Here's another one, reactivated from the early days of the blog, posted back in 2009, again due to a request. This time I did not have to go the archives to find it; instead went to the Rutracker torrent site and lo and behold, there it was! Only difference was that a audiochecker log file was attached, informing me that the files are 99.5 per cent compact disc digital audio, which is kinda funny considering the file was taken from a fine old rusty analogue lp. Stuff travels, eh? Anyway, enjoy the cacophony!
Original post follows:
While in the business of resurrecting old BYG Actuel records, here's another one, also posted on the Church#9 blog, then in the mp3 format, but again upgraded to a lossless audio format for posting here.
How to characterise this one? It is what it is, I guess. To some, an inpenetrable wall of sound, to others a no holds barred piece of collective improvisation. However which way it is viewed, assessed or interpreted, it's a piece which hardly had any precedents and hardly has seen any successors. Or maybe it has, but in terms of intensity and aural onslaught, rare by most standards.
A veritable star-studded cast of free jazz maestros on this 28-minute piece:
Bernard Vitet - trumpet, french horn
Grachan Moncur III - trombone
Archie Shepp - soprano sax
Anthony Braxton - soprano and alto sax
Kenneth Terroade - tenor sax
Dave Burrell - piano
Alan Silva - violin
Leroy Jenkins - violin, viola
Beb Guerin, Malachi Favors - bass
Claude Delcloo - drums
Recorded 17 August 1969 in Paris
Dive in!