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Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 107
Friday, 9 September 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Atavachron Digest Num
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 106
Musings on the Holdsworthian realm
Copy of Hard Hat Area for sale/trade
The Birth of... YGOR!!!
Road Games
Re: Road Games
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From: pvallado@sdcc5.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Num
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 11:45:45 -0700 (PDT)
Allan Holdsworth was advertised as being a presenter at the San
Diego Music Awards. That's right, a *presenter*, *not* a performer.
I'mr sure you're all familiar with Allan Holdsworth's talent as an
entertainer :).
It's just one more indication of the cluelessness of whoever planned
this year's ceremony. It's cool *somebody* thought of including San
Diego's resident Fusion Guitar God in the San Diego Music Awards;
but it seems real ridiculous to have Allan Holdsworth hand an award
to one of the really lame local "lites-out-jazz" bands when he
probably deserves the award more.
The other obvious alternative woudl have been to have him on the
program as a *performer* rather than a presenter.
--
Paolo Valladolid
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|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | |
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From: pvallado@sdcc5.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 106
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 1994 15:46:07 -0700 (PDT)
> Is anyone else using the Starr Switch (aside from Zamfir, etc.)?
The other big name Starr Switch user is Vernon Reid of Living
Colour; although he's more likely to restrict it's use to the
studio.
--
Paolo Valladolid
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|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | |
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From: KingsleyD@aol.com
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 94 15:31:55 EDT
Subject: Musings on the Holdsworthian realm
I was listening to a CD of ballets by Copland ("Appalachian Spring") and
Stravinsky ("Apollo") this morning and had another jolt of "aha! so *that's*
where he's coming from" with regard to AH. In particular, the chordal
voicings and progressions are strikingly similar; also the rich timbre of the
strings (used exclusively in Apollo) seemed a direct influence on, for
example, the synth-axe intro to "Wardenclyffe Tower" or the swelled gtr on
"Shallow Sea."
It also struck me that these are both well-known composers, and the pieces
aren't at all obscure. However, negligibly few from the set {people who are
familiar with the Copland & Stravinsky} are likely to ever hear AH,
particularly in such a way that they would notice the parallels. And how
many of the set {Holdsworth fans} are familiar with these ballets? BTW, I'm
not trying to paint myself as an expert here; the balletic context of the
music is something I'm entirely ignorant of, and though I've owned the disc
for several years, this is the first time I really heard the AH parallel.
I guess my point is that I've often run into musicians, particularly those
coming from a rock or prog-rock background, who think of AH as "good, but too
far out." Far out compared to what? Allan frequently mentions guitarists
who never listen to anything besides guitar. ("it's like being obsessed with
one particular kind of wrench, or something") Listening to these ballets (or
to Michael Brecker's solos, recalling my last diatribe on this topic) puts
AH's music in a frame where it makes *sense* - it's not far out, it's not
some mystical, other-worldly thing that's incomprehensible to us mortals. I
mean, the music does dispense with some common timbral and stylistic
boundaries that force us to conceive of Stravinsky, Michael Brecker, and
Cream as being inherently different, but with a little bit of open-mindedness
it's possible to surmount the discomfort of suspending one's preconceptions.
That open-mindedness can only come with experience, however, and where is
that going to happen for people? Not in the home or on the radio, for the
most part. I'm a teacher, so my pat response is *teach it in school*! But I
don't know - that's a huge undertaking at a time when people don't really
want to pay for the "basics", let alone the arts. What's depressing to me is
that, despite the large number of people in this country who play instruments
and are, in some sense, "musicians," even *their* experience of music is
often incredibly narrow. If that's true of the musicians, how much more so
the non-musicians.
Well, I'm not trying to flame anyone here. Just some food for thought and
discussion. And, if you haven't chanced to hear the music to the
aforementioned ballets, they're worth checking out.
One final thought. Let's hope the Gong project is more happening than
"Expresso - the sequel," eh?
Kingsley
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Date: Tue, 30 Aug 94 16:11 BST
From: ronc@cogs.susx.ac.uk (Ron Chrisley)
Subject: Copy of Hard Hat Area for sale/trade
I have a copy of HHA (cool US cover) still in shrink wrap for sale or
trade. Email me if you want it. Here's your chance to get rid of
that CD you've been hating for years, and get some great Holdsworth in
return!
Ronald L. Chrisley (ronc@cogs.susx.ac.uk)
School of Cognitive & Computing Sciences Tel: +44 273 678581
University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK Fax: +44 273 671 320
WWW users, try: http://www.cogs.susx.ac.uk/users/ronc/index.html
[Includes pages on my research, & music: my collection, wants & for sale]
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Date: 02 Sep 94 13:24:59 EDT
From:
Subject: The Birth of... YGOR!!!
Fellow Atavachronians,
Me pal Mick and I took a little drive last night and wound up in
N. San Diego county... Of course we just *had* to stop by the
Holdsworth ranch and check up personally on recent developments--
and as always were surprised and rewarded beyond our (wildest)
expectations...
The central thesis of this post is as follows: in the years
since AH has moved to California--I've never been more excited
nor optimistic about the range of creative output that the Brewery
is about to unleash upon us--or about some of the musical
collaborations we'll see AH participate in the '94-'95 time frame.
I was surprised to read in the UK digest someone said AH
told them Wetton's management had contacted him regarding the
UK reunion project--I'll try and be a second source of validation
on that point (however I'm off on holiday for a couple of weeks)
so it may wait a while. If this is true--then I'd say chances
are good AH will participate in some capacity. Anyway, much as
I loved UK when it was first released, what really prompted me
to spout on here was some the new pieces AH is developing, and
the little menagerie now at residence in his studio.
AH played for us six or seven ideas--some of which will be
applied to two album projects AH has planned and is writing for
currently. Most of what we heard was for AH's next "group"
project, which will be the successor to HHA. Although, AH
is planning a "special" project--more "jazz" oriented to be
completed by early '95. He also had worked up an arrangement
of a beautiful ballad written by his longtime (and late) friend,
British keyboardist Pat Smythe. Anyway, it's difficult
to describe the pieces as he played them--suffice to say they
were in all cases, refreshingly original--and many of the
changes heard were wickedly inventive!
Somehow AH had managed to come up with a whole new array of
DeLap and other instruments--these included:
-- A very radically designed "Parker" guitar--which, although
solidbodied--could produce a near acoustic sound. AH
seemed quite enamoured with this prototype sent to him
by the designer.
-- "Ygor" -- Bill DeLap's Piccolo electric--the low string
being the guitar's A string--tuned in fourths all accross,
and nearly impossible to play on the high frets!
-- A slightly longer-than-normal scale DeLap " "fifths"
baritone--tuned in fifths--maybe from the C or B below E.
-- The DeLap custom doubleneck--standard scale and tuning on
top and like the above "fifth" axe on bottom.
-- His standard DeLap body six-string with Steinberger neck.
-- A beatiful blue Gibson SG (not sure what year)--but man
what a sound!
-- The Red Synthaxe.
If that's not enough, he informed me a new baritone prototype, to
be named "Bonan," should be coming soon from DeLap. I think it will
be a long-scale baritone. Suffice to say the maestro is armed and
dangerous, and imprevious to all congressional debate about banning
assault weapons.
Also there are several new recording projects AH is being sought after
as a guest contributor (aside from his recent work with the Gong
reunion)--my guess a few of these will be among his most memorable
efforts as a guest soloist--especially with his new armaments!
Anyway it's a bit early to mention who's involved until arrangements
are formalized--I'd wager some of us prog-rock buffs are bound to get
excited. Suffice to say we Atavachronians have a great deal to look
forward to.
As always/Kristoff
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Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 12:37:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ashley Collins
Subject: Road Games
Does anyone have a copy of this album they'd be willing to part with, or
at least copy?
Ashley Collins
acollins@cap.gwu.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Road Games
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 94 13:57:33 EDT
> From: Ashley Collins
> Subject: Road Games
> Does anyone have a copy of this album they'd be willing to part with, or
> at least copy?
Yes, I have a copy I'd part with. I offered it several months ago,
but didn't get any takers. It's in good condition; I'll sell it for
what I have in it: $10.00 + shipping.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
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Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 108
Thursday, 15 September 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Holdsworth-Brecker-Copland etc
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
Pictures: how to get 'em here
Re: Pictures: how to get 'em here
(none)
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Date: Fri, 09 Sep 94 09:29:29 BST
From: mley@acorn.co.uk (Martin Ley)
Subject: Holdsworth-Brecker-Copland etc
Kingsley, I couldn't agree more with you on the parallels between Allan's
music and that of contemporary (classical or whatever) composers. I remember
vividly being at my parant's house a couple of years ago when they had
something on the turntable that made me think "god, my parents are listening
to Sand"!! I can't quite remember what it was - it may even have been
Copland - but the voicings etc had all the hallmarks of you-know-who.
I ran upstairs, grabbed Sand from my collection, ripped the Sand-imposter
from the turntable, replaced it with the real one and shouted "See?" .
Luckily, they did!
I have to confess to being an avid fan of Mike Brecker, too. Do you know
whether he's done ant other 'solo' projects recently? I have three 'Micjael
Brecker Group' albums now ('Michael Brecker Group', 'Now You See It...' and
'Don't Try TThis at Home') which still send shivers up my spine when I
listen to them.
Mart
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From: pvallado@sdcc5.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 14:12:13 -0700 (PDT)
On Thursday, August 31, I headed up to Guitars West in San Marcos, CA
to see the Allan Holdsworth/MESA Boogie clinic. I arrived an hour and
a half before the clinic was scheduled to start, expecting a long
line as in the case of the Steve Morse clinic I attended elsewhere.
It turned out the store was virtually empty, except for the owner, an
employee, and someone wailing away on a synthesizer in the back. I
approached the back; it was none other than Holdsworth himself
setting up his SynthAxxe and his other equipment for the clinic.
Seeing that he was busy adjusting mixers, tweaking knobs, replacing
batteries, etc.; I left him alone and browsed in the book section.
This was supposed to be a Mesa/Boogie clinic/product demonstration;
sure enough, Holdsworth was using Mesa/Boogie amps. However, he had
little to say about Mesa Boogies and in fact seemed to spend more
time demonstrating the wonders of his SynthAxxe. He showed how he
could use the six-key keyboard on the body of the instrument to trigger
sounds instead of plucking the strings and how he used the breath
controller in combination with SynthAxxe playing techniques to
initiate a note, modify it, and make in go loud and soft while
sustaining it. I was going to ask if the volume stepping inherent in
using MIDI to control volume was a problem for him but he answered
my question before I could ask it by explaining that he used the
SynthAxxe breath controller to control the volume of the sound coming
out of the synth audio output rather than controlling the volume
through MIDI. After he explained that the SynthAxxe was his favorite
synth controller and that he had really gotten used to it, I decided
not to bring up the subject of ZIPI. I guess I wimped out on that one;
maybe I'll ask him about it after the first ZIPI controllers come out
and he's had a chance to try one. He used a Yamaha TX7 synth module;
having sold his Oberheim synths a while back. I'm sure he knows he
can still obtain brand new Oberheim Matrix-12s from Oberheim (they
still make them on a special order basis; and they still charge an
arm and a leg for them ;(). He didn't seem to mind learning to program
synths in order to get the sounds he wants (he did a very good job
of approximating his old Oberheim sounds on that little FM synth).
Several audience members (a polite crowd, BTW) expressed interest in
Holdsworth's self-built "Juice Extractor"; a box that he built to
take the speaker output of an amp head, load it with a dummy speaker
load, then split the signal into several line-level signals, suitable
for processing, mixing, etc. Basically, its a box that turns any
guitar amplifier with speaker outputs into a preamplifier. Holdsworth's
motivation for building this box came from the observation that
desirable lead guitar tones are produced from overdriven power tubes;
preamp tubes alone are not good enough (in his opinion) for producing
a full-bodied lead guitar tone. Rocktron marketed a product with his
name on it, the Rocktron Allan Holdsworth Juice Extractor, for a while.
Holdsworth said they changed his design and got it wrong. He said
that when he's not working on the road (which he says is quite often),
he'll make a Genuine(TM) Allan Holdsworth Juice Extractor for anyone
who wants one (applause from the audience). When asked about price,
Holdsworth replied: "A keg of Thomas Winston's will be just fine".
Well...ok...I don't really remember the exact beer brand.
As for the music, he used an Alesis ADAT machine to provide the
backing tracks (all new compositions) for Holdsworth's guitar and
SynthAxxe improvisations. Even now, I'm still amazed by how little
right hand pick action is involved in his approach; most of the notes
are produced by left hand legato technique. He didn't even use a pick
with the SynthAxxe; using either the little keyboard or plucking the
strings fingerstyle to trigger synth notes; even for fast passages.
Holdsworth finished the clinic with a question & answer session
("Well, I've run out of tape and I'm ready to go across the street
to the San Marcos Brewery unless you have questions."). Somehow he
managed to cut down his setup to two small rack cases; one for
clean sounds and the other for his soloing sound. I asked him
if he had tried E-Bows or Sustaniacs to get a long, sustained
sound for timbral manipulation like what a violinist can do over
the course of a sustained note. He said he had but he really didn't
say why he rejected the idea of using an E-Bow. In response to
music theory questions, he played a few scales slowly to demonstrate
the differences between the "jazz major" and "jazz minor" scales
before giving up with an "I don't know, man. Times like this, I turn
to Steve Hunt and ask him for help. I'm not a good teacher at music
theory; I'm better at explaining equipment." When asked the dreaded
"favorite guitarist" question, he named John McLaughlin and Pat Metheny
before finishing with "I don't know, man. Name any guitarist and I
probably like him." Oh, he did mention his new recording project;
an album with an "acoustic jazz group with his 'rock-n-roll' guitar
thrown in". I wonder if he was thinking of Bill Frisell or John
Scofield? Anyway, this is *not* the same group as his regular band.
Someone also asked him about whether he would be a part of the UK reunion;
to which he replied "Well, it's really John and Eddie's band; is
*Eddie* going to be in it?".
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | |
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@sdcc5.ucsd.edu for more info \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 13:13:06 -0500 (CDT)
From: ST40V@Jetson.UH.EDU
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
I have a copy of Road Games for sale also. I also have a few pictures of the
Road Games tour backstage. How do you scan these into the FTP area?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 14:44:39 GMT
From: pcole@sseyod.demon.co.uk (Pete Cole)
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
Hi Gang,
I've got to ask re: all the talk about Allan and UK - has anybody out there
got the e-mail address for the UK digest ????????
Thanks in advance !!! 8-)
Pete
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Pete Cole
pcole@sseyod.demon.co.uk
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Pictures: how to get 'em here
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 94 23:08:28 EDT
> From: ST40V@Jetson.UH.EDU
> Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
> I have a copy of Road Games for sale also. I also have a few pictures of the
> Road Games tour backstage. How do you scan these into the FTP area?
At this time, there are only two ways to get them into the upcoming
WWW documents/the Atavachron archives (and my apologies to one and all
-- and especially to M.P. Hughes, who sent several awesome scans of
some British guitar magazine photos -- for not making them available
in the archive yet... this week, I promise):
* UUEncode them and send them to me in e-mail, or;
* Send me the photos (or copies thereof) and I'll scan them in
and return the photos (with exceptional packing and care taken
in handling said photos all the way 'round, 'nuff said).
If there's a convenient go-between site to which you can upload image
files, and it's open to the public via anonymous FTP, upload them and
let me know where to find them. I have software which can convert just
about any format.
Speaking of pictures, I spoke to Claire on Friday night... she said
she'd be sending some photos to me in the mail soon (thanks to Chris
Hoard and Mick Porter, who were the guilty photographers). I'm hoping
the one of she and Mr. H. makes its way here... Mick said there was a
particularly good picture of the two of them.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
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Date: Mon, 12 Sep 94 10:50:37 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: Pictures: how to get 'em here
Jeff Preston wrote:
>
> If there's a convenient go-between site to which you can upload image
> files, and it's open to the public via anonymous FTP, upload them and
> let me know where to find them. I have software which can convert just
> about any format.
>
If you're just looking for a temporary waystation to transfer the files (as
opposed to a permanent home for them), I volunteer my workstation
(fncrdh.fnal.gov). Disk space is a bit tight right now (so don't upload many
megabytes of stuff at once), but that should change RSN -- the mounting
hardware for the new disk drive I've had sitting in a box under my desk for
the last several months has *finally* arrived (%#$*& government purchasing
procedures... don't get me started on that one! :)).
All I ask is that you e-mail me if you decide to upload anything, so I can
keep an eye on disk usage.
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
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From: hzscf02!efreedm@hvgtw.att.com
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 94 09:16:19 +0200
Sphere Of Innocence
(
After a hiatus of six months wherein I moved from Vancouver, Canada, to The
Hague,
Holland, it is nice to have Internet access again and be again able to enjoy
Atavachron! Having had a bit of time on my hands in & amongst trying to land
work, I was able to complete the transcription of Sphere Of Innocence and submit
to you all. Enjoy! Please write back with your comments & critiques to:
Elliot Freedman
uh090@freenet.victoria.bc.ca OR
hzscf02!efreedm@hvgtw.att.com
Yes, I'm still trying to flog my own music and hope in the New Year to release
it on CD. Please write me should you have interest in either a cassette or,
eventually, a CD.
"Very, very good avant fusion..." Guitar Player Magazine
I release this transcription first to Atavachron but actually hope to have
it published in one of the guitar magazines. Has anyone any contacts or
ideas? It would be much appreciated.
)
-= SPHERE OF INNOCENCE =-
Allan Holdsworth, from _Wardenclyffe_Tower_
(Transcription by Elliot Freedman, August 1994)
This the second track on the _Wardenclyffe_Tower_ album features
Holdsworth on the electric baritone guitar, Gary Husband on
drums, and Jimmy Johnson on bass. Steve Hunt opens the
soloing on this tune on keyboards and is followed by Holdsworth
in whose solo the long sustaining and vocal qualities of the
baritone instrument are heard.
The baritone instrument used by Holdsworth for both the chordal
track transcribed here and the solo is essentially a long scale
electric guitar; a guitar with a neck that extends two, four, or
more frets below normal. While Holdsworth occaisionally uses
fifths tuning on these long scale instruments (particularily for
performing SynthAxe-enabled such as "Non Brewed Condiment")
standard tuning is generally used -- based not from E, but from
D or even C (here the open strings being C, F, Bb, Eb, G, C).
The longer scale length yields notes (especially closer to the
nut and in the open strings) having richer & deeper tones and
thus the instrument is referred to as a baritone guitar. As an
aside, it seems that these extended range guitars were used
fairly extensively in Nashville studios during the 50s & 60s to
augment electric bass parts in country & western music.
Holdsworth's baritone (& standard) instruments were built by
Monterey-based luthier Bill DeLap. DeLap has employed elements
of the Steinberger headless design and it's unique hardware, has
worked with lighter woods favoured by Holdsworth for the bodies,
and (for presumably sonic reasons and probably in light of
custom mould tooling costs) has used woods in the neck as
opposed to synthetic composite blends. Custom long scale double
ball-end strings spanning 0.42 through 0.008 (at least for the
standard tunings) were provided by the E & O Mari company for
these instruments.
(Aside from the _Wardenclyffe_Tower_ tunes "Sphere Of
Innocence", "Zarabeth", and "Oneiric Moore", the baritone
instrument is probably most awe-inspiringly featured in the
unique ensemble setting of Holdsworth on baritone guitar, Marc
Johnson on acoustic bass, and Italian composer/drummer Andrea
Marcelli on the piece "Moon" from Marcelli's _Oneness_ release.)
"Sphere Of Innocence" features standard tuning running, I
believe, from a C four tones lower than a normal guitar's low E.
While this low tuning -- especially so with the long scale necks
-- affords the piece its deeper sound, it is, of course,
possible to play the piece on a normal electric guitar in normal
tuning albeit in a higher register.
While chords could be revoiced to take advantage of the more
resonant open strings, I have opted not to do so in this
transcription in order make more apparent the basic chordal
shapes of the piece. These shapes hold, for me, the key to the
harmonic flavour of the piece. Here, broadly spaced triadic
intervals and the use of fifths in the lower strings (and indeed
also often between the guitar and the bass where the "rooting"
of the chord is left to the bassist) contribute to a spacious,
sonorous, and strong sound. Furthermore, unlike the harmonies
in tunes such as "Secrets" and "Wardenclyffe Tower" who feature
many chords based on altered scales (#9 Lydian and it's other
modes), the harmonies in "Sphere Of Innocence" are entirely
based on the normal scale and it's modes. In fact, it seems
that Holdsworth, to a great extent in this tune and others, plays
chords where (or brings forth melodies in which) suspended
fourths disguise major or minor tonalities -- thus achieving
that beautiful, open sense of unresolve.
Rhythmically the transcription is written loosely and presumes
that the reader is familiar with the Holdsworth's guitar
gestures and the piece as a whole. The gestures are given names
for reference and to help outline the structure of the piece.
The essential notes played by bassist Jimmy Johnson are,
underneath each chord form, also noted. Right or left hand
hammered fretting and full (or partial barres) are noted
respectively as 'RH', 'LH', and 'b_IV' (e.g. barred fourth
fret).
Those of us without "C neck baritone electric guitars" will be
required to tune down to C, F, Bb, Eb, G, C in order to play the
piece in the register in which it was recorded. If you haven't
the luxury of a transposing vibrato tailpiece you will likely
have to change to heavy gauge strings to maintain any tension.
Tune normally and tranpose the bass part up a fourth should you
wish to play this little number on your Flying V at your group's
upcoming highschool "Battle Of The Bands" gig (!?).
I hope that you enjoy and learn from this transcription as much
as I have through the process of preparing it. Your comments &
critiques are welcomed as is your interest in my own CD of
adventurous, electric jazz ("Very, very good avant fusion..."
or so thought Guitar Player Magazine.)
----------------
-= SPHERE OF INNOCENCE =-
Allan Holdsworth, from _Wardenclyffe_Tower_
(Transcription by Elliot Freedman, August 1994)
-=Intro=-
x x x x
x---7 x---12 x---9 x---5
6 11 8 4
x-----9 RH x-----14 RH x----11 RH x----7 RH
6 11 7 4
4 9 5 2
G# C# A F#
-=Head Chords=- (-=Pivot Chord=-)
b_IV
12 7 9 4
x x x x
x------13 8 x------11 x----------4
x----16 x x----14 x
14 11 12 7
x 9 x 5
E C# D A
-=Lead Up=-
x x x
7--------7 x-9-(9)---9
x x x
x-----9 11 10
x--11------11 x 13
9 13 11
C# C# G#
-=Climb=-
b_VII
x x 10 x
9------9 10------10 x x------12
7------(7) x x-------8 13
x------9 11------11 9 x
7------7 9 x 12
x x x 10
E F# A B D
(-=Top Chord=-) -=Climax=-
b_IX b_VII
12 14 16 9 x
x x x x 7
13 16 x---17 x---9 7
11 14 15 x 7
9 10 11 12 x
x x x 10 3
F# C C# D G
-=Aftermath=-
b_V
0 2 (2)--2 4------4 5 x---7
x---------0 (0) (0) x x x
1-------1 x---3 4 6 x 9
x---2 x x x x---9 LH x
x-----2 4 6 6 7 9
0 (0) (0) 4 5 7
E B G# A G
(-=Pause=-)
b_XIV
x---14
14
x------19
9
14
15
G
-=Bridge=-
b_VI b_IV
x----9 6 x----9 4 x-----6
x x--------6 7-------7 4 x
11------11 x 6 x 8
x x x x x
11 x---9 8 7 5
9 x-----7 x 5 x
C# B Bb A D
-=Lead Up=-
x x x
7--------7 x-9-(9)---9
x x x
x-----9 11 10
x--11------11 x 13
9 13 11
C# C# G#
-=Climb=-
b_VII
x x 10 x
9------9 10------10 x x------12
7------(7) x x-------8 13
x------9 11------11 9 x
7------7 9 x 12
x x x 10
E F# A B D F#
(-=Top Chord=-) -=Climax=-
b_IX b_VII
12 14 16 9 x
x x x x 7
13 16 x---17 x---9 7
11 14 15 x 7
9 10 11 12 x
x x x 10 3
A C C# D G
-=Aftermath=- (-=Gliss?=-)
b_V
0 2 (2)--2 4--------4 5 7
x---------0 (0) (0) x x x
1-------1 x---3 4 6 x 9
x---2 x x x x---9 LH x
x-----2 4 6 6 7 9
0 (0) (0) 4 5 7
E B G# A B
-=Head Chords=- (-=Mod. Pivot Chord=-)
b_V
12 7 9 5
x x x x
x------13 8 x------11 x----------5
x----16 x x----14 x
14 11 12 8
x 9 x 6
E C# D Bb
-=A Different Path=-
b_IX
x------10 8 x----------------11--11
x x-------11 9----9---9---9-----------9
12 x 9----9---9
x x x------------13
14 11 11
12 9 9
A C# C# B
(-=Expressively=-) -=Modulated Intro Chords=-
b_VI b_I b_VI b_II
x--9 x x 2
x x---4 x---9 2
6-----6 3 8 x
10------10 LH x------6 RH x------11 RH x
8 3 8 4
6 1 6 2
Bb F F Gb
-=Modulated Head Chords=-
b_VI
13 8 10 6
x x x x
x--------14 9 x 6------6
x-----17 x x-------15 x
15 12 13 9
x 10 x 7
C D Bb B
-=Lead Up=-
x x x
7--------7 x-9-(9)---9
x x x
x-----9 11 10
x--11------11 x 13
9 13 11
C# C# G#
-=Climb=-
b_VII
x x 10 x
9------9 10------10 x x------12
7------(7) x x-------8 13
x------9 11------11 9 x
7------7 9 x 12
x x x 10
E F# A B D
(-=Alternate Top Chord=-)
9
x
10
8
6
x
Eb
-=Keyboard Solo=-
-=Guitar Solo=-
-=Modulated Head Chords=-
b_VI
13 8 10 6
x x x x
x--------14 9 x 6------6
x-----17 x x-------15 x
15 12 13 9
x 10 x 7
F D Eb B
-=Lead Up=-
x x x
7--------7 x-9-(9)---9
x x x
x-----9 11 10
x--11------11 x 13
9 13 11
F# C# G#
-=Climb=-
b_VII
x x 10 x
9------9 10------10 x x------12
7------(7) x x-------8 13
x------9 11------11 9 x
7------7 9 x 12
x x x 10
E F# A B D
(-=Top Chord=-) -=Climax=-
b_IX b_VII
12 14 16 9 x
x x x x 7
13 16 x---17 x---9 7
11 14 15 x 7
9 10 11 12 x
x x x 10 3
F# C Bb D G
-=Aftermath=-
b_V
0 2 (2)--2 4------4 5 x---7
x---------0 (0) (0) x x x
1-------1 x---3 4 6 x 9
x---2 x x x x---9 LH x
x-----2 4 6 6 7 9
0 (0) (0) 4 5 7
E B G# A B
(-=Pause=-)
b_XIV
x---14
14---------20 RH
x------19--x
9
14
15
G
-=Bridge-based Outro=-
b_VI b_VI b_IV
x----9 6 x----9 4
x x--------6 7 4
11------11 x 6 x
x x x x
11 x---9 8 7
9 x-----7 6 5
C# B Bb A
-=Outro=-
b_III b_II
x------6 x-------6 2
4 4 x
3 3 3
x x x-------6
5 4 2
3 x 0
G F# E
----------------
As to the makeup of the solo sections, I haven't transcribed
them but note that they are preceeded by restful Lydian chords
and that they are crafted of materials heard earlier in the tune
-- the pedal points spaced liberally for maximum buildup of
tension -- so that the intro and head themes can be charged
triumphantly through.
As far as the rest of the group's performance on this tune, what
I particularily enjoy is Gary Husband's intricate cymbal work
and almost melodic use of the tom-toms (bringing to mind his
work on the _I.O.U._ album) fills, Jimmy Johnson's joint
articulation of important themes (using different but related
runs when quicker gestures are repeated, placing some bass notes
up an octave, and varying his rooting of passages), and the way
that Steve Hunt confidently takes his time soloing before
Holdsworth himself roars through his obviously own changes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Postings to:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, For more info, send HELP as first
::: ]] [[ ::: line in e-mail to the listserv above.
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 109
Thursday, 22 September 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re:
A Conversation
other music
Thanks, Mike! / Gongzilla
_Assembler_
Re: A Conversation
Re: A Conversation
U.K. list
truly useless trivia dept.
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 108
Re: EH?
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 108
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 108
RE: drum parts
Allan H playing in Nottingham..
Re: Allan H playing in Nottingham..
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 15:05:40 -0400 (EDT)
From: X90LESAGE@wmich.edu
Subject: Re:
I don't quite understand the notation system used in Elliot's
transcription. How do I interpret phrasing? Could someone
explain? Thanks for your time and patience in considering my
stupidity :)
Mark LeSage
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 13:02:34 -0700
From: Mortal Kombatant
Subject: A Conversation
Recently I've spotted a Japanese import CD in a mail-order catalog,
the title is called "A Conversation" (the title may be incomplete due to space)
which I've never heard of. Does anyone has any idea what it might be?
Eddie
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 94 15:12:33 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: other music
I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank the rest of the people on
Atavachron for getting me interested in Bill Frisell, Wayne Krantz, David
Torn, and Bill Connors over the past year or so. Not to mention the numerous
Holdsworth guest appearances that I might not have known about otherwise.
I've really enjoyed listening to all of this new (to me) music, and I've also
been having fun turning one of my co-workers on to a lot of it as well.
My VISA balance still hasn't completely recovered! :)
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Thanks, Mike! / Gongzilla
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 94 17:58:05 EDT
Thanks to Mike Uchima for volunteering his disk space (temporarily,
of course!) for transferring pictures of Allan and Co.; if anyone
wants to contribute, please contact me and/or Mike and we'll schedule
it so that Mike's not inconvenienced by lack of space.
For those just coming in on the conversation, I'm looking for
photo submissions for the upcoming Atavachron WWW documents. When
will it be available? Well, here's the story...
We're now waiting for a T1 line to be installed here at MSU -- this
will be able to support a much greater amount of network bandwidth than
our current 56Kb circuit. With most of our computer labs on campus now
connected to the campus backbone (and thus to the Internet), we are
already experiencing "bottleneck" times, especially when a whole class
tries to learn how to use Gopher or somesuch. :) We're holding off
installing Mosaic or WinWeb in those labs for just that reason -- and
also holding off on the WWW server, since it would cause additional
traffic from the opposite direction.
Anyway, if you have some photos you want to scan and submit, please
do -- everyone will get to ogle them once we get the T1, and you'll
get full credit for submitting the photo, as well. If you don't have
access to scanning gear, you can contact me for alternate ways of
submitting the pictures.
And last but not least, I noticed that Bon Lozaga has posted a notice
on 'rec.music.progressive' regarding the Gong/Holdsworth project which
was recently recorded. They're calling the project Gongzilla (heh), and
the title of the release is to be _Suffer_. Bon said it will be
available sometime in November. Can't wait.
No word back from Claire regarding the possibility of Allan appearing
at the Gong 25th Anniversary Shindig in London next month, but you'll
see it here FIRST if it's gonna happen, I promise.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 94 18:05:34 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: _Assembler_
Of potential interest to y'all: Bill Connors' _Assembler_ album has recently
been re-released on CD (Evidence ECD 22095-2).
In the liner notes, Connors claims that his two biggest influences were
Clapton and *Coltrane* -- interesting, given the (recently discussed here)
similarity between Connors' mid-80s solo work and _I.O.U._ era Holdsworth...
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: A Conversation
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 1994 02:48:49 +0900
From: "Taroh SASAKI / D graduate 93 / Kanagawa Univ. Assistant"
>>>>> On Thu, 15 Sep 1994 16:32:44 -0400, Mortal Kombatant
said:
Mortal> Recently I've spotted a Japanese import CD in a mail-order catalog,
Mortal> the title is called "A Conversation" (the title may be incomplete due to
space)
Mortal> which I've never heard of. Does anyone has any idea what it might be?
I guess the album is ``Allan Holdsworth Session --- Conversation
Piece,'' which is a record of a session featuring G. Beck,
J. Clyne, J. Stevens, recorded at London, 1977. I don't have
it on CD, but I think this is a famous recording (and also,
I have been guessed that Europa version already published).
Japanese version is from JIMCO records, JICL-89131, 2,800 yen
(about $28).
Many of the previous works of Allan are available on CD today,
but I really wish ``Road Games''... Is it Allan's will
that it hasn't published on CD yet?
Thanks,
--- taroh@kohnolab.dnj.ynu.ac.jp ??? +----------------+
Dr. Taroh SASAKI, Research Associate % |Art, Aesthetics |
Dept. of Industrial Eng. and Manag., *** ** | and Philosophy|
Fac. of Eng., Kanagawa Univ. **** +----------------+
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: A Conversation
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 94 14:07:53 EDT
> I guess the album is ``Allan Holdsworth Session --- Conversation
> Piece,'' which is a record of a session featuring G. Beck,
> J. Clyne, J. Stevens, recorded at London, 1977. I don't have
> it on CD, but I think this is a famous recording (and also,
> I have been guessed that Europa version already published).
> Japanese version is from JIMCO records, JICL-89131, 2,800 yen
> (about $28).
It SHOULD be listed under John Stevens, as it was his release. One
of the reasons Allan disassociated himself with Stevens was because
he used Allan's name so prominently on the album packaging (the other
being because Stevens released this album and one other which were
outtakes for the session for _Touching On_ -- outtakes which all
parties had agreed were not suitable for release).
As an aside, I heard yesterday on 'rec.music.bluenote' that John
Stevens had recently passed away.
> Many of the previous works of Allan are available on CD today,
> but I really wish ``Road Games''... Is it Allan's will
> that it hasn't published on CD yet?
Not at all! That question is answered in the Atavachron FAQ, though;
to get it, send the following text to listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu :
get atavachron faq
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: U.K. list
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 94 14:28:36 EDT
> From: pcole@sseyod.demon.co.uk (Pete Cole)
> Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 107
> I've got to ask re: all the talk about Allan and UK - has anybody out there
> got the e-mail address for the UK digest ????????
My apologies; I intended to post this information weeks ago, but work
and windmill-tilting has kept me busy! :) The list is called In The
Dead Of Night, and is being run by longtime Atavachron subscriber and
contributor Ron Chrisley. I signed up the minute I heard about it --
I knew if Ron was involved, it'd be worth reading!
Here's the specifics:
To get onto or be removed from the list:
owner-dead-of-night@cogs.susx.ac.uk
Send all submissions to:
dead-of-night-request@cogs.susx.ac.uk
WWW Pages (back issues, discographies, etc):
http://www.cogs.susx.ac.uk/users/ronc/itdon.html
I wonder about that comment which Paolo heard Allan make at that
MESA/Boogie clinic... the one about Jobson being involved in the U.K.
reunion. Hmmm... I may have to make a post to 'dead-of-night-request'
today to find out (or is there a FAQ?).
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 94 11:23:26 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: truly useless trivia dept.
Just noticed a minor curiosity. It appears that the opening track on
_Secrets_ (City Nights) was written by Gary Husband, but that Vinnie Colaiuta
actually plays drums on it. Anybody know the story here? Was Gary otherwise
occupied (e.g. Level 42) when the album was being recorded?
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@sdcc5.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 108
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 1994 16:09:50 -0700 (PDT)
I've noticed the first two chords of one section of "The Unmerry Go
Round" are very similar to the first two chords of Charles Ives'
"The Cage". I'm aware that Ive's harmonies left an imprint on quite
a few jazz musicians. Therefore it would be reasonable to surmise
that Holdsworth may have listened to Ives directly or have been
indirectly influenced by Ives by way of jazz musicians.
A striking example of Ives' conception of harmony as applied to
modern pop can be heard in Bruce Hornsby's "Harbor Lights" towards
the end of the tune where he throws in some Ives-style
reharmonizations of the song's chord progression.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | |
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@sdcc5.ucsd.edu for more info \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 1994 20:19:29 -0400
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: EH?
> In all of Allan's solo projects, he has never played with a
> drummer at Terry's level... Never.
>
>sjm
>
(I just dug this old reply out of the cellar, so I apologize for the
immense time lag.) You don't consider Vinnie Coliauta (spelling?) to be at
Terry's level?
Though I'm a big Bozzio fan, I think that one could easily consider Vinnie
to be of the same stature as a drummer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 19:46:57 -0500 (CDT)
From: ST40V@Jetson.UH.EDU
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 108
Does anyone out there have any drum parts to any Holdsworth songs?
Thank you,
Mark
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 108
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 1994 18:57:56 +0900
From: "Taroh SASAKI / D graduate 93 / Kanagawa Univ. Assistant"
>>>>> On Wed, 21 Sep 1994 21:21:13 -0400, ST40V@Jetson.UH.EDU said:
ST40V> Does anyone out there have any drum parts to any Holdsworth songs?
ST40V> Thank you,
I've been copying some Holdsworth songs in drums. However
I haven't write down them, but maybe easy. Which song do you
need? I've done with mainly Wackerman's play.
Thanks,
--- taroh@kohnolab.dnj.ynu.ac.jp ??? +----------------+
Dr. Taroh SASAKI, Research Associate % |Art, Aesthetics |
Dept. of Industrial Eng. and Manag., *** ** | and Philosophy|
Fac. of Eng., Kanagawa Univ. **** +----------------+
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 94 09:29:33 -0400
From: rardin%bad.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: RE: drum parts
On Wed, 21 Sep 1994 21:21:13 -0400, ST40V@Jetson.UH.EDU said:
> Does anyone out there have any drum parts to any Holdsworth songs?
Do such things exist? If so, do tunes on which Gary Husband plays include
cues for flying sticks??! ;)
-Lynn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Allan H playing in Nottingham..
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 1994 14:20:28 +0100
From: David Valentine-Hagart
Deep Joy for UK (the country) fans of AH in the East Midlands.
Allan is gracing us with his presence again at The Old Vic
in Nottingham on October the 10th. Support is from SIngle Bass
as last years gig and tickets are quids 8.50 in advance or
quids 10.00 on the door.
Time to add to my tour Tshirt collection I think (and yours too Jeff??
- mail me if you wan't to do another trade)
This info gleaned from the Jazz & Roots Mix '94 brochure from the Old Vic.
Any changes /updates to this info will , of course, be posted here soonest.
Dave Valentine-Hagart
Email David.Valentine-Hagart@nottingham.ac.uk
Web http://unicorn.nott.ac.uk/~cczdvh/DVH.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dozier@titan.iwu.edu (Bill Dozier)
Subject: Re: Allan H playing in Nottingham..
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 1994 12:03:56 -0600 (CDT)
Now why can't he make it to Chicago?!
Bill
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Postings to: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
For more info, send HELP as the first ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
line in e-mail to the listserv above. ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 110
Thursday, 29 September 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 109
John Stevens
Re: drum parts
Correction to AH in Nottingham..
Nottingham & other dates
British tour dates
Holdsworth, Stravinsky, Copland
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 22 Sep 1994 16:59:16 EST
From: "GBest01"
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 109
Re: Matching up Allan with "super drummers"
This is a little off the thread, but I when the stuff about Vinnie came up I
choked on my coffee. One time I bought a Bud Powell album without knowing
who was playing on it. After a few cuts, I was wondering about the tacky,
flashy, Vegas show-drummer, he certainly didn't fit into trio very well...
turns out the drummer was Rich. I had the same reaction when I saw Vinnie,
all technique and no soul. I've seen Chad live (playing with Allan) and
Chad definitely has character and a sense of humor when he plays. Again,
sorry for diverting from the thread.
George
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 1994 22:25:52 +0100
From: Jason Grossman
Subject: John Stevens
>> I guess the album is ``Allan Holdsworth Session --- Conversation
>> Piece,'' which is a record of a session featuring G. Beck,
>> J. Clyne, J. Stevens, recorded at London, 1977. I don't have
>> it on CD, but I think this is a famous recording (and also,
>> I have been guessed that Europa version already published).
>> Japanese version is from JIMCO records, JICL-89131, 2,800 yen
>> (about $28).
>
> It SHOULD be listed under John Stevens, as it was his release. One
> of the reasons Allan disassociated himself with Stevens was because
> he used Allan's name so prominently on the album packaging (the other
> being because Stevens released this album and one other which were
> outtakes for the session for _Touching On_ -- outtakes which all
> parties had agreed were not suitable for release).
Allan might be pleased to hear that I was helping to record a John Stevens
session with a jazz group of his a few years ago, and after one long and
brilliant take he came rushing up to the control room saying "yes, that's
it, that goes first on the album" ... but the tape op. (actually, the main
engineer) had forgotten to switch the tape on! And, since it was a free
improvisation group, the piece was utterly lost for ever. Is that suitable
revenge?
Jason
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 1994 23:47:36 -0400
From: Robert Fuhrer
Subject: Re: drum parts
One of the things I like so much about Gary Husband is his free style. So, even
though I play Holdsworth pieces regularly, the thought of transcribing any of
Husband's playing never entered my mind... The very notion seems antithetical
to me...
-- Bob
--------------------------
Robert M. Fuhrer
Computer Science Department
Columbia University
503 CSC Building
rmf@cs.columbia.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri,23 Sep 94 08:54:13 BST
From: David_Valentine-Hagart@vme.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk
Subject: Correction to AH in Nottingham..
**********
CORRECTION
**********
Allan will be playing at the Old Vic in Nottingham on October 15th, and
NOT the 10th as previously stated. ****
At least that means it's on a Saturday instead of a Monday.
(Just goes to show you should check those facts in writing before you blab
eh Dave... ED.)
[ Moderator's note: Lest anyone think I was getting cheeky with
Dave here, he added that last bit himself! :) --JP ]
-------
Email: David.Valentine-Hagart@nottingham.ac.uk
Web : http://unicorn.nott.ac.uk/~cczdvh/DVH.html
-------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 08:11:27 GMT
From: jennifer@material.demon.co.uk (Jennifer Moore)
Subject: Nottingham & other dates
hi people
Dave Valentine-Hagart writes:
> ...
> Deep Joy for UK (the country) fans of AH in the East Midlands.
> Allan is gracing us with his presence again at The Old Vic
> in Nottingham on October the 10th. Support is from SIngle Bass
> as last years gig and tickets are quids 8.50 in advance or
> quids 10.00 on the door.
> ...
> This info gleaned from the Jazz & Roots Mix '94 brochure from the Old Vic.
errrrr....... Not quite......
I really hope it *doesn't* say Oct 10, cos the gig is on Oct *15*....
On the 10th we are now in Bath..... The posters arrived this week
so it *must* be true! :-)
Latest update (which must be pretty definitive by now I think, given
the poster printing & how soon it all is):
___________________________________________________________________
A L L A N H O L D S W O R T H
p l u s s p e c i a l g u e s t s u p p o r t
S i n g l e B a s s
October 1994
Thursday 6 BRENTFORD Watermans Arts Centre 081 847 5651
Friday 7 & Saturday 8 LONDON Jazz Caf 071 916 6000
Sunday 9 BIRMINGHAM Ronnie Scott's 021 643 4525
Monday 10 BATH The Hub 0225 446288
Tuesday 11 PORTSMOUTH Wedgwood Rooms 0705 863911
Thursday 13 MANCHESTER Band on the Wall 061 832 6625
Friday 14 STOCKTON Dovecot Arts Centre 0642 611625
Saturday 15 NOTTINGHAM Old Vic 0602 537755
Sunday 16 ABERDEEN Arts Centre 0224 641122
as part of Aberdeen Alternative Festival
Venue addresses
Watermans Arts Centre, 40 High Street, Brentford, Middlesex
Jazz Caf, 5 Parkway, Camden Town, London. Tube Camden Town
Ronnie Scott's, 258 Broad Street, Birmingham
The Hub, 7 Bladud Buildings, Paragon Street, Bath
Wedgwood Rooms, Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth
Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Manchester
Dovecot Arts Centre, Dovecot Street, Stockton on Tees
Old Vic, 22 Fletchergate, Nottingham
Aberdeen Arts Centre, 33 King Street, Aberdeen
Single Bass e-mailing list & enquiries: SB@material.demon.co.uk
Single Bass info service: BCM Material, London, England, WC1N 3XX
___________________________________________________________________
Germany seems to have disappeared from the agenda though for the
time being. :-(
Well, see you at the gigs people (or not if you are miles away)
Love
--
Jennifer * a k a SINGLE BASS * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* "manages to make the bass fill the space *
* most people need a band for" - Scene & Heard *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 16:25:40 +0100 (BST)
From: Paul Fox
Subject: British tour dates
On Thu, 22 Sep 1994, David Valentine-Hagart
wrote (among other things):
> Allan is gracing us with his presence again at The Old Vic
> in Nottingham on October the 10th. Support is from SIngle Bass
> as last years gig and tickets are quids 8.50 in advance or
> quids 10.00 on the door.
> This info gleaned from the Jazz & Roots Mix '94 brochure from the Old Vic.
> Any changes /updates to this info will , of course, be posted here soonest.
Well, according to the last message I got on the Single Bass mailing
list, the Nottingham gig is on the 15th and Bath is on the 10th. Maybe
it's changed since then, but it's worth checking. Here's the message I got:
On Wed, 7 Sep 1994, Single Bass wrote:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
[snip]
> Here's the latest update for the October tour.
> The main new bits are: - a gig has been added in Bath
> - the Nottingham gig has been confirmed.
> I don't know for _certain_ that this is now the definitive list,
> but it seems likely, as I hear the posters are being printed.
> No news of Germany either, so that seems likely to be off.
[chomp]
>
> A L L A N H O L D S W O R T H
> p l u s s p e c i a l g u e s t s u p p o r t
> S i n g l e B a s s
> ( L a t e s t u p d a t e a s a t 7 S e p t e m b e r )
>
> October 1994
>
> Thursday 6 BRENTFORD Watermans Arts Centre 081 847 5651
> Friday 7 & Saturday 8 LONDON Jazz Caf 071 916 6000
> Sunday 9 BIRMINGHAM Ronnie Scott's 021 643 4525
> Monday 10 BATH The Hub 0225 446288
> Tuesday 11 PORTSMOUTH Wedgwood Rooms
> Thursday 13 MANCHESTER Band on the Wall 061 832 6625
> Friday 14 STOCKTON Dovecot Arts Centre 0642 611625
> Saturday 15 NOTTINGHAM Old Vic
> Sunday 16 ABERDEEN Arts Centre 0224 641122
> as part of Aberdeen Alternative Festival
>
> Venue addresses (where known)
> Watermans Arts Centre, 40 High Street, Brentford, Middlesex
> Jazz Caf, 5 Parkway, Camden Town, London. Tube Camden Town
> Ronnie Scott's, 258 Broad Street, Birmingham
> The Hub, 7 Bladud Buildings, Paragon Street, Bath
> Wedgwood Rooms, Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth
> Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Manchester
> Dovecot Arts Centre, Dovecot Street, Stockton on Tees
> Old Vic, 22 Fletchergate, Nottingham
> Aberdeen Arts Centre, 33 King Street, Aberdeen
[munch]
I'm going to the Stockton gig on the 14th - it's the same venue where I
heard Allan for the first time (May 93). I don't know how big any of the
other venues are, but they only printed 180 tickets for the Stockton one.
(I got number 12! I Wanted to make sure I didn't miss out, as last year's
show was sold out.)
Sorry if this is making non-UK readers green with envy, but I've read
enough in atavachron about Allan and the band in other parts of the
world. Now I'm really looking forward to seeing them at a venue that's
only about 5 miles from my house!
Paul
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From: DMB5561719@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 15:06:21 EDT
Subject: Holdsworth, Stravinsky, Copland
KingsleyD@aol.com mused in Atavacron #107:
>I was listening to a CD of ballets by Copland ("Appalachian Spring") and
>Stravinsky ("Apollo") this morning and had another jolt of "aha! so *that's*
>where he's coming from" with regard to AH. In particular, the chordal
>voicings and progressions are strikingly similar; also the rich timbre of
the
>strings (used exclusively in Apollo) seemed a direct influence on, for
>example, the synth-axe intro to "Wardenclyffe Tower" or the swelled gtr on
>"Shallow Sea."
>It also struck me that these are both well-known composers, and the pieces
>aren't at all obscure. However, negligibly few from the set {people who are
>familiar with the Copland & Stravinsky} are likely to ever hear AH,
>particularly in such a way that they would notice the parallels.
>And how many of the set {Holdsworth fans} are familiar with these ballets?
I just checked Apollo and sure, I get the connection. I always thought the
Mr.
Holdsworth's volume pedal clean guitar w/ chorus, echo and/or reverb sounded
like a string section in an orchestra as well as sounding like a beautiful
electric guitar.
>BTW, I'm not trying to paint myself as an expert here; the balletic context
of the
>music is something I'm entirely ignorant of, and though I've owned the disc
>for several years, this is the first time I really heard the AH parallel.
Well...AH comes from that era of prog rock - fusion where they were
all influenced by modern composers as well as classical (read pre-20th
century
composers) and jazz. Yes used to open their concerts with a recording of
Stravinsky's
Firebird. Keith Emerson swiped the rhythmic accents of Pirates from the
Augurs
of Spring (Stravinsky's Rite of Spring) and also played cover versions of
Aron Copland's
music. AH's future bandmate in the Bruford group Dave Stewart showed a bit of
Stravinsky influence in Egg. Hmmm...Henry Cow still sounds a lot like Igor to
me.
As for his chord voicings and Apollo: outside of jazz the best
place to find similar beautiful voicings would be in music by 20th century
composers.
So yes, I agree!
>I guess my point ...
>That open-mindedness can only come with experience, however, and where is
>that going to happen for people? Not in the home or on the radio, for the
>most part. I'm a teacher, so my pat response is *teach it in school*! But
I
>don't know - that's a huge undertaking at a time when people don't really
>want to pay for the "basics", let alone the arts. What's depressing to me
is
>that, despite the large number of people in this country who play
instruments
>and are, in some sense, "musicians," even *their* experience of music is
>often incredibly narrow. If that's true of the musicians, how much more so
>the non-musicians.
How true. For years I've had to endure people who think that anything
that isn't rock must be jazz because I listen to jazz (but I also listen to
many other things
too!). Or fusion heads who can't deal with Coltrane or Miles because they are
closed to
any kind of acoustic instrumentation. Or a lot of people who can't deal with
modern
or eastern music because it is too "wierd". Like...SQUARESVILLE MAN!
Recently I was treated to a strange reaction to my own music: I had a piano
piece
performed at a local (Trenton Avant Guard) festival. My friend's wife said
she didn't
come to hear my music because she thought it was "new age". Man..how
insulting...so
when we drove to NYC to go the NY Guitar show last week I played a tape of
music that
I sequenced on my computer. My main influences for this AH's melodic style
and Zappa's Jazz from Hell. This woman still thought that it sounded like
"new age"
music! I guess she just doesn't know the difference. How sad!
So I've noticed that ignorance and closed mindedness walk hand in hand.
*THEIR*
EXPERIENCE OF MUSIC IS OFTEN INCREDIBLY NARROW!
>Well, I'm not trying to flame anyone here. Just some food for thought and
>discussion.
Me neither...sorry if I started to rant or got too far away from discussion
of the great musican Alan Holdsworth! :)
>And, if you haven't chanced to hear the music to the
>aforementioned ballets, they're worth checking out.
IMHO most Stravinsky is worth checking out. Especially his three great
ballets:
The Rite of Spring, Petruska and the Firebird. The Firebird is the most like
Apollo.
>One final thought. Let's hope the Gong project is more happening than
>"Expresso - the sequel," eh?
>Kingsley
I'll second that!
Sorry I took almost a month to respond, but I wanted to be sure I listened to
Apollo before I started typing. ;)
David Beardsley
dmb5561719@aol.com
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