HurdAudio Rotation: Ghostly Noise

Marc Ribot: Shoe String Symphonettes. 1997. Tzadik: TZ 7504.

Film scores by Marc Ribot:
Death by Unnatural Causes (1991) - directed by Karen Bellone and Lisa Rinzler
Marc Ribot: guitar, sampler
Greg Cohen: bass
Jill Jaffe: violin, viola

Landlord Blues (1987) - directed by Jacob Burkhardt
Marc Ribot: trumpet, banjo, guitar
Brad Jones: bass
Bill Ware: vibes
Curtis Fowlkes: trombone
Jim Nolet: violin
Roy Nathanson: saxophone
EJ Rodriguez: drums, percussion
Gregory Ribot: flute

Aelita Queen of Mars (1928) - directed by Yakov Protazanov
Marc Ribot: guitar
Paul Clarvis: drums, percussion
Dave Meric: keyboards
Phil Boyden: violin
Helen Thomas: cello
Mike Kearsey: trombone

Pieces From An Incomplete Project (1995 - 1996) - directed by Joe Brewster
Dave Douglas: trumpet
Vicki Bodner: oboe
Charlie Giordano: piano, keyboards
Mauro Refosco: percussion
Jill Jaffe: violin, viola
Maxine Neuman: cello
Tony Garnier: bass

Summer Salt (1993) - directed by Charlie Levi
Marc Ribot: guitar, e-flat horn
John Zorn: saxophone
Andy Haas: saxophone
Cyro Baptista: drums

With several moments of episodic brilliance, this is film music without the requisite blandness of more mass market fare. The shuffling of tracks from multiple projects allows for a meta-narrative arc complete with sequential tracks for closing credits. The sonic language encompasses reference points rooted in story while still careening into abstract bliss and noise. This disc is a journey and a familiar favorite in the rotation.

Paul Plimley Trio: Safe-Crackers. 1999. Victo: cd066.

Paul Plimley: piano
Lisle Ellis: bass
Scott Amendola: drums

With Ellis and Amendola as collaborators Paul Plimley fashions an exquisitely buoyant intensity on one of my all time favorite piano trio recordings. The episodes of whimsical play are offset by a rich substance of deeply informed, historically grounded improvisation.

Cold Reading Trio: Life of Ghost. 2007. Form Function Records: f(F)0701.

John O'Brien: drums, percussion
Evan Mazunik: accordion, melodica, electronic piano
Chris Pincock: laptop computer

The live processing of sources both internal and external to this trio adds an element of unpredictability to this sound and often reminds these ears of AMM without the epic durations. The odd twists and turns of this music is greatly enhanced by the fragments of live drumming and accordion that weave through these textures. For a music brimming with quiet strangeness this one is enjoyable.