Brute Force

Brute Force, a new rocking noise trio from Norway, for your pleasure!

The musicians are Karl Haugland Bjorå (Guitar), Egil Kalman (Bass) and Ole Mofjell (Drums), and their album "Brute Force" was released by Va Fongool on the 25th of April.

The record company describes the music as "brutal improvised avant-garde noise", and I´m adding - with a rock attitude.
Brutal or not, I have to confessthat I slept through half of it the first time I heard it, the reason being to much spring sun I believe, so PLAY LOUD just in case.

You may listen to an excerpt below, lasting almost three minutes (of the total of 28 min).

Cover, mixing and mastering done by Lasse Marhaug.

April Video Festival

Terry Day and the Free improvisation in the UK -Trailer- from whiteemotion on Vimeo.

Jaap Blonk & Philip Jeck perform NOTATIONS (a film by Vicki Bennett) at Cafe Oto - FULL CONCERT from Vicki WFMU on Vimeo.

RADIO PARIS 2013 / Régis Boulard - La Superfolia Armaada from Olivier Mellano on Vimeo.

A collection of some videos I have enjoyed these last weeks, turned into a video festival for you all!
Happy or not, here is mainly what you get: Loads of free jazz and improvisation, some art rock, hot soul and good old rock!

- Chris Corsano (dr) and Mette Rasmussen (sax) performing at Jazzhouse, Copenhagen on the 8th of April, 2014.
- Peter Brötzmann (sax) and Steve Noble (dr) live at Kornspeicher Wels, Austria on the 11th of April, 2014.
- Terry Day and the Free improvisation in the UK - Trailer. Directed by Blanca Regina.
- Jaap Blonk & Philip Jeck perform NOTATIONS (a film by Vicki Bennett) at Cafe Oto (full concert) on the 29th of November, 2013.
- Paal Nilssen-Love and Esa Pietilä Big Orchestra plays "Big Fun" by Esa Pietilä at "Finnish Fun" Festival at Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo, on the 25th of January 2014.
If you want to know ho is playing check "3rd fun" on this site.
- Phil Minton at Sonic Protest on 9th of April, 2014.
- Ingrid Laubrock's XXL at Clemente Soto Velez, on 10th of March, 2014. Musicians named on YouTube.
- Ingrid Laubrock (sax) and William Parker (b) at Arts for Art / Evolving Music, NYC, on the 3rd of March, 2014.
- Ingrid Laubrock (sax) and Mary Halvorson (g) at Clemente Soto Velez, on the 10th of March, 2014.
- La Superfilia Armaada and John Greaves "Radio Paris" Régïs Boulard, on the 23rd of April,2013 - Festival Metis Villetaneuse.
- Mari Kvien Brunvoll, Odda, Norway, in October 2013.
- Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - "People Don't Get What They Deserve" on Jimmy Kimmel Live. From their new album "Give the people what they want" (Daptone 2014).
- The Nightingales - "Dumb and Drummer". From their album "For fuck´s sake" (2014).

At Last I Am Free

You all know Robert Wyatt´s beautiful version of the Chic song "At last I am free" (orig. Rough Trade 7" 1980) of course, and now it´s here again.

Since this is a 100% decent and family friendly blog, I first thought I would keep this a secret, but here we go:
"At last I am free" was released on an album called "LateNightTales" 31 December 2013, and the band behind this collection (Robert Wyatt, Carla Bley & Paul Haines, John Cale, Sonny Sharrock, Yoko Ono etc etc) call themselves *cough* My Penis Is Made Of Dogshit!

Check out the album and the cover art on BandCamp.

Ian James Stewart: Junk DNA (2013)

I missed this one last autumn! OK, I was hospitalized most of the time, but we are talking about a great track with Robert Wyatt singing and playing his horn here!
Listen to "When u love Somebody" on Ian James Stewart´s album "Junk DNA"! Wyatt is also doing backing vocals on the track "No water".

Taken from the product description on amazon.uk:
"Living in Louth Lincolnshire since 1987, i was amazed to find Robert Wyatt living here too, a few years ago he came to a solo gig I was doing and after, we got talking and have been friends ever since, When it came to starting recording "Junk DNA" I asked Robert if he would be interested in doing something on the album, I gave him a cd with some of the demo songs I'd written to have a listen to, he came round to the house a few days later and said "i don't want to colonise your music but I'd really like to sing "When U Love Somebody", so next thing we're recording his vocals and horn on that song and then some background vocals on another track "No Water", it was a real honour and I love what he brought to the songs."

Buy album or tracks from Ian James Stewart´s BandCamp.

No vinyl?

Walter and John

In March I had a post on Ben Watt´s "North Marine Drive", released in 1983 and now available again, and his "Summer into Winter" from 1982.

The video here was recorded at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 14.11.13, where Ben Watt and Bernard Butler did "Walter and John", a track from "Summer into Winter" that originally had Robert Wyatt on piano and vocals.

Portrait of Evan Parker (Silver/Gold)

Portrait of Evan Parker (Silver/Gold) 16mm/B&W/Colour/Sound from neilhenderson on Vimeo.

I have posted this close-up of Evan Parker playing the soprano saxophone before, but it seems to have been on and off the net.

Let´s hope it stays put this time, since it seems like Neil Henderson, who uploaded the video on Vimeo, is the man behind the portrait.

More info on Anglia Ruskin Research Online.

Spring Street Art, Bergen

Red dancers by Argus.
Puzzle by Vest.
Smoker by Yatzy (anyone recognize this fellow?).
Butterfly catcher by Joy.
Sheep (saying "what are you staring at?") by Joy.