Memorial Day
Today the US celebrates Memorial Day, officially a day set aside to remember those who died in service to the country. It started after our civil war in 1968, and was originally called Decoration Day, a time to decorate the graves of the war dead. It is also a time to reflect on those we have lost, to place flowers on relative's graves and to recall the spirit and power of their lives.
On this day we at Squidco remember also those who battled the obstinance and resistance to new music ideas, and who have passed in life but who's music remains in spirit. We recall those who changed our ideas about music, like John Cage, Harry Partch. Or Duke Ellington bringing sophisticated jazz music to new levels of ability, integrity, and acceptance. Like John Coltrane, showing us how disciplined jazz music could be. Or Thelonious Monk showing us that melody lived inside unusual approaches and structures in music. And let us recall John Stevens and Derek Bailey who organized and gathered free improvisers into useful collectives that shared members and concepts freely. They are all missed but hardly forgotten.
In particular this year we'll remember Charlie Haden, the great bassist who supported Ornette Coleman's free jazz concepts in the 50s. And we also regret the loss of and remember the innovative contributions of Clark Terry, Kenny Wheeler, Kenny Drew, Idris Muhammad, Paul Horn, Horace Silver, Fred Ho, Wayne Henderson, Roy Campbell, Yusef Lateef, Stan Tracey, Jim Hall, Chico Hamilton, and Orrin Keepnews. Rest in Peace great players, your work here will not be forgotten, and the joy and intelligence you brought to music has spread around the world.
Today we suggest you put on a record from one of these artists — not a digital file, but pull out a vinyl LP or a CD, and think of the pride and dedication that went into that release. These musicians left their mark in cultural objects that will resonate through time. Album covers, liner notes, inner sleeves; these aren't relics, they're the still-living body of musicians who made their mark and spread the power of music.
❦
On this day we also remember the great record stores who influenced Squidco and who still make us endeavor to be the best store possible. Most of those were small stores, stores you never heard of, that brought great music to local communities. In the past, record and book stores were places that people went to in search of entertainment and enlightenment to bring home. People took chances on music that looked interesting because of the artwork, or a connection to some artist they knew. Compilation and various artist releases introduced people to new artists, and people listened and talked about the music they discovered in these stores. So few remain, the ability to shop in NYC and hit 20 or more stores in a 1 mile radius is now gone, with those stores replaced by banks and corporate coffee shops. If you have a local record shop, take a moment to buy an album on the suggestion of the owner, or simply because it looks interesting and you're willing to take a chance on something you've never heard before.
❦
Bringing this remembrance to the current day, we also remember old instruments that are rarely played. The taragato, an older form of the clarinet, has been embraced by the likes of Peter Brotzmann. Pierre-Yves Martel has released album using the viola da gamba, and older form of the viola. Harry Partch's instruments are still performed by Dean Drummond. These beautiful instruments come back to life under masterful hands.
Early electronic instruments are often discussed, and some have remained vital, like the thermin (remarkably we list 39 releases that feature the theremin). Other instruments, for reasons of practicality, are rarely used—they're either too big, have unusual power requirements, or are too fragile or caught in a state of preservation to be seen. Interestingly, this week we added two releases to our catalog that revive early electronic keyboards.
The first is a release by Zeitkratzer leader Reinhold Friedl, who performs on one of the last remaining of 150 Neo-Bechstein amplified Grand Pianos, using unusual recording techniques to find unexpected sonic aspects to the instrument, producing a dark ambient and industrial work of great intensity. The album is titled Golden Quinces, Earthed For Spatialised Neo-Bechstein and was released on the eclectic Polish Bocian label.
The other is the third release from Chris Cutler's Recommended Records label dedicated to the ondes Martenot, an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1928 by cellist Maurice Martenot. In this album, Les Nuages de Magellan, L'Ensembe Volta pays tribute to Spectralist composer Tristan Murail, whose compositions they perform.
❦
SQUIDBAIT
Squidco has been fortunate over the years to have hired a remarkable set of employees from the music and arts community. One of our most dedicated staff members was Levi Erik, who moved to Atlanta to pursue an acting and film industry career. Erik landed a role that has made us incredibly proud, playing Benny Goodman in the recent HBO film Bessie. It's a small part, but considering the musician he represents — an innovative performer who helped bring white and black musicians together — we're happy Erik has pursued his dreams!
Closer to our heart, before leaving Wilmington, Erik also wrote and directed a film, which was produced with the very talented local film production company Obscura Films run by Ryan Lewis. The film is titled Squidbait, and was filmed at Squidco. I have a small walk-on part as the boss, and our space is prominent in the film. You can watch the entire film at the link above, where you can see our store transformed into a swampy jungle (no actual CDs were damaged in the making of the film, but I'm not sure that our cash register will ever be the same!) A little trivia on the day, Obscura Films & Erik raced against the clock to finish by 6:00 the final day of filming to allow for a Tatsuya Nakatani concert. True professionals, all dirt and Spanish moss was eradicated on time for the show.
Upcoming Releases
Upcoming releases we expect in the short term, including new Victo, Ayler, Humbler, Tzadik and CUneiform titles. You can request on our Upcoming Releases page to have us email you when each of the following titles is in stock.
Heberer/Kaufmann/Filiano
Nuscope (CD 1029)
Fred Frith / Evan Parker: Hello, I Must Be Going
Victo (128)
Matthieu Metzger/Sylvain Daniel/Gregoire Galichet: Killing SpreeaylCD-143
Ayler (aylCD-143)
Sylvaine Helary: Spring Roll/Printemps [2 CDs]
Ayler (aylCD-144-145)
Guapo: Obscure Knowledge
Cuneiform (CUN-CD-404)
Rob Mazurek / Exploding Star Orchestra: Galctic Parables: Volume 1 [2 CDs]
Cuneiform (CUN-CD-409)
Djll / Heule / Chandler: Beauty School [CASSETTE]
Humbler ()
Jason: Eckardt Subject
Tzadik (TZA-CD-9006)
Mycale: Gomory: The Book Of Angels Volume 25
Tzadik (TZA-CD-8332)
Samuel: Blaser April Rain
Whirlwind (WHI-CD-4670)
Arrived and In Progress
IN STOCK
(already on the website in our In Stock section.)
Dancing Wayang (DWR 010LP) Courtis, Alan / Aaron Moore: Bring Us Some Honest Food [VINYL]
Black Truffle (BT 015LP) Ambarchi, Oren: Sleepwalker's Conviction [VINYL]
Hi Hat (HH 005CD) Taylor, Cecil Quartet: Michigan State University, April 15th 1976
TAIGA (TAIGA 030LP) Lopez, Francisco: Untitled #300 [VINYL]
Trost Records (TROST 133CD) Zu & Eugene S. Robinson: The Left Hand Path
Audimoer (AUDIOMER 013LP) Onda, Aki w/ Loren Connors & Alan Licht: Lost City [VINYL]
Important Records (IMPREC 425CD) Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.: Benzaiten
Drag City (DC 620CD) O'Rourke, Jim: Simple Songs
Drag City (DC 620LP) O'Rourke, Jim: Simple Songs [VINYL]
Eremite (MTE 063-64LP) Abrams, Joshua: Magnetoception [VINYL]
VA FONGOOL (VAF 014CD) Norstebo / Strid / De Heney: Oslo Wien [2 CDs]
ARRIVED
(should be on the website by midweek after we catch up from the Memorial Day Sale.)
FMR:
Francois Carrier / Michel Lambert: iO
FMR (FMRCD384)
Ola: Djupvik Idiophonics
FMR (FMRCD388)
Paul Dunmall / Tony Bianco: Autumn
FMR (FMRCD392)
Tom Jackson / Benedict Taylor / Daniel Thompson : Hunt At The Brook
FMR (FMRCD389)
Louis Moholo-Moholo / Frode Gjerstad / Nick Stephens / Fred Lonberg-Holm: Distant Groove
FMR (FMRCD385)
The Scrambling Ex (Van Huffel / Willers / Stiedle): The Scrambling Ex
FMR (FMRCD387)
Frode Gjerstad Trio (w/ Paal Nilssen-Love / Jon Rune Strom): Miyazaki
FMR (FMRCD386-0115)
NoBusiness:
Alexander von Schlippenbach / Paul Hubweber / Frank Paul Schubert / Clayton Thomas / Willi Kellers: Intricacies [2 CDs]
NoBusiness (NBCD 74-75)
Convergence Quartet - Taylor Ho Bynum / Alexander Hawkins / Dominic Lash / Harris Eisenstadt: OWL JACKET [VINYL]
NoBusiness (NBLP 84)
Howard Riley: 10.11.12 [VINYL]
NoBusiness (NBLP 85)
Karl Berger / Kirk Knuffke: MOON [2 CDs]
NoBusiness (NBCD 76-77)
Stefan Keune / Dominic Lash / Steve Noble: Fractions [VINYL]
NoBusiness (NBLP 83)
Restocked Releases
The following came back in stock last wek, including titles on FMR, Trost, Sub Rosa, The Thing, Karl Records, and Holiday Records. Here's the full list:
Trevor: Watts Veracity (FMR)
SAKA: Posh?! (FMR)
Derek Bailey / Trevor Watts / John Stevens: Dynamics of the Impromptu (FMR)
Thomas Heberer / Pascal Niggenkemper : Miner's Pick (FMR)
Okkyung: Lee Ghil [VINYL] (Ideologic Organ)
Keiji Haino / Peter Brotzmann / Jim O'Rourke: Two City Blues PT 2 (Trost Records)
Philip: Corner Satie Slowly [2 CDs] (Unseen Worlds)
Various Artists: Institute for Sonology: Early Electronic Music 1959-69 (Sub Rosa)
Fire! Orchestra: Exit! (Rune Grammofon)
David: Shea Rituals (Room40)
William Burroughs S.: In Dub (Conducted by Dub Spencer & Trance Hill) (Echo Beach)
Konitz / Cheek / Furic Leibovici: Jugendstil II (ESP)
Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Arkestra: Sign Of The Myth [VINYL] (Roaratorio)
John: Cage Early Electronic and Tape Music [VINYL] (Sub Rosa)
The Thing With Thurston Moore: Live [VINYL] (The Thing Records)
Zu: Goodnight Civilization [VINYL 12-inch] (Trost Records)
Bernard: Parmegiani De Natura Sonorum [VINYL 2 LPs] (Recollection GRM)
Morton: Subotnick The Wild Bull [VINYL][REISSUE] (KARLRECORDS)
Ghedalia: Tazartes Hysterie Off Music [VINYL] (Holidays Records)
Harry: Partch The World Of Harry Partch [VINYL] (Columbia)
Squid Tech
A quiet technical week going into the holiday weekend, with most of our efforts placed on this weekend's sale.
Happy Memorial Day!
Comments and Feedback:
|
