Friday, August 24th, 2007 ... 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ... KZSU, 90.1 FM

sfSound is an exciting local collective that plays modern classical music, including obscure pieces from the 20th century and brand new ones, often from local composers. A lot of work goes into their performances, naturally, and there's no real money involved in it -- another labor of love.

Matt Ingalls, Chris Burns, and John Ingle got on the phone for a discussion about the group and their Aug. 26 show, due to feature miniatures written by 19 local and quasi-local composers. The inspiration for the project was Anton Webern's "Concerto for Nine Instruments," one of the more famous pieces by the 12-tone student of Schoenberg. It's a short piece itself, 7 minutes in three movements.

One word the sfSound guys used was "concentration," and I think that's particularly apt. Webern's Concerto comes in small pieces; it's a sparse, careful feel, like a fragile sheen that has to be manipulated with precision, or the whole thing falls apart. The third movement rewards that restaint with more of a booming pulse feel, still not particularly vicious but more declarative. That was the kind of mood sfSound asked the composers to work with. The results should be interesting -- and if you can't make the Aug. 26 concert, you can hear it live via sfSound Radio on sfSound.org.

Format:
ARTIST -- "TRACK TITLE" -- ALBUM TITLE (LABEL, YEAR)
Horizontal lines denote microphone breaks.

* Brian Allen, Tony Malaby, Tom Rainey -- "Sphret" -- Synapse (Braintone, 2006)

Trio of trombone, saxophone, and drums. I don't know much about Allen, but I do know Malaby and Rainey have been part of the NYC vector that includes Tim Berne, and the cover of this CD has that sloppily artsy/cool look of Stephen Byram. One of those CDs that, at first glance, just had to be cool. And it is -- bright, improv sessions with a foot in jazz. Adventurous stuff that I've only briefly listened to; I'll be anxious to hear more.

* The Nels Cline Singers -- "Attempted" -- Draw Breath (Cryptogramophone, 2007)

Previously noted here.

Previously noted here. This one's a sneaky little melody, not too slow, with a touch of Euro cafe cool, maybe. Lots of sly attitude.

Previously noted here.

* Anthony Braxton -- "Composition 356, Part 2" -- 9 Compositions (Iridium) 2004 (Firehouse 12, 2007)

Previously noted here.

"Smirk rock," as our DJ Your Imaginary Friend calls it. Cool stuff. A guitar band that deals some sarcasm, some humor, some loud guitars, some sample, some '70s rock influences. This particular track is a kind of slow-stomping blues with slide guitar, with bitter lyrics about how stuff sucks in general, done in a snarky humorous way. Very likeable.

Djll is a local artist who plays trumpet in every way unimaginable, trying to carve out new sounds. His albums sometimes include electronics or tape manipulation or... aw, hell, I'm just guessing here. Suffice to say he creates a lot of other-worldly sounds, a startlingly high percentage of which are probably generated by a lone trumpet. He can also play normally, just so you know.

This is definitely a straight trumpet disc, and it closes out with this little surprise, a quietly warbly cover song. It's done slowly and isn't recognizable at first glance Good stuff.

* Zero Point -- "Saints" -- Plays Albert Ayler (Ayler, 2007)

Previously noted here.

Meant to be a sonic "postcard," in the sense that it's recorded in one environment and meant to be viewed/heard in another. Slow, hypnotic, drony stuff, light-handed and peaceful.

Previously noted here.

Previously noted here.

* Sun Ra -- "Constellation" -- Media Dreams (Art Yard, recorded c. 1977-78)

Previously noted here.

here.

? Anton Webern -- "Symphony," Op. 21 [performed by The Twentieth Century Classics Ensemble; Robert Craft, conductor] -- Symphony/Six Pieces/Cencerto for 9 Instruments (Naxos, 2005)

I'll admit it: A piece selected sheerly for its length (Webern did a lot of short stuff), to give me time to prep for the phone interview.

? Anton Webern -- "Concerto for Nine Instruments," Op. 24 [performed by members of The Twentieth Century Classics Ensemble] -- Symphony/Six Pieces/Cencerto for 9 Instruments (Naxos, 2005)

The piece in question for the upcoming sfSound concert (see explanation up top).

Previously noted here.

A CD about the Japanese-American internment during WWII, focusing on the musicians and the camp dances they would hold. It's different from my parents' experience -- they were little kids, and not big-band swing fans -- but still holds a personal touch for me. This was a conscious experiment, starting with a big, rollicking original in full big-band form. I faded that as the solos started, and moved to the "Life in Camp" track, one of several poignant spoken narratives on the disc, this one describing the arrival in camp and the way that weekend dances provided some means of escape. It's spoken over renditions of "Tuxedo Junction" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," recalling happy times that could be had within a sadder, heartbreaking time.

Previously noted here.

* = Item in KZSU rotation
! = Pop anomaly
? = Item not in KZSU library

-- Go back to Memory Select playlists.
-- Bay Area free/improv music calendar: http://www.bayimproviser.com.