rpk@mit-eddie.UUCP (Robert Krajewski) (05/07/84)
From: rlr@pyuxn.UUCP (Rich Rosen) Date: Thu, 3-May-84 16:55:34 EDT > That's one winning point that jazz will always have over Rock, > Jazz performers always, ALWAYS cut it live before they cut it > into wax. This is a value judgment. It is akin to saying that the only good photographs are "straight" pictures of real things and that processed photos using special photographic effects are not "good". Using the studio as an instrument is a vital part of much of today's truly progressive music, and to denigrate it because "it wasn't performed live" is to miss the point---the vinyl product (PUN!) does not necessarily have to be a pure rendition of a live performance. When the studio is used with jazz, the results can be very interested, although perhaps not very pleasing to the purists. Material, on the Elektra/Musician label in the United States, has made challenging music which combines studio effects that are often culled from new wave and the avant-garde together with a style of composition that is closest to jazz. They are a very plastic unit who also work with many other artists. (An unofficial discography appears at the end of this article.) One purist, a Mr. Oscar Peterson, *has* moved with the times, at east in terms of keyboard technology. Ever hear of the Synclavier, a digital synth put out by New England Digital ? Well, he is one of the three musical lecturers at one of its next seminars -- along with Pat Metheny and Laurie Anderson. Material Discography: Bill Laswell: bass, radio, tapes, synth Michael Beinhorn: Synth, percussion Martin Bisi: Sound, synare Frequent guests on the more avant-garde stuff include Billy Bang, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Fred Frith (of course), and Olu Dara. Under the Material name: * Temporary Music (Celluloid/OAO, France) Somewhat punkier and less jazzy than their later stuff, with simpler song structure. * American Songs (Celluloid/OAO, France) Haven't heard this yet; locally it's an import cut-out EP. * Memory Serves (Elektra/Musician) The definitive Material album. * One Down (Elektra) A commercial funk album with Material touches. Guests include Nona Hendryx, Tony Thompson, Nile Rodgers, and Archie Shepp. Production: * Nona Hendryx (last two albums) The ``Bustin' Out'' single was Material's first outside production job. * Herbie Hancock: Future Shock (Columbia) In my opinion, it's the best commercial-aimed stuff he has put out: the funk is lean and aggressive. * Grandmixer DST: (Celluloid/Island) Scratch mixer who appeared on ``Rockit'' * Yellowman: ``Strong Me Strong'' (Columbia, 12" single) The very popular reggae toaster's first American major-label release. Side Projects: * Bill Laswell: Basslines (Elektra/Musician) Basically a Material album. * Massacre: Killing Time (Celluloid/OAO) Laswell, Fred Frith, and the drummer from the Voidoids (the name escapes me). Grating but interesting update of the power-trio concept. * Golden Paliminos (Celluloid/OAO) Bizarreness to dance to with Anton Fier, Arto Lindsay, and the usual crowd from NYC. * Laurie Anderson (Warner Brothers) Bill Laswell had a hand in most of the non-``United States'' stuff from this album. * Praxis: 1984 (Celluloid, 12" single) This seems to be Laswell and a few friends, but you really can't tell from the sleeve. It's very heavy drum-sound dance record with modulated radio and tape stuff thrown on top to give it a somewhat humourous and somewhat ominous flavor. I think Material is also involved in the next Peter Gabriel album, too. -- ``Bob'' (Robert P. Krajewski) ARPA: RpK@MC MIT Local: RpK@OZ UUCP: genradbo!miteddie!rpk or genradbo!miteddie!mitvax!rpk