Paola Pitagora – Sputafuoristrega (1976, LP, Italy)

Tracklist:
A1 Sputafuoristrega
A2 Frigida E Poi?
A3 Mostruoso Amore
A4 Come Una Donna
A5 Barricata Dietro Un Mal Di Testa
A6 Mamma (Uno)
B1 Mamma (Due)
B2 Batte Il Sole
B3 Verso Un Nuovo Tipo D'Amore
B4 La Più Bella Notte
B5 Spaiata
B6 La Casalinga
B7 Pensando A Nilla Pizzi

Musicians:
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Claudio Fasoli
Bass – Gigi Belloni
Cello – Umberto Galli
Choir – Gisella Fusi (A1)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Sergio Rigon
Clarion, Tenor Saxophone – Giancarlo Barigozzi
Drum, Percussion – Flaviano Cuffari
Flute – Pino Sacchetti
Guitar – Maurizio Martelli
Orchestrated By – Riccardo Giagni (A5)
Orchestrated By, Directed By, Music By – Roberto Colombo
Organ – Alberto Mompellio
Piano, Electric Piano – Roberto Colombo
Trombone – Palmiro Mautino
Trumpet – Angelo Faglia, Giuliano Bernicchi, Luciano Biasutti
Viola – Bruno Nidasio, Elsa Parravicini
Violin – Gianni Berlendis, Sergio Almangano
Voice – Nanni Ricordi (A1)

Black Ox Orkestar – Ver Tanzt? = ?װער טאַנצט (2004, LP, Canada)

Tracklist:
1 Shvartze Flamen, Vayser Fayer 2:34
2 Papir Iz Dokh Vays 4:13
3 Fishelakh In Vaser 3:29
4 Cretan Song 2:28
5 Ver Tanzt? 3:17
6 Stav Ya Pitv 3:51
7 Nign 2:42
8 Toyte Goyes In Shineln 3:42
9 Kalarash 3:04
10 Forn Forstv 2:26
11 Skočne 2:21
12 Moscowitz Terkisher 3:10
13 Di Khasene 5:42

Musicians:
Clarinet, Guitar, Bass Clarinet – Gabe Levine
Contrabass – Thierry Amar
Violin, Bass Clarinet – Jessica Moss
Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin, Cimbalom, Drums, Violin, Harmonium – Scott Levine Gilmore
Guest:
Jesse Levine: Piano (5); Accordion (9)
Nadia Moss: Piano (12)

A powerful, haunting, and essential record of modern Jewish Diasporic Folk music. Featuring members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Silver Mt. Zion, the album fuses Eastern European and Klezmer traditions with the brooding, cinematic atmosphere of the Montreal post-rock scene. Sung primarily in Yiddish, it explores themes of diaspora, trauma, and politics with a rare, devastating sincerity. The sound is simultaneously archaic and urgently modern, defined by acoustic strings (violin, bass), clarinet, cymbalom, and Scott Levine Gilmore's baritone vocals.

Arbete & Fritid – Arbete & Fritids Andra LP (1971, LP, Sweden)

Tracklist:
A1 Strumpsläng 1:18
A2 Finsk Sorgmarsch 4:15
A3 Fylke Airport 3:39
A4 Den Tredje Gång Jag Såg Dig 7:17
A5 Långdans Efter Hjort-Anders 1:33
B1 Två Grekiska Låtar 7:16
B2 Rotmos Och Fläskkorv 2:15
B3 Pam-Pam 4:26
B4 Tango Gabardin 2:09

Musicians:
Cello, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Electric Organ, Castanets, Tambourine – Ove Karlsson
Drums, Wood Block – Bengt Berger
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Piano, Electric Organ – Roland Keijser
Trumpet, Drums – Torsten Eckerman
Violin, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Guitar, Piano, Helicon – Kjell Westling

Orkiestra Ósmego Dnia, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek – Muzyka Na Koniec (1982, LP, Poland)

Tracklist:
A1 Pierwsze Światło 4:04
A2 Cień 7:54
A3 Nim Zastukałem 5:15
A4 Głos Wołającego 4:54
B1 W Wiejskim Śnie 4:26
B2 Walc Sans Soucci 2:47
B3 Dlaczego Wschodni Wiatr Niesie Mróz 7:05
B4 Pieśń Żałobna 8:55

Musicians:
Guitar – Grzegorz Banaszak
Zither [Fidola Fishera], Flute, Piano, Voice, Percussion – Jan A.P. Kaczmarek

Slap Happy Humphrey – Slap Happy Humphrey (1994, CD, Japan)

Tracklist:
1 Chihei-Sen (The Horizon) 7:20
2 Tatoeba Bokuga Shindara 3:10
3 Gyakkosen (Light In My Eyes) 2:34
4 Sentimental Dori (Sentimental Street) 3:28
5 G-Senjo Ni Hitori 3:58
6 Minna Yumede Arimashita 3:26
7 Aoki Yoru Wa 3:58
8 Furueteirune 2:55

Musicians:
Acoustic Guitar, Violin – Hiroaki Fujiwara
Electric Guitar – Jojo Hiroshige
Keyboards – Sugisaku
Piano  – Miyu Uemura
Vocals – Mineko Itakura

Lars Hollmer – Vill Du Höra Mer? (1982, LP, Sweden)

Tracklist:
A1 Starlep Signs 3:12
A2 Sweet 1:33
A3 Indojazz 3:11
A4 Soldaten 0:46
A5 En Slags Orfeo 2:52
A6 Övergång 2:34
A7 Baldis 2:08
A8 Retsticka 4:45
A9 Dragfragment 1:46
B1 Glasmusik / Akarondo 10:08
B2 Kuckeliku 1:55
B3 Vill Du Höra Mer 3:09
B4 180 Sekunder Hemma 3:00
B5 Humanoid Robottango 2:34
B6 Finalvals 1:53

Musicians:
Electric Piano [Yamaha Grand], Accordion [Neco, Hohner], Organ [Hohner Electric], Synthesizer [Korg], Glockenspiel, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Kalimba, Cymbal, Congas, Music By, Lyrics By – Lars Hollmer
Performer – Gabriel Strand, Johannes Strand, Saralotta Jönsson (B4)
Performer [Solo] – Alva Strand (B4)

Catherine Jauniaux/ Tim Hodgkinson – Fluvial (1983, CD, England)

Tracklist:
1 Dream 1:42
2 Une Escadrille De Sorcières 5:13
3 Sweet Smell 1:54
4 Doresc Treï Babys 3:24
5 Copul's Humus 3:24
6 Kebadaya 5:10
7 Origine Des Femmes 4:26
8 Tilimbom 4:55
9 Chanson De La Fraternisation 3:14
10 A Divine Image 5:54
11 Infant Sorrow 2:47
12 The Dancers Under The Hill 3:07

Musicians:
Catherine Jauniaux/ Vocals, Xylophone, Percussion, Handclaps
Tom Cora/ Cello
Georgie Born/ Cello
Lindsay Cooper/ Bassoon, Oboe, Sopranino Saxophone
Bill Gilonis/ Guitar (Acoustic/electric), Bass, Piano, Handclaps
Tim Hodgkinson/ Organ, Clarinet, Guitar, Percussion, Piano, Arranger, Viola, Drums, Handclaps
Stephen Kent/ Trumpet
Dominic Weeks/ Percussion, Xylophone, Vibraphone
Terri Robson/ Violin
Mario Boyer/ Balafon, Percussion
Charles Bullen/ Percussion

Canzoniere Del Lazio – Miradas (1977, LP, Italy)

Tracklist:
A1 Nu Gatto Come Nu Lione 9:21
A2 Glorias 10:14
B1 Zandamela (Timbalas) 3:10
B2 Poeta (Borgata Camion) 7:00
B3 Mogadishu 8:15

Musicians:
Drums, Percussion, Timbales, Vocals, Performer [Piedi] – Marcello Vento
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass – Pasquale Minieri
Percussion, Timbales  – Giorgio Vivaldi
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piano – Maurizio Gianmarco
Vocals, Performer – Clara Murtas
Vocals, Violin, Piano, Percussion – Carlo Siliotto

Carioca & Devas – Mistérios Da Amazônia (1980, LP, Brazil)

Underground musician Carioca left behind his electrical past in Progressive Rock in order to search for new expressions in Brazilian music. His first album is a fully acoustic, instrospective voyage into the world’s greatest Rainforest, featuring 12-string guitar, mandolin, zither, tabla, flute and self-made percussion instruments. Carioca is the term used to describe those who originate from Rio de Janeiro. But, in fact, there’s only one Carioca in the music scene in Brazil: Ronaldo Leite de Freitas, who took up this nickname in São Paulo after relocating from his native Rio de Janeiro to study music at University. Recorded in 1980, Mistérios da Amazônia is also, at least to our knowledge, one of the first crowd-funding initiatives in the Brazilian music scene. Carioca, lacking the resources to pay for the studio and manufacturing fees, sold the album to fans, friends and independent record stores before having recorded it. Carioca’s first work is a fascinating one of a kind album, certainly difficult to classify. Often compared to the path set by musicians such as Egberto Gismonti or Naná Vasconcelos, who were always seeking new musical expressions whilst retaining a Brazilian character. In spite of what the music might suggest, Carioca hadn’t yet experimented with the introspective power of the Amazon’s sacred root - he would have his first life-changing experience in 1987. "All of a sudden, it all made sense. In 1987 I finally lived what I had recorded seven years earlier", in his own words. Drawing inspiration from the folklore of the Amazon and Brazil’s north eastern regions, the six self-penned compositions that form the album shape an introspective voyage into the Amazon - a part of Brazilian culture that Carioca had researched but not yet lived first-hand. Percussionist Sérgio Otanazetra, who had also moved to São Paulo from Bahia in order to pursue a career in music, played several percussion instruments (some of which he had built himself) and provided a solid knowledge of folkloric regional traditions. Zé Nazário, a prominent percussionist who had already played with some of Brazil’s biggest artists, such as Hermeto Pascoal or Milton Nascimento, joined the recording of Mistérios da Amazônia playing Tabla.

Harry Roesli – Titik Api (1976, Cassette, Indonesia)

Alquimia – "Coatlicue" Goddess Of The Earth (1992, CD, Mexico)

An independent artist, composer, synthesist, percussionist, and vocalist, Alquimia is known mostly in new-age and fourth-world music circles, though her work truly transcends any form of categorization. Now living in London, her primary influence continues to be the pre-hispanic culture of her native Mexico. Her collaboration with J.L. Fernandez Ledesma on the album Dead Tongues (review in issue #10) piqued this writer's interest, beckoning further exploration. The music herein is primarily an expressive mix of pre-hispanic percussion, ambient droning synthesizer work, electronic effects, and ethereal multi-layered vocal work (no lyrics), with occasional flute and guests contributing guitar, violin, and more percussion to the odd track — but for the most part all instruments are played by Alquimia. Someone looking for comparisons might consider her music as a meeting of the ethnic percussive based work of people like Jorge Reyes, and the vocalizations of folks like Enya, sprinkled with a healthy dose of experimentalism. The earlier album is the most experimental and traditionally ethnic of the two, with its lengthy multi-part title suite. The '95 album is perhaps the more spacy and dreamy of the two, and a bit more vocal as well (many of the sounds which one might be believe to be synths are, on closer scrutiny, actually voices). Either disc is outstanding, though the more recent album is probably a better starting point for most. (Exposé)

Moondog - Moondog 2 (1971, LP, Usa)

Tracklist:
A1 Bells Are Ringing 1:19
A2 Voices Of Spring 1:47
A3 What's The Most Exciting Thing? 2:31
A4 All Is Loneliness 1:16
A5 My Tiny Butterfly 1:12
A6 Why Spend A Dark Night With Me? 1:09
A7 Coffee Beans 2:10
A8 Down Is Up 1:07
A9 Be A Hobo 1:09
A10 Remember 1:52
A11 I Love You 1:08
A12 Nero's Expedition 1:52
A13 No, The Wheel Was Never Invented 1:20
B1 With My Wealth 1:35
B2 This Student Of Life 1:24
B3 Some Trust All 1:28
B4 Wine, Woman And Song 2:23
B5 Sadness 1:22
B6 Maybe 2:03
B7 Each Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow 1:37
B8 Imagine 2:16
B9 You The Vandal 2:08
B10 Trees Against The Sky 1:18
B11 Behold 1:27
B12 Sparrow 1:37
B13 Pastoral 2:42

Musicians:

Harp [Troubadour Harp] – Gillian Stephens

Percussion [Various Percussion Parts] – June, Mary, Specs Powel

Performer [Schom] – Stephen Silverstein

Viol [Viola Da Gamba] – Judith Davidoff

Virginal, Recorder, Piano, Harpsichord, Organ [Ancient Organ] – Kay Jaffee

Vocals, Percussion – June Hardin, Louis Hardin

Written-By – L. Hardin

Moondog 2 sees the return of the eccentric and visionary artist, who started his musical career as an idiosyncratic street musician in New York City.
On this album the focus does not lie on neo-classical experimentation alternating with jazz pieces. The style could rather be best described as modern Madrigals, renaissance avant-garde or simply…Moondog-music.
Repetitive and interlaced vocal lines are accompanied by Moondog’s typical and unique percussion patterns, as well as something that sounds like a harpsichord and occasional flutes.
Despite all of the pieces being quite short, in the long run, the musical maze becomes rather uniform with little change. The album thus feels almost like one musical idea stretched over plenty of short tunes. (RYM)

Gregorio Paniagua ‎– Batiscafo (1980, LP, Spain)

Tracklist:
A1 Dragon - 7:35
A2 Plancton - 4:02
A3 Kyrie Nicolai - 2:24
A4 Ciao - 4:16
B1 Spaghetti Alla Milanese - 6:15
B2 Vt De Sac - 2:02
B3 Preludio Balsamico Y Chacona - 1:54
B4 Batiscafo - 3:11
B5 Agua De Colofonia - 1:47
B6 Asi Es - 3:00

“Batiscafo” by Gregorio Paniagua is one of these elusive treasures. First released in 1980 on Hispavox, the album disappeared after a short run and no further editions in any format have been available until now. Paniagua is a classically trained musician and scholar of music with an extensive and fruitful history of researching, recording and rediscovering ancient music and has toured across the world to great critical acclaim. In 1980 he shut himself off from the world every night for a whole month to record “Batiscafo”: a record that seeks to emulate Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells and which vanished all too soon, becoming the Holy Grail of Spanish experimental music.
“Batiscafo” anticipated a wave of avant-garde Spanish music in the 80s with key figures such as Suso Sáiz, Pep Llopis, Ishinoana or Finis Africae who are now being rediscovered and admired outside Spain.
It is a highly original and imaginative record that continues to surprise listeners forty years on, with its bold combination of early electronic music, classicism, experimentation and psychedelia.

Moondog ‎– Moondog In Europe (1977, LP, Usa)

Face A
01. Viking I (3:00)
02. Chaconne In G (4:50)
03. Heimdall Fanfare (3:10)
04. Romance In G (5:20)
05. In Vienna (2:10)
Face B
06. Chaconne C (2:57)
07. Lögründr III (1:15)
08. Lögründr XII (2:23)
09. Lögründr XIII (2:12)
10. Lögründr IV (5:00)
11. Lögründr VII (2:05)
12. Lögründr XIX (8:22)

Musicians
Celesta – Louis Hardin
Cello – Bertalan Ikrenyi
Viola – Klaus König
Violin [1. Violin] – Gabor Gui
Violin [2. Violin] – Ludovik Sandrik
Bugle [Waldhorn] – Guy Carmichael
Celesta – Malte Heygster
Organ – Fritz Storfinger
Percussion, Celesta – Moondog


Originally released by Kopf in 1977, and reissued in 1999, Moondog In Europe was visionary composer Louis Thomas Hardin's aka Moondog first release after moving to Germany. Perhaps reflecting the historicity of his new environment, this album is more structured and formal than most of his previous releases; however, his layered song-cycles are just as circular and experimental, and still backed by a fair amount of tribal percussion. There are moments of whimsy, as on "In Vienna," with its bouncing, music-box like celesta, or on "Viking I," also reflected with a snappy celesta melody, but there are also moments of parlor-room somberness, as on the string arrangements for "Romance In G" or the last 20+ minutes of the album, which is comprised exclusively of extremely heavy pipe-organ suites. Moondog In Europe, though less playful than other of his albums, displays Moondog's virtuosity as a classical composer, with elegantly stylized pieces that see Moondog embracing a grandiosity he hadn't approached previously. Highly Recommended!