antoniodeste

...As an old saying goes, "Those who do not die will meet again," and once again the "cases" of life bring us back here, old (actually, you must be very old now) Dante! Good to see you again! Just thinking about the mountains of laughter and more or less surreal things done in the "golden times" still makes me unable to contain myself... As for Sanremo, I can tell you - as I'm sure you can... uh... imagine... - that I live for all the things that revolve around the bustling world of the Ariston and its colorful and quirky characters, and that this kind of stuff is always at the center of my universe: How could I live without it? Is an Italy without Sanremo even conceivable? Wilson is just a pleasant diversion, but of course the comparison with Morandi and Celentano cannot hold. Jokes aside, I'm really glad to see you here commenting on an author that, as you've rightly commented, I "resist" to very little. Regarding your gastric difficulties due to the timing of the work, I must suggest the aid of an Alka-Seltzer, of course. That is, if it still exists. Dear, indeed dearest regards!

I saw the Shakti project in Venice a year and a half after the publication of this first work, and the live impact, despite the disruptions caused by the autonomists – who managed to interrupt the show – was truly remarkable. I was already a fan of McLaughlin, and never before in this setup could you understand how the step he had taken was the most appropriate at that moment. For a fast and nervous improviser of jazz origins like him, the environment of Indian scales on simple modal harmonic structures was ideal, and never before could you sense how comfortable he felt. The exuberance of "Joy" here is a clear testament to that. With a solid rhythm section and a very young L. Shankar, McLaughlin was sketching out the first possible links of connection between Eastern and Western musical cultures in a marvelous fusion. It’s a shame this magic lasted for only two more albums. A timeless record, absolutely unmissable for fans of the English guitarist.

Well, Franc, if you really want to rediscover the eclecticism of Crosby, you'll find traces of it in the box set "Voyage," released three years ago. It's truly an indispensable and beautiful compendium that complements the figure of this great character. A must-have!

Hello Radioactive, and I wish you good things for this new year as well. What you’re telling me about the Wilsonian business only confirms the idea that when it comes to expressing nice principles in the abstract and taking positions with challenging declarations of intent, it can be relatively "simple." Then, when you get down to the concrete reality of show business, especially in the world of rock, many good intentions go a bit awry. And evidently, Mr. Wilson has not, at least at this point, managed to escape this rule. As for "Still Life (Talking)," I think you’re spot on. It’s a great work, refined, with a tendency to integrate South American sounds (as well as other influences) that further broadens the sonic spectrum of PMG. Personally, I was fortunate enough to experience the album live at its release (Peschiera del Garda 1987), and the live impact was indeed remarkable. Tracks like "Third Wind" or "Minuano" are not written every day… ;-)). But you’ll see that with "Wichita," the horizons are still wonderfully diverse. And we’re talking about a work that came out seven years before this. Let me know what you think. Best regards.

...Rest assured that the feelings are mutual. And there’s nothing surprising about that. I see that you were foolish and...you remain foolish. Bye!

Let me add, connecting to the judgment of "sly", as Radioactive Toy understandably referred to Wilson, that from a musician who has repeatedly launched tirades, curses, and insults against digital publications, the horror of music compressed into audio formats that he deems inferior, and the related transfers to iPod (which in a famous clip on YouTube Wilson literally smashed with a hammer), I certainly wouldn't have expected him to offer downloading from iTunes in MP3. And the sly purist has also skillfully diversified the editions by adding, in their different formats, bits here and there. It seems that his genius has also embarked on a commercial path with a questionable lack of scruples. ;-)

A simple but well-made review, I would say. And you really have to listen to Bass Communion at least once. This EP is a great opportunity ;-)

Thank you, Radioactive. In response, the choice doesn’t seem easy at all. Instinctively, I would suggest “As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls” by the Metheny/Mays duo from '81. And then, despite some rough edges, I would go for “First Circle” from '84. The double live album “Travels” would be an excellent complement to gauge the remarkable dimensions the group was able to find in front of an audience in the early '80s. These are, of course, personal opinions and as such are open to debate. I suppose other good connoisseurs of Metheny here, like Uxo and Omahaceleb or Symbad_bassist, could give you some fascinating alternative opinions. Enjoy listening and have good emotions.

I would add that with all the so-called "krautrock" and the "cosmic couriers" that Wilson must have endured since the 70s, and I mainly refer to the long electronic trips of the early Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze, I have to assume that in Bass Communion, that is the "backstory" and the contemporary reference projected into the present, along with, of course, a pure and admirable desire for healthy experimentation with varying results.

Hello radioactive toy. Bass Communion have always been a tough project and a decidedly challenging experience. There are some cerebrally intense moments in their experiments (but also in IEM) and moments of pure boredom. I repeat, if Wilson could focus more on a smaller number of projects, there would definitely be more opportunities for better concentration (and quality) of ideas, with the possibility of more lucid and direct results. This is always according to my humble opinion...