Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Plays Butch Morris - New York City Artists' Collective [NYCAC 503]





So this is the 3rd tribute posting here for Butch Morris that had just been sitting unpublished for weeks, uploaded and all ready to go - pending saying something vaguely interesting or intelligent about it.
The filehost link is going to expire, so here's the post and nevermind about 'interesting or intelligent'.

Not a jazz record - nor is it really 'compositional' in the sense that the title implies.
Is it 'downtown improv pop'? Someone tell me what to call it cause I don't know.

New York City Artists' Collective was initiated in the mid 1970's by vocalist Ellen Christi and underground drummer Tom Bruno (underground drummer, literally - he spent much of his performing life in the NYC subway system).

Check out the late Tom Bruno - member of TEST with Daniel Carter, Sabir Mateen & Matthew Heyner - here. For some time he resided at 501 Canal Street (NYCAC 'headquarters') with 1970's outsider fellow travellers David S. Ware and Cooper-Moore. Jeanne Lee, Keshavan Maslak, Ray Anderson and drummer Jimmy Hopps amongst other musicians were making use of the rehearsal and/or available living spaces in the building.

Check out the very much alive and underappreciated Ellen Christi at her website-  ellenchristi.com

Juan Quiñones as far as I know, is still playing guitar in NYC . He played with with the NYAC on record again, with the legendary Arthur Rhames, informally and moved away from music altogether at at least one period.
Lefferts Brown was a punky, pretty, synthy experimenter in the mid to late 1980's. By the time he drowned in 2005 he was 'a respected electronic music composer, sound designer and installation artist' with tenure at Long Island University in Brooklyn.
Steve Buchanan is still playing saxophones & guitar in experimental styles and performing. He is very probably this youtube contributor I think.
Of the 2 bass players, Rita Wood and Issac Falu, I know next to nothing . If anyone knows.. ?

Website of the New York City Artists' Collective

Go buy some music of  some unknown musician you vaguely like the sound of.
Or buy the music of anyone mentioned above.

Vale Butch Morris. And Vale Tom Bruno .

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra Note April 11th 2013

My identification of who's who on the cover is
Back Row [left to right] - Juan Quiñones, Isaac Falu, Rita Wood, Ellen Christi.
Front Row [left to right] - Lefferts Brown, Tom Bruno, Steve Buchanan

For Tom Bruno I meant to add, have a look at this CD release and read Thom Jurek's cogent summation - http://eremite.com/album/mte-22 . For ten dollars, it's an absurdly cheap buy.

I mentioned Ellen Christi's website. If you're of the vinyl persuasion and you enjoy her avant vocal stylings, a good (inexpensive) buy is Christi's Live at Irving Plaza LP. One of the seemingly least loved Soul Note releases (admittedly an uninspiring cover), copies can be found plenty of places for reasonable money. Her band on the record is 'Menage' - co-vocalist Lisa Sokolov with William Parker, Tom Bruno, and piano player Rahn Burton. The audio fidelity ain't great, but the music's real.
If you're not vinyl obsessive, Christi's diverse back catalog of recordings (including Grateful Dead theme records[!]) can be seen summarised here - some of which are still readily available.
I haven't heard, but am wanting to, Reconstruction of a Sound from - I think - 2000. Masahiko Kono's on there, the samples sound intriguing ...



Side 1
1. Beyond
2. Music For the Love of It

Side 2
3. Alexandre at 2
4. The Current and The Feather

Butch Morris    -conductor, arranger, acoustic piano
Ellen Christi    -vocals
Lefferts Brown    -synthesizer
Tom Bruno    -drums
Juan Quiñones    -guitar, harmonica
Steve Buchanan    -alto saxophone
Rita Wood    -electric bass on Music For the Love of It & The Current and The Feather
Issac Falu    -electric bass on Beyond, Alexandre at 2 & Music For the Love of It

Recorded November 19th 1982, NYC

NYCAC 503
1984


18 comments:

serviceton said...

FLAC files, large format cover scans, LP label scan, all the usual shit..

http://www26.zippyshare.com/v/71479707/file.html

gilhodges said...

That's a beautiful thing. Much much appreciated.

Wallofsound said...

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Thank you very much.

Wallofsound said...

There's an interesting post about Tom Bruno here: http://www.freeformfreejazz.com/2013/03/on-underground-omaggio-tom-bruno.html

It's in Portuguese, but here's a GoogleTranslation: http://tinyurl.com/crrqx5m

Anonymous said...

That's quite something! Really crazy and unusual stuff with pretty psychedelic playing as for me and beautiful singing (downtown improv-psych?). "Alexandre at 2" with it's bluesy guitar and unforgettable vocals is a masterpiece! I love it! I love it! I love it!

Thanks very very much for the music and all the usual shit! I'm amazed! No kidding!

Igor

slovenlyeric said...

I was at the Memorial Night for Tom Bruno. It was nice to hear from many people who knew him. including Juan Quiñones who I spoke with for a couple of minutes afterward. Both he and Butch Morris will be much missed. It is nice to see this recording as I did not know about it previously.

Nick said...

Thanks for this. Whenever I try and think of intelligent and interesting things to say about music, I realize that the music is much more eloquent than me.

serviceton said...

Thanks all for comments - greatly appreciated.
If there's interest, could put up also the second New York City Artists' Collective record with Bruno, Christi, Quiñones and bass player John Shea. It's different again in feel and tone. There's also a duet LP with Ellen Chriati and Tom Bruno.

Anonymous said...

Holy God! More stuff from NYCAC and it's members would be of course very welcome!

Igor

SOTISE said...

S,thank you for this, which i finally got round to listening to yesterday..
thoroughly enjoyable!

cast stone columns said...

Million thanks Serviceton for sharing FLAC files. I like the side 2 (The Current and The Feather) very much, xo
- Vinnie

Anonymous said...

i'm still very hoping to see one more from this terrific band)
and thanks again for this one, cause i can't get enough of listening to it!

Igor

serviceton said...

I'll post their other record Igor - it's a different sound again

Calisan said...

Thanks for this unknown rarity! Very interesting stuff!

Anonymous said...

one year later...you can call a dreamer, but i'm still hoping ; )

Igor

DW said...

Thank you. Beautiful piece.

serviceton said...

You're welcome DW. I'm amazed the link is still alive

serviceton said...

A year later, here's a re-up of this

https://mega.nz/#!U08TBZTR!PZa-zNQyOmFhqLFYwNSPukU2D0iMFEoy7QvlxLz5_TU