Searching New York Times yesterday, two new (for me) Robert Wyatt references popped up.
“At last I am Free” is on sci-fi author William Gibson’s playlist (NYT June 11 2008), among tunes by Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen and Drive By Truckers. Gibson says “At Last I Am Free, Robert Wyatt. You either think this is one of the loveliest, saddest, truest, most transcendental things ever recorded, or you don't.”
In a concert review from May 30 2008, on a concert by pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Ben Street and the drummer Jeff Ballard, this is said about them covering “Sea Song”: “More off the musicians' common path was a version of Robert Wyatt's "Sea Song," a weird and moving tune from the early 1970s with strange harmonic shifts and ominous repetition. It worked. Widening the common repertory is a constant back-of-the-head concern for young jazz musicians. Bjork and Radiohead songs have recently become lingua franca on bandstands; Mr. Parks is sharp to think that Mr. Wyatt, the misfit British pop songwriter with a jazz background, could fit in that playlist too. If he's right, he's a step ahead of everyone else”. Check out Aaron Parks on Myspace, and yes, Robert Wyatt is on the list of favorites.
Next week (11 August) Hilde Marie Kjersem releases “A Killer For That Ache” on Rune Grammofon. Our man Wyatt is on her favorite list too.
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