Monday, January 11, 2010

X75 Volume 1 - Henry Threadgill [Arista / Novus AN3013]


Largely composed, and very very Threadgill.  Those that have heard his music might not be surprised to hear the 'heavy on the basses', 'heavy on the flutes' sonorities going on here.  This doesn't 'get right up and swing' - not is it a free jazz workout.
Maybe it's not a jazz record. But with Joseph Jarman, Douglas Ewart, Amina Claudine Myers, Fred Hopkins, Rufus Reid - hmm...
Got pentatonic folk music, contrapuntal flute and bass charts, wordless wonderful vocals from Amina Claudine Myers. Got soul, got straight 4/4 against swing-time, got naive-on-purpose saxophone soloing.  Very damn nearly got Amazing Grace - plus, -later on - a bass section working some section work with the 4th member of the bass choir soloing above. Then the flute-section...
Got Fe Fi Fo Fum - the last track and a quietly extraordinary piece of music.

There was a 'Volume 2' recorded, but never released.
Forthcoming though - is this Threadgill box from Mosaic http://www.mosaicrecords.com/genres.asp?dept=50  - which will include this LP posted here as well as the unreleased "X75 Volume 2".
And the 3 Arista Air Lp's, and the 3 Novus records under his own name - 'You Know the Number', 'Rag, Bush and All', and 'Easily Slip Into Another World'. These are great records. This box also promises to contain the 3 Columbia Threadgill albums from the 90's, 'Carry The Day', 'Makin’ A Move' and 'Where’s Your Cup'.
Download this lp here and listen if you don't have it. If you dig it, there's a real and present chance you need this music in this box-set. In fact, you definitely do.
I do not plan to buy it on the day it's released - I've never liked to seem too eager.
I'll be waiting until the next day.



Threadgill is a great creative musician - listen to this (or anything else of his you can find). His latest - 'This Brings Us To..' was released in 2009 and should be widely available.Threadgill enthusiasts (and vinyl rarity collectors) may want to save up their lawnmowing money for a copy of the vinyl-only 'Pop Start The Tape, Stop'. No it's not listed by allmusic.com - but that really doesn't mean it dont exist.    ( http://www.hardedge.tv/menu.html ).
Quite different to this one here, with lots of beautiful hubkaphone playing - HT's own instrument consisting of a range of tuned vehicle hubcaps.
X75 isn't particularly rare, and has been blogged as mp3s before. It has been out of print though for a long while now - and perhaps makes a nice 'taster' for the forthcoming Threadgill box set...For those that haven't heard X75 Volume 1 - hope you enjoy.

13 comments:

serviceton said...

MP3 -at 320kbps

http://rapidshare.com/files/333679291/X75_HT_320kbps.rar

1009 said...

First I heard of the Threadgill set, which is very exciting. Thanks for this swell rip; the one I had was not so hot. Haven't listened in a while, though, so I don't have much reflection to offer on the music just yet.

1009 said...
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Bombshelter Slim said...

You're right, if someone hasn't yet heard this album they definitely need this music. It seems to stand somewhat apart from the rest of the Threadgill discography, I only wish there was going to be a separate release of Vol.2 (been waiting for that since V1 first came out) for those of us who are fortunate to have the balance of the Mosaic set in our collections!!

Bombshelter Slim said...

You're right, if someone hasn't yet heard this album they definitely need this music. It seems to stand somewhat apart from the rest of the Threadgill discography, I only wish there was going to be a separate release of Vol.2 (been waiting for that since V1 first came out) for those of us who are fortunate to have the balance of the Mosaic set in our collections!!

kinabalu said...

Ah, Myers! I've posted a little Myers with Lester Bowie over on IS. I have a gospel-tinged Myers concert somewhere. I'll look it up and give it another listen.

LYM said...

Hi to everyone here!!!
Since Threadgill is one of my favourite contemporary musicians and in my opinion one of the most exciting this record is one of his most astonishing indubtely a masterpiece. It sounds fresh and new and it was really new for those years. A huge original instrumentation and writing make this record one of the most intriguing of alla the '70. Unluckily there has never been a volume two and Arista broke up with Threadgill, this recording was really too new even for the most wide open listeners and critics. LIsten carefully to Celebration: amzing. As someone one said "there are only two kinds of music the good one and the bad one.." this belongs to the first kind no labels or categories. Some times ago I was with a good friend and important musician, at least in Italy, and tried with this one. He only said: "bass strings are out of tune..." This friend of mine is a fine musician but Threadgill was and still is on another level. Since I tried to give a little contribution to the Threadgill discography on the web, I've searched for some time unofficial live recordings and I found a lot of great music never recorded, many times much more original and interesting than the recorded one. I think this is truly Threadgill at his best.
Thanks for Your work!!!
SEE YOU LYM :-)

serviceton said...

Hi lym, - and thanks for dropping by. Most of us have those musicians that we just love madly - I have a fair idea that Threadgill is one of yours. .
I've heard from someone close to Threadgill, that as far as recordings go - it really doesn't matter too much to him - he's not fussed about "committing to tape". If it happens, fine - if not, then not.
'Bass strings out of tune' is a crazy comment, for my money..
I'm seriously hanging out for Vol 2 when it comes out - like Slim, i think it *would* be nice if you could get it separately - but fuck it, i'm already saving up for the set.
Contra to the kind words of 1009 - this is actually a fairly crap rip I reckon (well the record sounds better than these files anyway) - I'm waiting (hoping) to be blown away by a new spruced-up deeper richer fulsome sensual aural experience
But this is an 'odd dog' of a record - these kinds of releases tend to get over-aggrandized as "forgotten works of genius" - or dismissed as aberrations and no good.
I just really like it.

chico picante jr said...

I look forward to listening to this! THanks so much for the intro to this album.

Anonymous said...

Really one of the very great musicians currently active.

Thank you

Vincent said...

Looking for "This brings us to" anyone?

Cheers!

bongomccongo said...

wonderful serviceton. can't wait for the mosaic . thanks

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