dave Glenn; Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Tin Whistle, Mayan Flute, Flageolet, John D'earth.
Clearlight, “Full Moon Raga,” from Visions (1978 Polydor). Bass, Philippe Melkonian; Grand Piano, ARP Odyssey, Gong, Cyrille Verdeaux; Sitar, Patrick Depaumanou; Minimoog, Luc Plouton; Tabla, Mohamed Taha; Drums, Percussion, Jacky Bouladoux; Electric Guitar, Bottleneck Cosmique, Christian Boule; Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Didier Malherbe; Violin, Bass Violin, Didier Lockwood; Vocals, Gérard Aumont, Gérard Gustin. The fourth album from this French progressive rock group headed by Cyrille Verdeaux on keyboards and ARP Odyssey. I have two recordings of this album. The original from 1978 had much less synthesizer. In 1992 they remixed the LP and added more synthesizer and vocals to the tracks. We are hearing the remixed version.
Electric Universe and Sitarsonic, “Dub Stanza” from Dub Stanza (2020 Sacred Technology). Electric Universe is an ambient electronic musician who teamed up with sitarist and electronic musician Sitarsonic (Paco Rodriguez) to produce this dub-flavored work. Paco is from Greece. Electric Universe is in Belgium.
Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO, “Ziggy Sitar Dust Raga,” from Ziggy Sitar Dust Raga (2003 Important Records). Vocals, Sitar, Cotton Casino; Tambura, Kawabata Makoto; Synthesizer, Higashi Hiroshi; Vocals, Tsuyama Atsushi. A psychedelic, trance-inducing treat from this inventive group of Japanese improvisers.
 
 
 
Thanks to Ami Dang for helping me with this episode. You can explore releases of her music as well as check out her podcast at her website.
Track played during the opening: The Folkswingers Featuring Harihar Rao ‎, “Paint it Black,” Sitar Beat (1966 Fontana). Sitar, Harihar Rao; Organ, Electric Piano, Larry Knechtel; Bass, Bill Pittman; Fender Bass, Lyle Ritz; Drums, Hal Blaine; 12-string Electric Guitar, Dennis Budimir; Guitar, Herb Ellis, Howard Roberts, Tommy Tedesco.
 
Track played during the opening: Lord Sitar, “I Am the Walrus,” from Lord Sitar (1968 Columbia). Sitar, Big Jim Sullivan.
Track played behind the Ami Dang interview: Ami Dang, “Ajooni” from Meditations Mixtape Vol.1 (2020 Leaving Records).
Also from Thom Holmes:
My Book: Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, Routledge 2020.
My Blog: Noise and Notations.

Symphonic Rock with Electronic Keyboards

Episode 28
Symphonic Rock with Electronic Keyboards
 
Playlist
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, “Trilogy” from Trilogy (Island 1972). Keith Emerson, Moog Modular and Minimoog synthesizers, Hammond organ, piano; Carl Palmer, drums; Greg Lake bass, guitar, vocals.
Patrick Moraz, “The Conflict” from Patrick Moraz (1978 Charisma). All instruments played by Patrick Moraz, Djalma Correia and the Percussionists of Rio de Janeiro. Electronic keyboards by Moraz include grand piano, Hammond C3 organ, Minimoog, Polymoog, Oberheim 4- and 8-voice synthesizers (custom), Computron, Yamaha CS80, Micromoog, Mellotron, ARP Pro Soloist.
King Crimson, “Cirkus (Including: Entry Of The Chameleons),” from Lizard (1970 Island). Guitar, Mellotron, EMS VCS 3, electronic devices, Robert Fripp; bass guitar, vocals, Gordon Haskell; cornet, Marc Charig; drums, Andy McCulloch; flute, saxophone, Mel Collins; oboe, cor anglaise, Robin Miller; piano, electric piano, Keith Tippet; trombone,Nick Evans. Listen to the signature sound of the Mellotron in this track.
SFF, “Sundrops” from Symphonic Pictures (1976 Brain). Bass guitar, Mellotron, Heinz Fröhling; drums, percussion, synthesizer (Minimoog), Eduard Schichke; grand piano, Moog String Ensemble, Clavinet, Mellotron, Gerhard Fü Produced by Dieter Dirks. The Mellotron is also outstanding in this track.
Linda Cohen, “Nouveau Riche,” from Lake of Light (1973 Poppy). Classical guitar, Linda Cohen; acoustic guitar, bass, piano, Polytonic Modulator, Jefferson Cain; flute, Stan Slotter; producer, composer, electric guitar, electronic Matrix Drums; modulator, sitar, synthesizer, Craig Anderton; Minimoog, Theremin, Charles Cohen; trumpet, Stan Slotter.
James Newton Howard, “Six B’s” from James Newton Howard (1974 Kama Sutra). Composed, arranged, piano and synthesizers by James Newton Howard; drums, Brie Howard. Film and TV composer in an early solo album. Can you guess the synthesizers? I think he is playing an ARP Odyssey.
The Pink Mice, “Ouvertüre ‘Dichter Und Bauern,’" from In Synthesizer Sound (1973 Europa). Arranged and played by Rainer Hecht.
Seventh Wave, “Sky Scraper” and “Metropolis,” from Things To Come (1973 Gull). Piano, electric piano, Clavinet, ARP, Moog, and EMS synthesizers, Mellotron, glockenspiel, chimes, vocals, Ken Elliott; drums, congas, bongos, bells [sleigh], cymbal [finger, crash], castanets handclaps, claves, xylophone, vibraphone, Kieran O'Connor. An early mashup of many synthesizers.
Symphonic Slam, “Universe” from Symphonic Slam (1976 A&M). Polyphonic Guitar Synthesizer, vocals, Timo Laine; keyboards, backing vocals, David Stone; drums, backing vocals, John Lowery. The fully polyphonic guitar synthesizer developed by Bob Easton, 360 Systems L.A., contained six synthesizers, one for each string.
Alan Parsons Project, “I Robot” from I Robot (1977 Arista). Producer, engineer, guitar, keyboards, Projectron, vocoder, backing vocals, Alan Parsons; executive-producer, keyboards, synthesizer, vocoder, backing vocals, Eric Woolfson; drums, percussion, backing vocals, Stuart Tosh; guitar, backing vocals, Ian Bairnson; keyboards, Duncan Mackay. Chorus: The New Philharmonia Chorus, The English Chorale. The Projectron was a Mellotron-like device built by Alan Parsons. It was a 24-track tape device with each playback channel addressable by a keyboard. Parsons could easily switch-out the sounds for whatever effect he wanted and play them repeatedly as a sound loop.
Alan Parsons Project, “Nucleus” from I Robot (1977 Arista). Producer, engineer, guitar, keyboards, Projectron, vocoder, backing vocals, Alan Parsons; executive-producer, keyboards, synthesizer, vocoder, backing vocals, Eric Woolfson; drums, percussion, backing vocals, Stuart Tosh; guitar, backing vocals, Ian Bairnson; keyboards, Duncan Mackay. Chorus: The New Philharmonia Chorus, The English Chorale.
The Archive Mix included the following two tracks played at the same time:
Symphonic Slam, “Summer Rain” from Symphonic Slam (1976 A&M).
Munich Machine (Giorgio Moroder), “A White Shade of Pale” from A White Shade of Pale (1978 Oasis). Vocals, Chris Bennett; electronics, synthesizers, Giorgio Moroder.
Also from Thom Holmes:
My Book: Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, Routledge 2020.
My Blog: Noise and Notations.
Music used for background in this episode: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, “When The Apple Blossoms Bloom In The Windmills Of Your Mind I'll Be Your Valentine,” from Works (Volume 2) (1977 Atlantic).