Label: CNLF - CNLF-1
Format: Vinyl
Country: US
Released: 1988

Dennis Charles -  Drums, African Hand Drum, Indian Bells, Cymbals
Sue Ann Harkey - Prepared 12 String Guitar, Percussion, Train Whistle
Sharon Gannon - Words, Vocals, Violin Echo-plex, Tibetan Bells, Indian Ankle Bells
David Life - Sarengi, African Lyre, Steel Drums
Don Cherry - Pocket Trumpet, Doussn' Gouni, Berimbau, Flutes and Whistles

A1 - Paracelsus Paradigm    
A2 - Is This A Bridge Exactly?    
A3 - Gajananam    
B1 - Liberation From Samsara    
B2 - Neti-Neti    
B3 - Fading Green

Recorded on Mothers Day 1987 at Harold Dessau Studio, NYC.
Direct Metal Mastering at Europadisc NYC Hannukah 1987.

About Audio Letter:
The Past... In 1979, long before Seattle was known for Cobain and Cornell, vocalist/violinist Sharon Gannon and guitarist Sue Ann Harkey formed, as Gannon describes it, "a stream-of-consciousness experiment" which they dubbed Audio Letter. Although other musicians would drift in and out of their orbit, the duo remained a constant as their experimental nature allowed Gannon to incorporate her interests in alchemy, meditation, and Eastern philosophy into their work.

Relocating to New York in 1983, Gannon and Harkey became fixtures in the downtown experimental and world music scene, finding fellow musicians such as John Zorn, Fred Firth and Ikue More to be kindred spirits. Audio Letter's wholly improvised gigs in East Village venues like Life Cafe and 8BC attracted a growing number of fans including legendary jazz trumpeter Don Cherry, drummer Denis Charles, and artist/musician David Life. Collaborations with Cherry, Charles, and Life resulted in It Is This, It Is Not This, Audio Letter's first album, released in 1987.

The album garnered enthusiastic critical acclaim in the underground music world exemplified by future Rolling Stone critic Ann Powers who, then writing for The Rocket, described it as a "philosophical and musical stew different than any other aural communication in Seattle." However, the world had not yet awakened from the Reagan years and Audio Letter disbanded in 1988. Gannon and Harkey simply waited for the times to catch up to them

Heinz Wollny, bass, percussion
Butch Morris, cornet, percussion
Dennis Charles, drums, percussion
Frank Wollny, guitar, bass, percussion
A.R. Penck, piano, flute, drums
Frank Lowe, saxophone, percussion
Billy Bang, violin, flute, drums, percussion


LPs 1-4 from the 6 albums  listed on the rear cover, 5-6 are unreleased.

Konzept Raum Alptraum

A.R. Penck's private label 16-19

Vinyl Rip

Wilber Morris / David Murray / Dennis Charles: Wilber Force 　　　　
DIW 809

Wilber Morris (b)
David Murray (ts 1-4 6,bcl 5)
Dennis Charles (d)

1. Randy (Wilver Morris) 12:55
2. P.C.O.P. #1 (Wilver Morris) 10:00
3. Miss Mack (Wilver Morris) 9:05
4. West Indian Folk Song (Dennis Charles) 8:40
5. Afro-Amer. Ind (Wilver Morris) 10:20
6. P.C.O.P. #2 (Wilver Morris) 11:35 　

Recorded live at February 6, 1983 at Kwame, NYC

This seems to be the second recording for Wilber Morris’ sometime bass-drums-sax trio. This one features the young (but long-time Morris associate) David Murray, and recent partner in rhythm (but fixture of the New York scene) Dennis Charles. Morris and Murray were both part of the tide of West Coast musicians setting up in New York in the mid 1970s to play in the loft scene, while Charles had been the powerhouse behind some of the key experimental musicians of New York’s avant guard since the early 1950s.

I bought this as part of my obsessive David Murray collecting, but it is now far from a completists addition. The bassist is clearly the leader here, composing all the themes with short names ( West Indian Folk Song is Charles’), and giving all the numbers their drive and shape. Murray is particularly effective in a trio, and the Morris themes seem to push him to some very different performances. Although I tend to think Murray can do no wrong, even I’d have to admit that he hardly ever subsumes himself into the setting he finds himself. In ‘Afro-Amer.Ind’, though, features his plaintive bass clarinet weaving through Morris’ bass figures and Charles’ choppy cymbal work. A bass and vocal chant leads to a long Murray solo, subsides into a bass solo with a intermittent gentle tap and brushed backing from Charles, before Murray and Charles burst back in stretch to the end. Meditative is probably the adjective. By contrast Charles’ jolly theme suits Murray well, and brings out a strong tight drums and bass performance.

‘Miss Mack’ is more subdued sax and Charles’ lovely drum textures. This one repays repeated listening. It’s remarkable how much is going on amongst the three musicians. The longest track, ‘Randy’, has one of those quirky rhythm-melody themes, and some constant changes of pace driven by bass and drum with Murray holding on for dear life! He does get to squeal a little here, though. there are two ‘PCOP’s, though I’m not clear what they are. A lovely theme set out by sax and bass with cracking physical playing from Charles. There’s a lot of unfocused meandering, but journey’s don’t have to be purposeful if there’s lots to hear on the way, and here the textures are just wonderful. This really is music for the moment that allows you to forget where you’ve come from, and care little about where your heading.

As far as I am aware this was the first time Murray was on a DIW recording, and a decade later this was going to be his main channel for releases. There’s a pattern in Murray’s history where he records as a sideman for a project and seems to establish a relationship that blossoms into a recording contract later on. This was also a bit of a return to small group recordings after septet and octet experiments (usually featuring Morris and his younger brother, Butch) interspersed with quartet recordings.

Although this had a CD release, it wasn't widely available outside Japan, and it doesn't seem to be currently available. Along with Collective Improvisations (featuring Denis Charles and saxophonist Charles Tyler for Bleu Regard in 1981) this is an enjoyable record in its own terms, and a key point in Murray’s career that isn’t that well known.

Serviceton has very kindly upped a great Billy Bang recording, and also supplied some further backgound to Bang, (many thanks, serviceton):-

most of Billy Bang's back catalogue is still in print - including his great 80s records on Soul Note (stuff arcturus is referring to above), and the String Trio of New York albums on Black Saint (recommended).There are 2 albums more recently issued that reflect on his Vietnam experience, feat. Threadgill, Butch Morris, F Lowe etc - these are really worthwhile too. (+ other titles avail. that I haven't heard)

This one, is a duo with Dennis Charles - 'Banception'. Relased early 80s on Hatart, and reissued in the late 90's on CD. Although some shops seem to have copies of the CD, the Hat website shows it as Out Of Print.These files ripped from vinyl though, not CD. The LP had an amazing dull brown cover, which I've included a scan of, for those that dig 'dull'The music is far from it.

mp3 at 320kbps

http://rapidshare.com/files/100360853/Bangception.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/100361086/Bangception.part2.rar