7/4 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Posted January 28, 2009 (edited) Jon Hassell - Power Spot Big There's a new album coming out on ECM. I've been a big Hassell fan for 30 years. There's a new album coming out on ECM. I've been a big Hassell fan for 30 years. Any recommendations on further listening? That's the first Hassell leader-date I've heard. Any of the previous four are great: Aka-Darbari-Java / Magic Realism Dream Theory in Malaya Fourth World vol. 2: Dream Theory In Malaya Fourth World vol. 1: Possible Musics The next two are more like Power Spot. Flash Of The Spirit The Surgeon Of The Nightsky Restores Dead Things By The Power Of Sound Insane funk album: City: Works Of Fiction. Beautiful acoustic album: Fascinoma. Beware of Earthquake Island. http://jonhassell.com/ Edited January 28, 2009 by 7/4 Quote
Aggie87 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Posted January 28, 2009 Thanks for the recommendations, David. I'll have to start checking those out. I've enjoyed what I've heard from Jon so far, including his work with David Sylvian, the Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, and others. He keeps interesting company, for sure! Quote
king ubu Posted January 28, 2009 Report Posted January 28, 2009 The one pictured above, that's the one in ECM's recent Touchstones Series, right? Quote
7/4 Posted January 28, 2009 Author Report Posted January 28, 2009 (edited) The one pictured above, that's the one in ECM's recent Touchstones Series, right? Yeah. He's not usually on ECM. The earlier ones with Eno are pretty adventurous. He was on the original recording of Terry Riley's In C and more... Edited January 28, 2009 by 7/4 Quote
king ubu Posted January 28, 2009 Report Posted January 28, 2009 Wow, that's cool about "In C"! Didn't know about that! Quote
GA Russell Posted January 28, 2009 Report Posted January 28, 2009 Jon Hassell will be touring in February: February 5 - Columbus, OH - Wexner Center February 6 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater February 8 – Philadelphia, PA - Word Café Live February 10 - New York, NY – Zankel Hall February 12 - Minneapolis, MN – Walker Art Center February 13 - Los Angeles, LA - Royce Hall February 14 - Vancouver - Chan Center for the Performing Arts on the tour: Jon HASSELL: Trumpet / Keyboard Peter FREEMAN: Bass / Laptop Jan BANG: Sampler / Live Sampling Dino J.A. DEANE: Sampler / Live Sampling Kheir-Eddine M’KACHICHE: Violin 7/4, don't you live near Philly? Quote
7/4 Posted January 28, 2009 Author Report Posted January 28, 2009 (edited) Closer to NYC. Don't know if I can make it. I heard him at the World Financial Center with Eno mixing about 20 years ago. I sure would like to go to this... February 10 - New York, NY – Zankel Hall He plays NYC the same day the album comes out in the states. Tickets from $35 - $45. dB Edited January 28, 2009 by 7/4 Quote
BFrank Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 I heard him at the World Financial Center with Eno mixing about 20 years ago. I sure would like to go to this... dB I was at that show, too. I don't remember seeing you there, 7/4. Liked the guy for a long time, myself. I have a friend who's going to that show in MN. Quote
Joe G Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 The last Hassell I heard was in the early 90's, when I was into Hearts of Space and Echoes, both of which would feature his music from time to time. I had one CD of his but let it go. Was also listening to a lot of Steve Tibbetts, David Torn, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and electric Miles. Seems so long ago now, but those are fond memories. Quote
randyhersom Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 John DiLiberto was my employer for a week or two, he and Geno Wong opened a short lived import record store in Philly. Nice guy and very knowledgeable. I just haven't happened to have his radio show on except on long driving trips. Quote
7/4 Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Posted January 29, 2009 John DiLiberto was my employer for a week or two, he and Geno Wong opened a short lived import record store in Philly. Nice guy and very knowledgeable. I just haven't happened to have his radio show on except on long driving trips. John Diliberto? Quote
randyhersom Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 I believe he hosted Hearts of Space. Slight hijack. Quote
six string Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 Beautiful acoustic album: Fascinoma I have this one and a couple of the early ones. I listen to Fascinoma a lot more than the others. I like Jacky Terrason's playing on that one. It's interesting to hear him in a different context. Quote
Guest Bill Barton Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 ...Beware of Earthquake Island...http://jonhassell.com/ It's been ages since I've heard that one. Why do you consider it something to steer clear of, 7/4? My (admittedly fuzzy) memories are not terribly positive nor overwhelmingly negative. Quote
WD45 Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 I believe he hosted Hearts of Space. Slight hijack. It is Echoes. Hearts of Space is all Stephen Hill. I have had some interesting conversations with John Diliberto and his wife [they both put Echoes together]. Diliberto was into prog pretty heavy back in the day. He dissed me and my colleague for not having any Magma records. Quote
Chalupa Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 John DiLiberto was my employer for a week or two, he and Geno Wong opened a short lived import record store in Philly. Nice guy and very knowledgeable. I just haven't happened to have his radio show on except on long driving trips. Geno Wong. Now there's a name I haven't heard in years. I was a DJ at WXPN back in the late 80's. Vaguely remember meeting him (and John & Kimberly) a few times at station meetings. Michael Cuscuna used to host a show on WXPN back in the late 60's..... Quote
7/4 Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Posted January 29, 2009 ...Beware of Earthquake Island...http://jonhassell.com/ It's been ages since I've heard that one. Why do you consider it something to steer clear of, 7/4? My (admittedly fuzzy) memories are not terribly positive nor overwhelmingly negative. It wasn't representative of what his other work. Nothing like his first album Vernal Equinox or the albums that came after. Kind of a lame funk record as I remember. Hassell has just the coolest sound. It sounds like he's just blowing through the horn, it really doesn't sound like a trumpet, more like a conch shell. Folks make a big deal about electronic processing (harmonizer), but it's used sparingly. We're really hearing just his horn most of the time. He was one of the first people to really use a sampler in the early '80s. more later, I should listen to those early albums again. Quote
Guest Bill Barton Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 Thanks, 7/4. That sort of jives with my dim recollections of the album... I never had a copy, but the college radio station back-in-the-day did. Quote
bigtiny Posted February 1, 2009 Report Posted February 1, 2009 Beware of Earthquake Island. Strongly disagree here. Just listened to it the other day and it fits quite well within the whole Hassell ouvre. You also forgot to mention 'Dressing for Pleasure' which I consider to be even funkier than 'Citi: Works of Fiction'. bigtiny Quote
bigtiny Posted February 1, 2009 Report Posted February 1, 2009 I believe he hosted Hearts of Space. Slight hijack. It is Echoes. Hearts of Space is all Stephen Hill. I have had some interesting conversations with John Diliberto and his wife [they both put Echoes together]. Diliberto was into prog pretty heavy back in the day. He dissed me and my colleague for not having any Magma records. Udu Wudu!!!! =:-) Got to love the Magma folks! Vander and Bernard Pagnotti! Whew...... bigtiny Quote
GA Russell Posted February 11, 2009 Report Posted February 11, 2009 Jon Hassell's new album is called Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street. That is a line from a favorite poem of his. I used to listen to a lot of music like this thirty years ago. It's been a long time, but I as I recall tracks from Soft Machine Six and Seven and Hugh Hopper's Hopportunity Box and 1984 are along the same lines. It is very spacy, with a very, very slow tempo throughout. Mostly electronic keyboards, with some trumpet on the last three (of ten) tracks. For the entire album, I can't say for sure where the melody ends and the improvisation begins. Maybe this should be considered good new age rather than jazz. It's interesting and pleasant to listen to. If you don't have anything like it, I can recommend it. Quote
7/4 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Report Posted February 11, 2009 Beware of Earthquake Island. Strongly disagree here. Just listened to it the other day and it fits quite well within the whole Hassell ouvre. You also forgot to mention 'Dressing for Pleasure' which I consider to be even funkier than 'Citi: Works of Fiction'. bigtiny I didn't forget anything, I didn't recommend it. Quote
bigtiny Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Jon Hassell's new album is called Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street. That is a line from a favorite poem of his. I used to listen to a lot of music like this thirty years ago. It's been a long time, but I as I recall tracks from Soft Machine Six and Seven and Hugh Hopper's Hopportunity Box and 1984 are along the same lines. It is very spacy, with a very, very slow tempo throughout. Mostly electronic keyboards, with some trumpet on the last three (of ten) tracks. For the entire album, I can't say for sure where the melody ends and the improvisation begins. Maybe this should be considered good new age rather than jazz. It's interesting and pleasant to listen to. If you don't have anything like it, I can recommend it. There's trumpet on ALL tracks. Hassell has a unique way of playing and processes his trumpet electronically. It's nothing like Soft Machine or Hugh Hopper.... bigtiny Quote
bigtiny Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Beware of Earthquake Island. Strongly disagree here. Just listened to it the other day and it fits quite well within the whole Hassell ouvre. You also forgot to mention 'Dressing for Pleasure' which I consider to be even funkier than 'Citi: Works of Fiction'. bigtiny I didn't forget anything, I didn't recommend it. Mea Culpa...... bigtiny Quote
7/4 Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Posted February 15, 2009 (edited) There's trumpet on ALL tracks. Hassell has a unique way of playing and processes his trumpet electronically. See my comments in post 17. edit: listen to Fascinoma if you're confused, that's just his acoustic horn. dB Edited February 15, 2009 by 7/4 Quote
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