Alan Sondheim and Ritual All 770-THE SONGS CD (Fire Museum, PO Box 591754, San Francisco CA 94159 USA)

It's a good thing I lost that ebay auction for the original Riverboat (also home to Robbie Basho) vinyl version of this elusive Alan Sondheim debut album, for if I had somehow won I would've been out a whopping $287.56 (my bid) for a disc that I could have waited five years for to latch onto in digital form. And true I hadda wait a pretty long time to finally lend ear to this legendary at least as far as that Nurse With Wound list goes platter, but really I know that the humongous amount of pasta I saved on an original could have been put to better use. No, not for my very own vibrating butt plug like you would Dave, but towards some of the more useful things in life, like EVEN MORE RECORDS!!!! Now how do you like them bananas?

Not knowing what I was going to be in for, I was anxious to hear just how Sondheim and his Ritual All 770 would have approached their spontaneous leanings in the days before those well-known ESP Disks hit the boards, and strangely enough I find THE SONGS to almost be an amalgamation of those future Ritual All 770 efforts. Longer numbers than on the first, yet just as sparse or as thick as the improvising could get (no synthesizer here though!) with moments of underlying intensity flashing into mad free-for-all. Ruth Ann Hutchinson is on this one doing the same kinda coo-ing vocals as on RITUAL ALL 770 while the rest of the group (exact same line up as RITUAL ALL 770 w/the exception of J. Z. for J. P. on "jazz drums" and June Fellows on additional vocals) are just as free form discordant as ever. And come to think of it, that June Fellows just might BE the very same June Sondheim who does these very strange vocal interjections here which sound very similar to those strange Popeye-like asides on T'OTHER LITTLE TUNE meaning I guess it does help to marry the bandleader in order to get ahead in life! All kidding aside, THE SONGS, unlike the other Ritual efforts, seems more or less like one continuous free-form freakout with Sondheim as usual alternating between a variety of instruments including violin, various guitars and even an early application of the sitar taken to atonal heights George Harrison never coulda dreamed up in his deepest mantra. And it's a kick to hear Sondheim in the midst of a blast throw inna little "Yankee Doodle," Jose Greco stomp guitar or da blooze as the rest of the band sounds like the Red Krayola decomposing before your very eyes whilst playing the AACM songbook sideways.

At first I actually found THE SONGS slightly lackluster and hardly on par with the better-known output but a more careful listening session had me oozing into the idiosyncrasies and subtle nuances to the point where I find this brand of improv just as good or even better'n some of the things I've been hearing over the past few years thanks to Dee Pop and his manic vision. It's a must for the "doo wah classic" bin in your household, and even though they hadda cop the master from "the best possible vinyl source available" this don't sound like no swipe from a tire recycling plant either!

FM04

CD, Album

2005

Electronic, Jazz, Rock

Abstract, Experimental, Free Improvisation

Bass - Chris Mattheson
Drums [Jazz] - J.Z.*
Guitar [Electric], Violin, Suling, Xylophone, Saxophone [Alto], Guitar [Classical], Clarinet, Shenai, Recorder [Bass], Mandolin, Oboe [So-na], Guitar [Hawaiian], Koto, Recorder [Sopranino], Percussion [Chimta], Cor Anglais, Sitar, Flute [Bansari], Other [Liner Notes] - Alan Sondheim
Recorded By - Alan Sondheim , Lyle Fain
Tabla, Drums [Dholak, Naquerra] - Barry Sugarman
Trumpet, Cornet - Robert Poholek
Vocals - June Fellows , Ruth Ann Hutchinson

Recorded in March 1967, Providence, R.I.

Originally released on LP by Riverboat Records.

"This work is a single improvised performance in which one of the performers sings "Oratorio On The End Of Illusions", although, in my libretto the words were originally "Oratorio On The End Of Visions". A libretto of eight pages was prepared. The vocalists were not told how to sing it. They could go backward or repeat any section if they wanted to. There was no score. The only instruction given to the instrumentalists was this: no playing behind the koto or classical guitar. I had several rehearsals with each of them, mostly individually. The session lasted through two takes, this is the second. After the master was made, I added reverberation and volume controlling; other than that, all of the music heard here is from the live performance."

Tracklisting:

1 The Songs Pt. 1 (3:58)

2 The Songs Pt. 2 (3:39)

3 The Songs Pt. 3 (4:51)

4 The Songs Pt. 4 (2:20)

5 The Songs Pt. 5 (4:05)

6 The Songs Pt. 6 (6:07)

7 The Songs Pt. 7 (1:15)

8 The Songs Pt. 8 (5:48)

9 The Songs Pt. 9 (2:51)

10 The Songs Pt. 10 (5:28)

Alan Sondheim- 56 (QBICO 56) dark red vinyl, artwork by Alan Sondheim

rec. 2005/06 in NY and LA

A1		Chitara3
A2		Dervish1
A3		Longninetheta
A4		Vlfy
A5		Plantplant
A6		Birdcalls
A7		Pieds8
B1		Fieldphone
B2		F
B3		Ion2
B4		Dervish3
B5		Death1
B6		Chitara6

Cover – Qbico
Photography By [Photos By] – Alan Sondheim

"After releasing two unique LP back in the 60's for the legendary ESP label
with his Ritual All 770 and another one for Riverboat, finally Alan Sondheim
is back ! this is his 1st LP after nearly 35 years and here he plays guitar,
alpine zither, electronics, field recording... as usual he present us an
eclectic mix of fascinating sounds...."

Recorded 2005/2006 in Brooklyn, NY, Santa Ana and Los Angeles, CA.
Thanks to MV.

Alan Sondheim - Ski/nn

Fire Museum Records

24 Dec 2006

Jazz, Rock

Free Jazz, Acoustic, Folk Rock, Experimental

Guitar [1927 Martin Tenor, 19th Century Parlor], Zither [1920s Prime Alpine, 1860s Elegie Alpine], Artwork By [Images], Other [Text] - Alan Sondheim

Limited edition of 500 copies.
Special thanks to Yary Hluchan.

Tracklisting:

1 Take One (4:15)

2 Cithara Two (2:26)

3 1969 (5:06)

4 Death One (5:04)

5 Take Three (2:22)

6 Dervish Two (4:30)

7 GZ (1:23)

8 1971 (4:11)

9 Matsui One (5:10)

10 Take Nine (2:44)

11 Yearn One (5:56)

12 1973 (3:54)

13 Zold Four (2:08)

14 Take Ten (4:13)

15 Matsui Two (4:28)

16 Yearn Two (2:36)

17 Baby's Bounce (3:59)

18 Death Three (2:23)

19 Take Twenty One (8:42)

Guitar [1927 Martin Tenor, 19th Century Parlor], Zither [1920s Prime Alpine, 1860s Elegie Alpine], Artwork By [Images], Other [Text] – Alan Sondheim

Limited edition of 500 copies.

Special thanks to Yary Hluchan.

Fire Museum Records – FM07

Alan Sondheim And Myk Freedman – Julu Twine

1	Track A	5:18
2	Track G	3:39
3	Track N Banjo Solo	4:14
4	Track B	4:38
5	Track M Lap Steel Solo	3:45
6	Track C	6:40
7	Track D	1:28
8	Track E	4:01
9	Track I Di Giorgio Classical Guitar Solo 1	3:13
10	Track K	3:04
11	Track H	4:56
12	Track I Di Giorgio Classical Guitar Solo 2	2:58
13	Track F

rtwork, Layout, Mixed By [Audio Mixing] – Luke Mosling
Music By [Improvisations By], Classical Guitar [1949 Digiorgio Classic Guitar], Acoustic Guitar [1910-20 Parlor Guitar], Tenor Banjo [1920 Tenor Banjo], Zither [1870 Neuner & Hornsteiner Elegie Alpine Zither], Zither [1930 Prime Alpine Zither] – Alan Sondheim
Music By [Improvisations By], Lap Steel Guitar [Lap Steel] – Myk Freedman
Photography By [Photos By], Liner Notes – Alan Sondheim
Recorded By, Engineer – Aaron Nevezie

Recorded at Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, NY

Alan Sondheim – Boojum

1		Boojum 1
2		Boojum 2
3		Boojum 10
4		Tiger
5		Cluster 4
6		Mifflin
7		Ossi Oswalda
8		Hot

Boojum was our cat, who died recently at 18, and is missed terribly. Most tracks are recorded mono directly from a Yamaha keyboard output. This is the 'pure' sounding of the machine; there's no stereo enhancement or graphic equalization. I determine the state of the machine, that's called playing it. The accompaniment is automated but its figuration is not. The keyboard is touch-sensitive, but as you know, touch on an acoustic keyboard translates not only into volume, but also harmonic structures and envelope. Here touch is volume only. Note that all playing is live.

Think of the real. Track 8 is recorded live on the same keyboard acoustically; you can hear breathing, key and nail sounds, and so forth. The recording is stereo. Here the machine gives way to the periphery of the human player One might place this configuration in the symbolic.

The Cluster track is recorded from a very large Beowulf computer cluster which generates considerable electromagnetic radiation in the radio spectrum. These are recorded acoustically from a Realistic Patrolman SW-60 radio slowly tuned across various SW, VHF, and UHF bands. This is the sound of the machine in air, transformed into audio signals within the range of human hearing. Machine-states and machine exist in the imaginary. Emanents exist within and without the machine..

Think of the true world in all its glory.

For Boojum. – Alan Sondheim

Majmua Music – mm 9 CD-R

artist: Alan Sondheim
title: Voice Studies
label: My Dance The Skull
catNo: VS012
format: Cassette

あのESPの67年怪盤Ritual-All-7-70で知られるAlan Sondheimの新録音源。
Dylan NyoukisやThurston Moore、Jaap Blonkらを出版してきた英カセットレーベルMy Dance The SkullのVoice Studiesシリーズ最新作。声を素材にしつつも、不明瞭な電子音や環境音?を溶解コラージュ化した強力な1本になっている。
2013年作品

dominion of striations, vocalizations, spews, and vocalizations ? and these can occur in any form, writing, tributes, determining vocalization, perfectly in the voice of azure, sub-vocalization or knot, perfectly in the voice of alan, sub-vocalization or knot.

vocalisations becomes paramount, i’d add the prerequisites of walking and talking, subvocalizations dominion of striations, vocalizations, spews, and vocalizations ? and these can occur in any form, writing, dominion of striations, vocalizations, electronics, vocalizations/song as body indices, breath/rattling/string and skysphere removal and new sphere, new vocalizations, new grit, new organs impacted by the exertions of the movement, the vocalizations were laced with spews, and vocalizations ? and these can occur in any form, listen -

Alan Sondheim

Biography

Alan Sondheim was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in English from Brown University. He lives with his partner, Azure Carter, in Brooklyn, New York.

His works

Sondheim's books include the anthology Being on Line: Net Subjectivity (Lusitania, 1996), Disorders of the Real (Station Hill, 1988), .echo (alt-X digital arts, 2001), Vel (Blazevox, 2004-5), Sophia (Writers Forum, 2004) and The Wayward (Salt Publishing, 2004), as well as numerous other chapbooks, ebooks, and articles. Sondheim has long been associated with the Trace online writing community, and was their second virtual-writer-in-residence. His video and filmwork have been widely shown.

Sondheim co-moderates several email lists, including Cybermind, Cyberculture and Wryting. Since 1994, he has been working on the "Internet Text," a continuous meditation on philosophy, psychology, language, body, and virtuality. His artwork can also be found within Second Life.

Sondheim is the developer of the concept of codework^[2], wherein computer code itself becomes a medium for artistic expression.

As of mid-2009, Sondheim is working on a book examining the phenomenology and foundations of the analog and digital, and another on developing an aesthetics of virtual realities and avatars. His current areas of exploration include: the aesthetics of virtual environments and installations; mapping techniques using motion capture and 3D laser scanners; Buddhist philosophy and its relation to avatars and online environments; and experimental choreography.^[3]

Discography

Alan Sondheim/Ritual All 770 - The Songs (Riverboat 03) USA 1967 /reissue Fire Museum Records (FMR04) USA 2005
Alan Sondheim - Ritual-All-7-70 (ESP 1048) USA 1967
Alan Sondheim - T'Other Little Tune (ESP 1082) USA 1968
Alan Sondheim - Ski/nn (Fire Museum Records FMR 07) USA 2006
Alan Sondheim - Fifty-Six (Qbico 056) Italy 2006
Alan Sondheim - Boojum (Majmua Music MM 9) USA 2008