Wednesday, 16 September 2015

ODG042-OUI074 : Roland Binet / Dreamprovise

Covert art: A.L.

ODG042-OUI074 : Roland Binet / Dreamprovise

For this impromptu session under the leadership of flutist Roland Binet, Guy Segers (Univers Zero, Uneven Eleven …), his friend and former co-musician at the beginning of the seventies, chose two other musicians whose talent, musicality and adaptation capacity were on a par with the challenge of a totally new and largely improvised music that did not correspond to any known musical concepts (rock, jazz, contemporary, fusion).

Roland Binet’s music, although founded on a multitude of world influences (jazz, classical and contemporary music, Asian scales, atonal and modal music, etc.) tends to free itself from the usual rock and jazz rhythmic and harmonic constraints in order to create a music based on musical ‘moods’, but with a stylistic continuity that centers around the intense way the flute (and saxophone) are played.  His warm sound and vibrato on the flute owes much to jazzman Eric Dolphy and classical flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal.  Although he has taken up the tenor saxophone which he plays in a rather free style, his proficiency on that instrument is not on a par with his nearly professional level on the flute.

Apart from some totally improvised numbers (‘D Rag’ or ‘Kermesse de Village’ for example), each tune had an overall concept with fixed or free harmony, but, basically, 90 % of what you will hear in this recording was improvised on the spot, and, generally – due to the high level of musicality of the members of this impromptu quartet -, one single take was sufficient.  Three compositions by Roland Binet are played solo on the flute with a computerized arrangement, while one single title (‘Naima’) is a flute solo tribute to that great jazzman John Coltrane.  

Musicians:
Roland Binet: flute, tenor saxophone, compositions, head arrangements.
In the past:
He has been playing the flute as his main instrument since 1967; he participated in the recording of a single with a rock/variety group at the end of the sixties. Played less than a year with two future members of Univers Zéro at the beginning of the seventies (Guy Segers and Roger Trigaux) in a quartet called ‘Cubical Sock’. Played a flute solo of 50 minutes of totally improvised music in 1977 at the ‘24 Hours of Communication at the Palais des Beaux-Arts of Brussels’.  He played with the WIM Big Band of Fred van Hove in 1978, and played a flute solo live on the radio in February 1979 during Marc Moulin’s RTBF radio program ‘Bien Dégagé sur les Oreilles’.  After that, during a long period, he concentrated on developing his own musical ideas and composing.
Recent activity:
In 2014, he has recorded and issued a CD of his own solo flute compositions (7 in total) in honor of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust in the Baltic States entitled ‘A Jewish Tragedy; a few hundred copies of which were offered free to the Museum of the Holocaust in Riga/Latvia to give as a present to the interested visitors.  This CD is available on the principal music websites outlets.

Andy Kirk: keyboard, guitar, head arrangements (discography):
Singer, composer, he plays the keyboard, the guitar, writes arrangements.
London-born, he has been living in Belgium (Charleroi Region) since a few years.
In the Past:
From Mexico to the Czech Republic, from the Scandinavian countries to Italy,   Andy Kirk has performed on different international scenes with a variety of groups.  Among these, his main and largest past collaboration has been with the cult group Univers Zero (records and concerts). He has also played with and composed for Albert Delchambre
Recent activity:
- Andy Kirk sings Peter Gabriel
Andy Kirk has sung Peter Gabriel’s songs in public since a number of years.
These form an integral part of his own programs and have been at the source of his own compositions in his solo and group concerts all during his musical journey (cf.: "Andy Kirk & The HEATMAKERS", "FAITH", "KHAZMA") with William DUNKER on the bass.
- Emergent Sea
A "Rock" multifaceted project, this group plays French ‘Chansons’ as well as free music and refers to other musical styles as well.  The repertoire consists of own compositions and rearranged (mainly rock) oldies.

Guy Segers: bass guitar, head arrangements
In the past:
Plays the bass guitar since 1965, 1st recording "Hérésie" with UNIVERS ZERO (1978), the cult group he played 10 years with (concerts all over Europe). Later on, he played with some prestigious groups: WIM BIG BAND (with Albert MANGELSDORF, Peter BROTZMANN, etc.), PRESENT, ART ZOYD, X-LEGGED SALLY, GALILEO'S LEFT WING, Princess Mansia M'BILA, Pierre VERVLOESEM, Tim HODGKINSON (with Dagmar KRAUSE), GUTS, Franck BALESTRACCI, FINNEGANS WAKE, the MORTON FORK GANG, ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE, ACID MOTHERS GURU GURU & GONG (with Daevid ALLEN), Morgan AGREN, Simon STEENSLAND, UNEVEN ELEVEN. 
Recent activity:
- Emergent Sea with, among others, Andy Kirk
- Uneven Eleven an international trio with Makoto Kawabata (Japan) and Charles Hayward (UK).
- Has begun a systematic review and computerized arrangement of all his past compositions since the end of the seventies, which amount to several dozens.

Dirk Wachtelaer: drums, head arrangements (discography):
In the past:
- Has played in different theatrical performances 
- Has toured with  Bill LASWELL, Raul BJÖRKENHEIM, Toshinori KONDO, Trevor WATTS, Zeena PARKINS, Jim O' ROURKE, David TOOP, GALILEO'S LEFT WING, Luc MISHALLE, Pierre BASTIEN, Paul LYTTON, Otomo YOSHIHIDE, Dj GRAZZHOPPA, etc.
Recent activity:
- Vanishing Pictures is his personal project, a mixture of acoustical and electronic approach of the drums with other percussionists from a wide variety of musical horizons.





Digital only releases on the 18th of September 2015.

Trak listing:

1: D Rag
2: Pour Francine
3: Souvenirs du Japon
4: Black Mood
5: Ases Tod
6: Kimigayo
7: Infinity
8: Black and White Kika
9: Kermesse de village
10: To David
11: Wise On
12: Pour Guy
13: Madness
14: Naïma

Itunes, Apple music, Deezer, etc.:


And on Bandcamp:

Wednesday, 2 September 2015

OCD028-ODG041-OUI020 : Marco Bardoscia / Tutti - Solo Contrebasse

Cover art:Philip Dansar & Sara Laé

OCD028-ODG041-OUI020 : Marco Bardoscia / Tutti - Solo Contrebasse

Marco Bardoscia (bio, discography, collaborations and concerts) is one of the most promising Italian double bass player and composer at the moment. 
Born in the Salento area, he was surrounded by music from his earlier age thanks to his grand-father who was an instruments maker and who played guitar and mandoline, delivering serenades on demand in exchange for cheese, wine and olive oil.
During his childhood he listened to all sorts of music, messing with the records collection of his brothers when one day he finally discovered Jazz.
While listening to an album by The Jazz Renegades, he was fascinated by a double bass solo and decided on the spot that one day he would be a contrebasse player and do solo too!
He started with an electric bass, playing blues with his brothers, before joining the academy and learning the double bass, always obsessed by that solo from years ago.
Moving a lot between France and Italy for more learning and a lot of playing until 2009, he now divides his time between Brussels and Italy where he composes and gives concerts.

Tutti is his third album and the first one on which he plays solo.
Loving both jazz music and classical one, he naturally turns his music into a fabulous marriage of traditional jazz playing and avant-garde tunes. 
Except for two covers and one traditional song, this album is completely composed by Marco. 
The double bass is the only instrument used and played without almost any effects and overdubs. Enjoy!

a quick teaser of one of the songs played live with a little surprise at the end: 



Impro 1 video:



Cantatina video:





pics by Gianni Cataldi


Physical and digital release on the 1st of December 2015.

The digital cover is slightly different:


Track listing:

1:   Non smettere mai di pensare al violetto 
2:   Round Midnight 
3:   Mi do 
4:   Paperino 
5:   Mr. Hopkins 
6:   Pregheria 
7:   Paperoga 
8:   L’importanza della carta 
9:   Cantatina 
10: Impro, pt. 1 
11: Alleluja I Love Her So 
12: Impro, pt. 2 
13: Damme nu ricciu 
14: Impro, pt. 3 
15: L’uomo nero di idrusa 

Itunes, Spotify, etc.:

https://bfan.link/tutti

And on Bandcamp:



CD:

Price

Wednesday, 15 July 2015

Summer holidays and digital streamings

Dear all, summer is there and Off will be quiet for the next 7 weeks.
Coming starting September will be a bunch of exciting digital and physical albums, so be ready to discover jazz from Italy, jazz and avant-garde from Belgium (with ex Univers Zero members), doom jazz from Germany, avant pop from Japan and more!
As you all know, streamings have a new member now: Itunes! 
So though you can continue to stream via Spotify, Deezer and now Itunes, I remind you all that streaming brings absolutely NO MONEY to the artists, so whenever you like a song or an album, please download it or buy the real thing.
 Download prices are a bargain generally at Off and physical cds come cheap as well, so if you want to continue to discover new music,please give the label and the artists the possibilities to do so!

Sunday, 28 June 2015

LAS vegas new video : Haku!

Here it is, the latest video from LAS vegas : 'Haku', a song from this wonderfully intriguing
album, featuring Eugene Robinson from Oxbow!

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

ORT014 : Chaos of the Haunted Spire / Book 1


ORT014 : Chaos of the Haunted Spire / Book 1

First release of the trashjazzfreedub improvisation super group fronted by Teun Verbruggen and Andrew Claes.


Teun

Teun first picked up the drums by the age of eight and starting 1999 became one of the most in demand sideman in lots of different bands and musical styles in no time. His search for a personal touch and wanting to explore all possibilities of playing music and drums, his lack of boundaries and styles and trying to find fresh sounds and freedom in collective improvisation made him work (as sideman)with:
Alexi Tuomarila 4tet and Trio
Jef Neve Trio
FES (IPECAC/CRAMMED) Fes did the first part of Mike Patton’s Fantomâs during 10 Europe dates.
VVG trio
Karanova (featuring Hilmar Jensson, Johann Johannssonn from Iceland and Mauro Pawlowski from Belgium), Molo Trio, Jambangle, Rackham, Pascal Schumacher 4tet, “4”, JojoBa, Streams, Silent Song, Jozef Dumoulin Trio,...

He worked as a sideman and leader with musicians such as Paolo Fresu (with Jef Neve trio), Uri Cain (With FES), Erwin Vann, Jean Phillippe Viret, Hilmar Jennson, Ernst Reyseger, Jimi Tenor, Toots Thielemans (with FES), Fred Vanhove, Trevor Dunn, Magic Malik, Shelley Burgon, Andrew d’Angelo, Fred Vanhove, Marc Helias, Giovanni Mirrabassi, Edouard Ferlet, Eric Vloeimans, Benny Lackner, Anton Goudsmidt, Harmen Fraanje, John Watts (Fischer Z), Matts Eilertsen, Michel Hatzi (aka moon),Louis Clavis (with FES), Peter Hertmans, Natalie Lorriers, Diederik Wissels, David Lynx, Bart Defoort, Kris Defoort, Arif Durvesh (Knitting Shawney), Kevin Armstrong (Iggy Pop), Pierre Vervloesem, Bart De Nolf, Manu Hermia, Sal La Rocca, Erik Vermeulen, Antton Walgraeve, Tom Wolf, Monsoon, Pieter Embrechts, Point Zéro, Cesarius Gadzina, Marco Locurcio,jacques Pirroton, Steve Houben, Melanie de Biasio, Toine Thys, Nic Thys, Hein Van de Gein ... Teun goes on tour with some of these bands a lot. 


Andrew

Andrew Claes started playing the classical guitar at the age of 9, adding electric bass a few years later. Upon hearing John Coltrane for the first time, he decides to focus solely on the tenor sax. 
After his studies, he goes for a full-time musical career. His broad musical taste opens doors into a motley variety of groups and ensembles: from BRZZVLL’s electronic jazz fusion, the present-day jazz of Hamster Axis and the one-click Panther, over the psychedelic electronics of Internal sun to STUFF’s futuristic nu-soul.
You can already listen to them live with added musicians on ORT010 and ORT012.
Already released as a cd on Rat Records here.
Digital release on the 24th of June.

Track listing:
1.  Duke Bound by the Ever-changing Marsh
2.  Forgotten Inquisitor That Rules in the Manse and is Immersed in Enchantment
3.  The Grandfather of Perfection and Snares
4.  The Fourth Vermillion King Who Steals Dissolution
5.  Screaming Duke
6.  The Courageous Dark Bodyguard Who Steals the Traitor
7.  Eighth Infernal Sultanna of Enchantments and Magnificence
8.  Third Blasphemous Grandfather That Gambles in the Titanic Pit
9.  The Infamous Wicked Sleeper Who Betrays Fortune
10. Voulge of Bronze
11. Clock of Thunder
12. Perfection of the Purple Temple
13. The Angry Tsar with Eyes of Turquoise Who Abandoned the Ensorceled Citadel
14. The Seventh Wicked Hero of Atrocity and Magnificence
15. Javelin of the Tunnels
16. OK dan


Personnel:
Andrew Chi Claes: Sax , Labtop
Teun Verbruggen: drums Labtop

Pierre Vervloesem : Editing, Mixing and mastering
Nachi : artwork

Thursday, 11 June 2015

ODG039 : Tadash / Shadow of Dreams


ODG039 : Tadash / Shadow of Dreams

Tadash is a sonor manufacture created by Cyrod Iceberg (see ODG038 here) and Clément Malherbe.
Those two French musicians are found of urban sounds which they mix with psychedelic synthesizers, dark Italian melodic curves, new-wave basses, post-punk drums and fantomatic voices.
This album was recorded, mixed and mastered at home between 2012 and 2014.
Balancing between typically pre new-wave pop songs (Commère La Mort) to French pop (Nikon) and French modern new-wave (Un étant donné) to melancholic movie music (Toujours La Même Histoire), ambient (Ailleurs d'en Face) or dark wave folk (Ulo).
At times it remind you of a lot of different bands, genres and periods but at the end they definitively find their self identity behind this wall of sounds which happens to be also a very visual music.
discovery!


Cyrod & Clément

Digital release on the 12th of June 2015.

Track listing:


1: Shadow of Dreams
2: Commère la mort
3: Toujours la même histoire
4: Filature
5: Creuser ta tombe
6: Ulo
7: Interlude
8: Nikon (Exclusive endoctrine)
9: Ailleurs d'en face
10: Little Hope (Ouvrir canal)
11: Théorème en grain
12: Un etant donné

There is also a limited cd edition only available here (see under).



And in Bandcamp:





Prices