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The New Atavachron Digest 2/97
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 17:25:34 -0500
From: owner-atavachron@jabular.webster.com
Apparently-To: atavachron-outgoing@jabular.webster.com
To: JEFF@ADDIMENSION.COM
The New Atavachron Digest 97/02/15
Sender: owner-atavachron@webster.com
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: Jeff Preston
----------
From: Steve_Vaughan@ilink.demon.co.uk
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 97 12:50:54 GMT
Subject: Steve Topping
A fine player. I had the pleasure of seeing him as Holdsworth's
"special guest" at a place called The Bass Clef here in London, way
back in ... 86? 87? It was the Atavachron tour.
Kei Akagi, Gary Husband and Jimmy Johnson were the band.
Topping guested on a fully improvised number, Topping on guitar, Allan
on Synthaxxe. I can see why Allan likes him, their styles are sort of
similar.
As for recorded stuff, I think you can forget it - I've never seen any
Steve Topping albums.
I once bought a friend an album by Jim Mullen, a British guitarist.
With it came a free CD, "Six String Sampler" which showcased some
other british guitarists (as well as Mullen). Steve Topping did two
very enjoyable tracks on this.
Oddly enough, it was the last I heard of Topping (that must have been
five years ago). The other guitarists on that CD were Malcom
MacFarlane (who I've seen recently) and Paul Stacey, who still crops
up here and there. I'd be interested to see if anyone else has Steve
Topping information.
Regards,
Steve Vaughan
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Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 15:29:21 +0100
From: henrik.lundberg@gnesta.mail.telia.com (Henrik Lundberg)
Subject: Confirmation...
OK, atavachronians, it's confirmed.
Allan is booked at the Jazzclub Fasching, Stockholm, Sweden in March 15:th.
Shit, I think it was six years since, and i missed it. I am NOT going to
miss this one.
No matter what.
Yes!
- henrik
----------
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 09:27:48 -0600
From: Mike Coughlin
Subject: namm show
i too am drooling over the namm reports. my question is: is the show
open to the public ? when it was in chicago years ago you has to know
somebody to get in (maybe thats just a chicago tradition :))
the last one featured vital information!
might i just suggest to the guy who called frank gambale a glam/smoothie
player to get his live album?
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Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 12:52:30 -0800
From: "Kevin G. Walker"
Subject: There's More in Life Than Jazz
I'm a big Holdsworth fan and have been since the UK album. The first thing
that drew me to AH's playing was his overall sound. The solos were nice too
(an understatement). When IOU came out, I was floored. I first was him live
soon after. I've noticed on this group that many people seem to only listen to
Jazz. Though I'm a big Jazz fan, I like many kinds of music. I went to
Berklee to study Jazz and came out not only loving Jazz even more, but loving
music from all over the world. I don't think you can label AH as a "Jazz
Guitarist" because his music goes beyond that. I'm not trying to stereotype AH
fans. It's just that those top 10 lists seemed to consist of only Jazz.
There's much more to music that technique. I believe that music is art, not a
sport. (Almost) Anybody that practices enough can become good technically.
There are others that make great music. Some like AH do both.
--
Kevin G. Walker EMAIL: kg_walker@pnl.gov
Staff Scientist VOICE: (509) 375-6864
Information Sciences Department FAX: (509) 375-3641
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory "Whatever it does, it's doing it now"
P.O. Box 999 MSIN: K7-28 - Marge Simpson
Richland, WA 99352
----------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Various responses from beyond
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 20:24:29 -0600
>From: MrBERWELL@aol.com
>Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 19:46:05 -0500 (EST)
>Subject: top Ten for 1996
>-Jonas Hellborg, Shawn Lane, Jeff Sipe (Apt. Q258)
> "Temporal Analogues of Paradise"
>This was recorded live in Europe, and contains to pieces, "First Movement"
>and "Second Movement". They are almost entirely improvised, altough they do
>groove on some familiar motifs once in a while. Also, I really think Jeff
>Sipe compliments this TRIO better than Kofi Baker or Mike Shrieve.
This CD would go on my list, as well... I haven't had time to
listen (or shop) for a lot of music over the past year, but I
did manage to work this in. I'm glad I did.
>-Trilok Gurtu
> "Bad Habits Die Hard"
>This is with the Crazy Saints band, featuring the great David Gilmore on
>guitar (Lost Tribe, Wayne Shorter, Steve Coleman). It was also recorded
>live, and has special guests Bill Evans and Mark Feldman.
I bought this for an out-of-state friend for Christmas, and
will finally get to hear it this weekend. :)
>-Michael Shrieve
> "Two Doors"
>As if the first half with Jonas and Shawn Lane wasnt enough, the second half
>features Frisell and Horvitz, and was taken from the "Fascination" sessions.
I found this, and all I can say is THIS is the CD I was
WAITING FOR this year! Wow!
>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 21:20:45 -0800
>From: Francisco Pablo Espinoza Estrada
>Subject: THE TARANTULA SWINGS !
> I would like to thank Gary Davis of The Artist Shop for organizing
>the chat session with Gary Willis. It was a great opportunity to interact
>with one of the great American Jazz musicians of our time !! I even won an
>autographed copy of his new CD 'No Sweat' (with Dennis 'FONK' Chambers,
>Steve Tavaglione and Scott Kinsey). Sadly, only five people came to the
>chat. Where were you, holdsworthian freakoids??
I feel pretty bad about that, since I had tenatively made an
agreement with Gary to be there. Another network pal (whom I
had never met) dropped into town last Wednesday night, and called
to ask if I'd like to meet up with him at the songwriter's
showcase he was doing, and I said "Sure." Sorry, Garys.
Jeff
----------
From: MrBERWELL@aol.com
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 01:44:30 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Steve Topping
> DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THIS GODZILLA OF THE GUITAR HAS RECORDED
> ANYTHING ?????????? I simply can't believe someone who deserves this
> opinion from God himself isn't well known. Let's get Steve 'WHA?' Topping
> out of ANONYMOUSNESS !!!!
> WE WANT TOPPING !! WE WANT TOPPING !! WE WANT TOPPING !!
Yeah, he's good!! Actually I've only heard some demo stuff he did with Gary
Husband, but the guy was great. I think an ignorant listener would say he
sounds just like Allan, but he doesn't. He's got some fluid lines, but I can
definitely hear the originality in his playing. I'm not sure of any other
recordings he's done, so somebody else let us know!!
mrberwell@aol.com
----------
From: lednammurco@earthlink.net
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 05:22:29 -0800
Subject: Re:
Spence WROTE:
>Some of the Berklee guys (professors) had little insight, however, like
>Bill Leavit (nice guy though, as I remember. He died while I was at
>Berklee.). I remember when I was there Gary Burton (you know, the vibes
>player...), tried to have all of the "rock" teachers fired as well as
>tried to eliminate all "rock" ensembles, etc. WHHHHHHEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!
I graduated from Berklee in 1989. I had some classes with Gary Burton. He
was a very rigid (and not all that personable), yet brilliant guy.
Is this really true??? How do you know he tried to abolish all the rock
oriented ensembles?????
Overall, I wouldn't be that surprised. At the time I went there (mid
80's), there was a very close minded opinion about modern jazz ideas. I
often met with conflict among certain teachers, as I felt strongly that not
all good music was made only by dead guys in the 50's and 60's. It got to
the point where their attitude started to make me dislike the music of many
of the original jazz innovators from that era, whom I had loved so much.
Luckily that feeling did not prevail, and I still enjoy listening and
playing standards a great deal. My heart stayed on track however, and I
kept my focus towards more modern ideas. The beautiful music they were
willing to recognize is from its own era, and there should be some new
music from ours as well.
Most of my teachers, if not all of them, had no idea who or what Allan
Holdsworth was doing. In a way, they were very frightened of change, and
new music. One teacher I had S. C----r (full name kindly omitted), was so
bitter about it he once exclaimed in the middle of teaching, "John
Mclaughlin is trash.....you will never hear crap like that coming out of my
guitar It is just noise.". This guy has authored many articles in Guitar
Player, yet hates all advances in guitar in the past thirty years. I doubt
he was capable of even playing "crap like that".
Guys like this emit a snobbery that is just as silly as a rock guy who
thinks jazz is "sissy" music. They are dinosaurs, and as I have grown
older, I do not let their attitudes bother me that much. As a guy who makes
his living from playing guitar, it is still hard to avoid people like this.
If the people who think like this could play the styles they put down, then
it might be a little easier to take them seriously. The fact is, if they
could do it, they probably wouldn't be so closed minded.
Once at Berklee, W. Marsalis came and did a clinic and proceeded to tell
an earnest young audience of jazz musicians that white people can't play
jazz, and that the modern forms of jazz were bullshit. It made a lot of
students angry. For every style that exists, there are players that are
fantastic. Look at the advances in country guitar alone.
It seems some people have learned little form history. There was
much talk at Berklee about how Coltrane and others were not appreciated
with their new ideas, yet they continue the legacy of ignorance with todays
innovators. Oh well.......all dinosaurs eventually become extinct. Mr.
Leavitt actually was a super guy, and although he was not up on the modern
stuff, he was very accepting of my interests in music that went past 1965.
Much more so than most of the other teachers. There is so much to listen
and learn from. I learn something from every student I teach, and almost
every player I ever get to hear.
----------
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 08:30:19 -0600
From: Tony Hubert
Subject: AH and F. Gambale
> I own the Mark Varney Project featuring Holdsworth and glam? player/smooth
jazz guitarist
>Frank Gambale. I really got into this album. It is mind boggling to listen
>to and ineffable to describe.
Definitely an interesting CD. I especially like the covers of the Chick
Corea and Michael Brecker numbers. However, I've never really been a "fan"
(pun intended) of Frank Gambale. I feel he plays a lot of gratuituous notes
without much consideration for how they might fit within the tune (like
Yngwie Malmsteen at his worst). And the sweep pick thing can really sound
tired real fast, hackneyed, cliched, just like hammer-ons and other two
handed stuff. On MVP Gambale sounds more forced than ever (except for one
cut where he does a pretty tasty acoustic solo). Holdsworth by contrast
sounds relaxed and yields all kinds of creative fruit, in many ways
providing a slower, more methodical approach in contrast to Gambale's
frenetic sweeping arpeggios.
----------
Subject: Hello!
From: lmiller7@juno.com (Leslie J Miller)
Date: Sun, 02 Feb 1997 21:20:47 EST
Hello!
I want to tell everyone that I am switching e mail addresses. As of the
middle of February it will be lmiller@our-town.com.I am switching because
the e mail I was using was free, then they started charging and did not
tell me when until a bill came in. I will continue to receive letters at
the old address until everyone is switched.And I am completely switched
over.But please start wrtiting me at the new address.I also want to say
how much I enjoyed the Gary Willis chat at Artistshop. Gary Davis went
out of his way to make it successful. I had just gotten the chat lines
the night before and tha day I logged on early while on break from a
class to see if I was logging on correctly. Well Gary Davis assured me I
was. Then there was a nice added surprise. Gary Willis was there and
logged on and we chatted for awhile. And it was far from scheduled time!
Nice guy! That evening I tuned into the chat. Lots of fun! If you haven't
tried that chat spot,do so... Hummm maybe mr. H himself will do one
(hint!hint!) By the way I am still serious about a convention. So anyone
else let me know.. I am still doing a poll of those interested! Bye for
now. Allan: Don't forget you have fans...even in Texas! Come tour here
soon.....!!!!!!!!:) Leslie Miller
lmiller@our-town.com
----------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: *** U.S. & European Tour Itinerary Confirmed ***
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 10:43:40 -0600
Hi folks,
Here are the dates... enjoy (and if anyone can think of a
good reason to get Columbia Healthcare to send me to L.A. in
a couple of weeks, please let me know)!
Allan Holdsworth Tour Itinerary, Spring 1997
http://www.addimension.com/atav/docs/dates.html
FEB 25 HOLLYWOOD, CA CATALINA BAR & GRILL
FEB 26 HOLLYWOOD, CA CATALINA BAR & GRILL
FEB 27 HOLLYWOOD, CA CATALINA BAR & GRILL
FEB 28 HOLLYWOOD, CA CATALINA BAR & GRILL
MARCH 01 HOLLYWOOD, CA CATALINA BAR & GRILL
MARCH 02 HOLLYWOOD, CA CATALINA BAR & GRILL
MARCH 07 IVREA (Italy) TEATRO LA SERRA (IVREA JAZZ FEST.)
MARCH 08 PARIS (France) NEW MORNING CLUB
MARCH 10 AMSTERDAM (Holland) MELKWEG CLUB
MARCH 11 GRONINGEN (Holland) DE OSTERPOORT
MARCH 12 APELDOORN (Holland) GIGANT CLUB
MARCH 13 DE HAAG (Holland) PAARD CLUB
MARCH 14 BERGEN (Norway) SARDINEN USF
MARCH 15 STOCKHOLM (Sweden) FASCHING CLUB
MARCH 16 GOTEBORG (Sweden) NEFERTITI CLUB
MARCH 17 PRAGUE (Cek.Rep.) LUCERNA MUSIC HALL
MARCH 18 INGOLSTADT (Germany) BURGETREFF CLUB
MARCH 19 MUNICH (Germany) BAYERISCHER HOF CLUB
MARCH 21 BASTIA (Italy) TEATRO ESPERIA (METRONOME FEST.)
MARCH 22 MAGIONE (Italy) TEATRO COMUNALE (METRONOME FEST.)
MARCH 23 MILANO (Italy) CAPOLINEA CLUB
MARCH 24 ROMA (Italy) BIG MAMA CLUB
MARCH 25 ROMA (Italy) BIG MAMA CLUB
MARCH 27 P.S.GIORGIO(Italy) TEATRO COMUNALE
MARCH 29 RAVENNA (Italy) TEATRO RASI (MISTER JAZZ FESTIVAL)
Jeff
----------
End of Atavachron Digest
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Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 19:41:48 -0500
From: owner-atavachron@jabular.webster.com
Apparently-To: atavachron-outgoing@jabular.webster.com
To: jeff@addimension.com
The New Atavachron Digest 97/02/20
Sender: owner-atavachron@webster.com
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: Jeff Preston
----------
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 1995 20:09:07 -0800
From: Spencer Seidel
Subject: Re:
lednammurco@earthlink.net wrote:
> Is this really true??? How do you know he tried to abolish all the rock
> oriented ensembles?????
While I was there it was a really big deal -- all the students as well as
"rock oriented"
professors were talking about it. As I recall, Jon Finn (i.e. Satriani II)
was very
upset and had many clashes with Burton about it.
I was fortunate; most of my professors were pretty open-minded about music.
I even had
one professor (don't remember who) for an advanced chord lab who claimed
that Holdsworth
was the undisputed master of chord voicings on the guitar -- I am inclined
to agree.
I mostly kept to myself anyway and purposely avoided any clique (Jazz or
otherwise).
Most of my time was spent in a closet, practicing. Despite Leavitt's (and many
others) apparent rigidness, you have to at least give him (and them) credit for
developing such a well rounded and thorough approach to playing the guitar
and music in
general.
spence
----------
From: "Marc Simons"
Subject: WEEEEEEWWWW, He 's comin' !!
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 14:56:11 +0100
YYYYEEEEAAAAAHHHHH,
Finally I have a chance to see him live in The Netherlands! Come on, Dutch
Atavachroniasts, let's give him the BIGGEST welcome here in Holland, I will
be there! Inform as many people as you can that love his music. He deserves
it!
Marc
----------
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 09:45:01 -0500
From: John McGann
Subject: Re:Berklee
>80's), there was a very close minded opinion about modern jazz ideas. I
>often met with conflict among certain teachers, as I felt strongly that not
>all good music was made only by dead guys in the 50's and 60's.
> Most of my teachers, if not all of them, had no idea who or what Allan
>Holdsworth was doing. In a way, they were very frightened of change, and
>new music.
> Guys like this emit a snobbery that is just as silly as a rock guy who
>thinks jazz is "sissy" music. They are dinosaurs, and as I have grown
>older, I do not let their attitudes bother me that much. As a guy who makes
>his living from playing guitar, it is still hard to avoid people like this.
>If the people who think like this could play the styles they put down, then
>it might be a little easier to take them seriously. The fact is, if they
>could do it, they probably wouldn't be so closed minded.
Having attended Berklee in the late '70's, I couldn't agree more- the
epicenter of be-bop snobbism! No faculty/teachers knew of Holdsworth,
Morse, Grisman or any of the happening players of the day, and their
condescension about 'rock' or any other non-swing/bop jazz music was
unbelievable.
I think it's a wee bit better now, 17 years later, but not much. Lots of
smug, bitter people who can't earn a decent living from jazz, and blame
everything from your 'ignorance' to the Beatles for their plight- being
'stuck' teaching at Berklee (jeez, I've had way worse jobs! At least there
are benefits for the full timers- think AH has health insurance???)). It's
a pretty sad scene, socially, for the most part.
It's a shame to see young people getting such negativity slathered on them
while trying to learn something about music.
There was at least one guy in the guitar dept. (J.---A-----.) who was the
most inept player- and it was confirmed by a friend of mine who called him
for a gig, and found him 'useless'. This same fellow taught a transcription
class- at the end of the year each student was to hand in an entire LP
transcription. He then advertised these and sold them for $50 up each thru
the guitar magazines- and I'll tell you, they were student-quality and
unedited! Unethical, immoral, illegal, and ridiculous.
So, I took Berklee for what it was worth-a good organized system for
learning harmony, arranging and all that in a traditional mode; but I
really hated the isolation in that culture, as the music I was into just
didn't exist there.
They have a crystallized method of presented music, largely based on
having dissected Duke Ellington scores
and calling those tendencies 'jazz theory'. Classical theory was developed
among the same lines- analyze existing music, round up the 'tendencies' and
call them rules.
It's a good place to learn about traditional jazz practices, information
that can be really useful- but there's (way) more than one way to skin a
cat, contrary to some folk's 'popular belief'.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John McGann (jmcgann @ world.std.com)Boston, Ma. USA
http://world.std.com/~jmcgann
Custom Transcription Service /Technique Tips Plus...D.I.Y. Transcription,
Tips for Improvisers, Onli ne Sheet Music and Tab, Info for Dobro, Lap
Steel, Mandolin, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Amps, Guitar Contests,
Private Lessons and more...
----------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 17:15:46 GMT
From: pycraft@elec.gla.ac.uk (Dr M. P. Hughes)
Subject: Re: spring tour
>Allan Holdsworth Tour Itinerary, Spring 1997
>MARCH 07 IVREA (Italy)
>MARCH 08 PARIS (France)
>MARCH 13 DE HAAG (Holland)
>MARCH 14 BERGEN (Norway)
>MARCH 16 GOTEBORG (Sweden)
>MARCH 17 PRAGUE (Cek.Rep.)
>MARCH 19 MUNICH (Germany)
>MARCH 21 BASTIA (Italy)
But where's BRITAIN??? I figured he might not be playing anywhere in
Scotland, but I thought that _somewhere_ in the UK.... Why ain't the boy
comin' HOME??
Excasperated,
Michael.
Dr Michael Pycraft Hughes Bioelectronic Research Centre, Rankine Bldg,
Tel: (+44) 141 330 5979 University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
"Wha's like us? Damn few, and they're a' deid!" - Scottish proverb
----------
From: R.J.Heath@lboro.ac.uk (Richard Heath)
Subject: Deja vu and how do ya do
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 18:12:14 +0000
Dear All,
I feel we are about to embark on yet another round of prolonged discussions
on the concise definition of jazz, the nature of jazz, is AH jazz, does AH
swing, ad nauseum. If we are, fresh comments please!!.
I get really peed off by classically train musicians dabbling in jazz and
producing what at best can only be called a soul-less but often perfect
copy. For instance, I picked up a copy of Stephane Grapelli and YoYo Ma
playing Cole Porter and was much saddened that Grapelli had lost his swing
in the presence of that great CLASSICAL cellist.Fortunately I pais very
little for this CD. The UK's erstwhile Nigel Kennedy has tried his hand at
jazz, (his favorite jazz artists are apparently Grapelli and Jean Luc Ponty)
but his albums lack any "soul". And Mr Wynton Marsalis must have been
blowing air out of the wrong end of his anatomy at Berkee, with his
often-made (racist?) comments about white jazzers and new jazz. Let's face
it he sound too precise playing his jazz, and should stick to Haydn, Hummel
and any other 18th century composers starting with H- Armstrong, Bix,
Gillespie and Davis between them invented the cornet/trumpet sound. I
satisfied AH plays jazz, but also some times rock. Cos he ain't normally
played on any of the UK's main rock stations (although we haven't that
number) or any others, AH must too be thought to be playing difficult music
by these brainless jocks: therefore pigeonhole under "jazz".
I'm sorry to see the forthcoming AH tour is missing out the UK - alas again
confirming that we a musical backwater. I trust Allan does come home if only
for a break and to stand in the English rain.
Folks, please let's not stop using AVTAVDIG as a review forum for recent
releases - the correspondence I occasionally receive because of my doddlings
in AVTAVDIG, suggest many of the readers here have reasonably similar tastes
to mine. And being situated in this backwater, I do get to learn of new and
less commercial US releases, from these pages. Therefore here is my
fourhuppath worth and some recommendations:
Abercrombie, Wall & Nussbaum: "Tactics" (ECM): an excellent live recording
(made July 1996 in NYC), showing off well the talents of these gentlemen.
Each has plenty of space to develop ("jazz-like") on most tracks. Dan Wall
is certainly one of the most innovative Hammond organist around, while
Abercrombie slips and slides over the top of the other two during his solos.
As a result one of the best releases this year so far. (Rumour has it that
Wall & Nussbaum are releasing an album with Austrian guitarist Karl Ratzer -
anybody know about this??).
Niacin: (on Chick Corea's Stretch label) - and can anybody spot the
deliberate pun in the band's name. Niacin are a studio collective, namely
Billy Sheehan, (electric bass, part in the style of Colin Hodgkinson), John
Novello (Hammond B3) and the ever present Dennis Chambers (Drums). This is
also excellent, but features a broader range of music from jazz, fusion ,
blues to rock. Novello pulls all the stops out and hints at a multitude of
references including Jimmy Smith, Brian Auger, Jon Lord, etc. but alos
demonstrating his own style too. Again an excellent album but very different
for "Tactics". If you like Hammond organ based music get both albums.
Finally those into Frippery and King Crimson circa 1970 -74, jazzy
experiments and beyond - almost into RIO, listen here. A local specialist
shop strongly recommended the following record on my last visit and I bought
it on the off-chance and have played it to death in the last three weeks, i.e.:
Anekdoten: "Vemod", recorded 1993. This is a Swedish band steeped in the
John Wetton, Bill Bruford, David Cross period of KC, plus having a fondness
for the mellotrons and English new experimental jazz found on the earlier
"Lizard" recording. I love it and got easily hooked on the Wetton-style
thundering bass riffs, similar to those heard in KC (and on odd occasions)
on the first UK albums - how listening hard to the albums Nuances. The songs
are song in good English (better than some of those C&W records)!!! If you
can't find this albums let me know and I'll let you know the store's address
in Leicester.
Goodbye to all
Dick Haeth
----------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 97 12:03:37 PST
From: "Hoard, Chris"
Subject: Alan Pasqua at LA Shows?
Imagine my surprise...
I'd spoken to Allan several times about his new touring group with
Dave Carpenter and Gary Novak... and nothing about a keyboardist had
been mentioned--other than it might happen at some later time.
When I read the Sunday LA Times, the gigs at Catalina's (2/25-3/2/97)
listed AH w/GN, DC, *and* Alan Pasqua! By coincidence, the next
week's act at Catalina's was listed as "The Tony Williams Trio" (no
names given). I hadn't been able to confirm with AH or others that
Pasqua is actually confirmed, and just spoke with Clare, who clarified
that Pasqua had been asked to come sit in with the trio as a guest,
and that he will perform with the band during "some but not all" of
the sets in the role as a special guest.
I don't have any specifics on the nights Pasqua will appear, but the
Catalina ad implication that the four musicians will be featured
during all the sets is not quite the case. Nonetheless the trio's
warm-up gig for the European tour will apparently have some unique and
special moments for those who can attend the Catalina shows...
--CH
----------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 13:01:28 +0000
From: alejandro martin
Subject: Allan European tour
Jeff:
My apologies for writing to you instead of posting to Atavachron, but being
presumably one of the few subscribers who doesn't have the slightest notion
of musical theory and having played nothing but acoustic guitar, I don't feel
like my contributions could go way beyond the usual 'geez, this guy's music
really blows me off!':)
Anyway, the point is that I'm a Cuban currently in a 6 months long stay in
the Netherlands. If you're unfamiliar with the implications, that means
a) I've been starved for Allan records ever since I first heard 'Metal
Fatigue' back in 1987 (No Allan's CD/LP are/have been sold in Cuba. EVER.)
b) Your European tour dates in the latest Atavachron digest look to me like a
heavenly gift!!
So I was wondering if you could send me the addresses of other dutch
Atavachronians (Atavachronists? Atavacroonies? whatever..:-), to find out the
phone numbers of ANY of the Dutch clubs Allan is booked for. If you can't
(because of privacy issues, etc.) but still think this message is OK for the
list, can you please post it?
BTW, you must already be bored to death of hearing stuff like this but I
don't give a #@$%: YOUR LIST IS GREAT!! thanks for all your work,
Alejandro
Alejandro Martin
Dept. Biochemistry, Wageningen Agricultural University
The Netherlands
Reply to: alejandro.martin@fad.bc.wau.nl
----------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 17:48:52 -0600
From: "Mark C. Wood"
Subject:
> From: lednammurco@earthlink.net
> Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 05:22:29 -0800
> Subject: Re:
> It seems some people have learned little form history. There was
> much talk at Berklee about how Coltrane and others were not
> appreciated with their new ideas, yet they continue the legacy of
> ignorance with todays innovators. Oh well.......all dinosaurs
> eventually become extinct.
I think most Holdsworth fans would agree. One of the things I like most
about Holdsworth's music is that it's so progressive. Miles Davis once
said that music is about change.
Jeff,
Is Holdsworth planning on touring through the mid-west anytime this
year?
[ Moderator's note: If so, I have yet to hear it. Please, everyone --
keep checking the Web site and reading the digests. I promise to
post this kind of information just as soon as I know of firm
dates (and I hate NOT answering e-mail on a timely basis, but I
really do not have time to repeat the same "I don't know" message
20 times a week to 20 different folks). --JP ]
----------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 23:35:17 -0700 (MST)
From: rdymond@softnc.com (Robin Dymond)
Subject: Summer Tour Dates - Jazz festivals?
Thanks for the Euro tour dates Jeff.
Is there any word on AH doing the Jazz Festival circuit
this summer? Just wondering if there will be any Canadian
or Pacific NW dates in 1997.
It was amazing to hear that Holdsworth and Erskine will be playing
together. Peter Erskine's last 3 releases on ECM w/ Palle Danielson (bass)
and John Taylor (Piano) are stunning CDs. The compositions are really
beautiful, modern, fresh pieces that have the same type of energy as
Allan's work, though more potential than kinetic. I'd love to hear
Allan's interpretation of some of that work in a live context.
As to what I'll call the "Wynton manifesto", that
all things old are true and all things new are cruft,
go back to sleep Wynton, and may flowing chordal progressions of
molten glass haunt your 2-5-1 dreams. When you wake up perhaps
you'll re-visit Chambers of Tain, one of your better
pre brain wash compositions.
cheers,
Robin Dymond
rdymond@softnc.com
----------
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 06:58:00 -0800
From: Joseph Barbarotta
Subject: Re:
I'll keep you all posted. I'm going to see AH at The Catalina in LA on
March 1. Can't wait. By the way, I originally thought it would be a trio
performance but it is being billed as AH with Dave Carpenter, Gary
Novak, and Alan Pasqua. WOW! Carpenter is a monster. Saw him at the NAMM
show. By the way the NAMM show is not open to the public. {Don't ask how
I wheedled my way in----connections,connections.......}
----------
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 08:59:36 -0800
From: "Kevin G. Walker"
> From: Jeff Preston
> Subject: Various responses from beyond
> Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 20:24:29 -0600
> >-Trilok Gurtu
> > "Bad Habits Die Hard"
> >This is with the Crazy Saints band, featuring the great David Gilmore on
> >guitar (Lost Tribe, Wayne Shorter, Steve Coleman). It was also recorded
> >live, and has special guests Bill Evans and Mark Feldman.
>
> I bought this for an out-of-state friend for Christmas, and
> will finally get to hear it this weekend. :)
Is this the Pink Floyd David Gilmore? Sounds like a strange combination.
[ Moderator's note: Nope, that one spells his name "Gilmour," I
think; this one is best known to me through his work with Steve
Coleman's M-Base Collective. --JP ]
--
Kevin G. Walker
EMAIL: kg_walker@pnl.gov
VOICE: (509) 375-6864
FAX: (509) 375-3641
"Whatever it does, it's doing it now"
- Marge Simpson
----------
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 09:11:24 -0800
From: "Kevin G. Walker"
Subject: Berklee Bashing
> Spence WROTE:
> I graduated from Berklee in 1989. I had some classes with Gary Burton. He
> was a very rigid (and not all that personable), yet brilliant guy.
> ...
> Most of my teachers, if not all of them, had no idea who or what Allan
> Holdsworth was doing. In a way, they were very frightened of change, and
> new music. One teacher I had S. C----r (full name kindly omitted), was so
> bitter about it he once exclaimed in the middle of teaching, "John
> Mclaughlin is trash.....you will never hear crap like that coming out of my
> guitar It is just noise.". This guy has authored many articles in Guitar
> Player, yet hates all advances in guitar in the past thirty years. I doubt
> he was capable of even playing "crap like that".
I graduated from Berklee in 1988. Many of my teachers had not heard of AH but
some had and even liked him. Some of my teachers really liked McLaughlin too.
I found that at Berklee (like in life in general), you need to get out of it
what you can. I had a very traditional guitar taecher the first year and I
learned a lot from him. The second year, I picked a guitar teacher who liked
AH and lots of other newer music.
> Guys like this emit a snobbery that is just as silly as a rock guy who
> thinks jazz is "sissy" music. They are dinosaurs, and as I have grown
> older, I do not let their attitudes bother me that much. As a guy who makes
> his living from playing guitar, it is still hard to avoid people like this.
> If the people who think like this could play the styles they put down, then
> it might be a little easier to take them seriously. The fact is, if they
> could do it, they probably wouldn't be so closed minded.
> Once at Berklee, W. Marsalis came and did a clinic and proceeded to
tell
> an earnest young audience of jazz musicians that white people can't play
> jazz, and that the modern forms of jazz were bullshit. It made a lot of
> students angry. For every style that exists, there are players that are
> fantastic. Look at the advances in country guitar alone.
Berklee is notorious for jazz snobs. These are the people who sit at recitals
with their arms crossed judging the musicians. You just have to laugh at them
to maintain some sort of sanity. Just remember that they wanted Kevin Eubanks
to play with a pick.
--
Kevin G. Walker
EMAIL: kg_walker@pnl.gov
VOICE: (509) 375-6864
FAX: (509) 375-3641
"Whatever it does, it's doing it now"
- Marge Simpson
----------
End of Atavachron Digest
Send postings to: atavachron@webster.com
Send administrative requests to: atavachron-request@addimension.com
Web page: http://www.addimension.com/holdsworth/
Sponsored in part by Alchemy Records
http://www.musicpro.com/alchemy/
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 22:05:57 -0500
From: owner-atavachron@jabular.webster.com
Apparently-To: atavachron-outgoing@jabular.webster.com
To: jeff@addimension.com
We'll miss you, Tony.
The New Atavachron Digest 97/02/24
Sender: owner-atavachron@webster.com
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: Jeff Preston
----------
From: "Kent D. Del Castillo"
Subject: Live CD???
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 23:33:21 -0500 (EST)
Here's a new one (question, that is)!
Any mention of a LIVE CD of AH with Erskine?? Come on, it's gotta happen! If
Allan reads this, PLEASE! You have to make a live CD sometime in your life!
Why not now!!! It'll sell like hot cakes, and you could get that life
insurance that other post was talking about!
And yes, keep posting about CD recommendations! I was about to buy that Trilok
Gurtu CD until I saw David Gilmour on there (I don't have anything against
him, just didn't want to pay $14 for him!). Then I read it's not him, but that
ausum guitarist that can play that funked-up Coleman. I never would have
remembered Gilmore, but would've kept reading Gilmour! DOH!
THANX!
Kent
--
-------------------------------------------------------
| Kent Del Castillo |
| kddelc01@homer.louisville.edu |
| http://idt.net/~kentde19/index.html |
| "Who do you want to talk to? All those morons who |
| are living across the world somewhere? You don't |
| even want to talk to them at home." |
| -Ray Bradbury- |
-------------------------------------------------------
----------
From: "Bruno Sylvestre"
Subject: Swiss Tour ??
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 08:15:15 +0100
Hi,
Some people (eventually Jeff ) knows if Allan has planified some
dates in Switzerland....I try..I've seen the programm from Jeff in the
Atavachronisim group..but I'm forcing to go in Paris..Yes I know it's
a very great pleasure to do it..and I'feeling as a wet crazy pom-pom
girl..but Switzerland is a nice place too !
I ask that because in 1993 in Paris, after the concert a guy said me
that a date was scheduled somewhere in Switzerland..and I was very
surprised...OK ! I understand..my text is very interesting..well !
Anybody knows what musicians with AH in Paris..and what kind of
music..like NTS or HHA ?
Many thanks for responses, Bruno. (Nice T-shirt, Jeff!)
----------
From: Atro Tossavainen
Subject: Gig details?
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 09:48:21 +0200 (EET)
Hi, I'm desperate to know whether anyone in Sweden has the
phone =A7, address, whatever, ALL INFORMATION IS WELCOME!, to
the Fasching Jazzclub in which AH is due to appear in mid-March.
I mailed the original poster but got no reply...
--=20
Atro Tossavainen E-mail: Atro.Tossavainen@helsinki.fi
http://www.helsinki.fi/~atossava/
----------
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 08:55:08 -0600
From: Mike Coughlin
Subject: invasion of the netherlands
hi,
i'm planning on going over to the netherlands for allan's date there.
can anyone supply me with the phone numbers of the clubs he's
playing? i'd of course be interested in meeting up with anyone on the list,
for some partying in amsterdam ;)
i'd also be interested in some information on the festivals in italy (how
long are the sets [the noth sea ones are < an hour], who else is at the
fest, etc.)
see you in the dammage !
----------
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 08:56:22 -0800
From: "Kevin G. Walker"
Subject: Pacific Northwest Tour Dates?
I noticed that there weren't any tour dates for AH in Seattle or Portland. I
guess I'll never see AH play again unless I move back to California (little
chance there). The last time I saw him was in Boston in ~1987 with Jimmy
Johnson, Gary Husband and Kei Akagi. Has anyone heard about and Pacific
Northwest tour dates?
--
Kevin G. Walker
EMAIL: kg_walker@pnl.gov
VOICE: (509) 375-6864
FAX: (509) 375-3641
"Whatever it does, it's doing it now"
- Marge Simpson
----------
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 10:41:45 -0700 (MST)
From: rdymond@softnc.com (Robin Dymond)
Subject: How about a Real Audio Simulcast from Catalina?
Hello Atavachronists,
Wouldn't it be a good idea for an Allan Holdsworth Real audio
simulcast over the net from the Catalina gigs? We have the
network and the audience. We 'd need to find the permission,
from the group and possibly a donor or sponsor.
Any suggestions?
cheers,
Robin Dymond
rdymond@softnc.com
----------
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 10:42:46 -0700
From: Chris Manuel
Subject: Re: Wynton Marsalis
Soapbox time. Look out!
Just thought I'd drop a few lines re: Wynton Marsalis's failings.
Here's how I see the guy. He has complete command of his instrument. He
can read, improvise, perform and record with a facility and control that
only a few players in the world can equal. It just so happens that he
chooses to focus his talents on a very narrow spectrum of music. I suspect
that from his standpoint there is a lifetime of improvisational
possibilities within the II-V-I cadence and it doesn't feel narrow to him.
Go see him work live. I was lucky enough to see him in an open-air,
festival setting a number of years ago. I've seen three musicians who
really impressed me in a live setting: Pat Metheny, Allan Holdsworth and
Wynton. Metheny because his band was so tight and his tone was beautiful,
Holdsworth for the excitement of his technique and the beauty of his
improvisation and Wynton for his total mastery of his instrument and the
idiom he's chosen.
I recognize that his rhetoric appears a little tired. I take it with a
grain of salt because I believe that the media takes things out of context
or simply changes things by the narrow focus their soundbites produce.
As to his racist comments - I don't know how any African American in the
public eye resists the temptation to talk about racism. From my
perspective racism is still pervasive through all cultures - it's
demonstrated time and again that people will fall into racist "grooves"
given the slightest stress, economic or social. It's a sad fact of human
nature. So if I hear quotes like "no white man can play jazz" I tend to
interpret that as: "jazz grows from the Black experience - a white man
can't play the music from the same place in the heart that a black man
can". I just hope that Wynton doesn't believe this invalidates all the
white men's interpretations of what started as a black man's art. Even if
he does feel this is true, I'm still going to buy his records ... I just
hope I don't have to get a membership card for the NAACP to enjoy his
music.
----------
To: owner-atavachron
Subject: RE: SKULI
X-DVS-Message-Class: 1
From: "Collis, Todd"
X-DVS-Conversation-ID: <199702210041.TAA26704@jabular.webster.com>
Date: 21 Feb 1997 14:24:32 -0500
X-DVS-Mail-Trail: Replied by: "Collis, Todd" on 2/21/97
02:24PM
Last night, I heard an interview on our local public radio station
featuring a band with Skuli on bass, a guitarist (whose name I missed) and
a keyboard player (whose name I also missed but who is from the midwest
and is Iranian).
I can't remember the name of the band, but what I heard during the
interview (sound clips) was impressive indeed.
Keep an eye (or an ear) out for these guys. Their sound is great.
[ Moderator's note: This is possibly Mo Boma, on Extreme Records? --JP ]
----------
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 11:26:28 -0600
From: Tony Hubert
Subject: Voice
Could anyone pick out the trumpet of Wynton Marsalis in some randomly
selected piece, jazz or classical? I doubt it. He doesn't have any real
voice of his own; he's among many who are content to regurgitate
"traditional" jazz and call themselves revolutionary, or keeping of the
be-bop faith. Miles Davis once called him an answer to a question no-one
had asked. "He thinks he's the savior of jazz or something..." Holdsworth
on the other hand can be detected with one note. He has a definitive
signature to his sound and compostional sense. To my mind a true musician
doesn't spend his/her time dissing any other musicians or musical
forms--they generally have their minds open and oughta be creating their own
music. I love Holdsworth and I love the guitar of Joe Pass as well as Chet
Atkins and Segovia. They've all influenced me as well as "non-guitarists"
like Clifford Brown, Coltrane, Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Brian Eno.... I
think some folks just NEED to pigeonhole, label, categorize to feel warm and
fuzzy in this often forbidding universe....Be that as it may I am looking
forward to immersing myself in the Holdsworth musical realm at the Catalina
Bar and Grill March 1st....namaste....
----------
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 21:11:19 +0100
From: Rene Janssen
Subject: Drumchair oil & Dutch gigs
Hello, and greetings to all Dutch atavachronistas..and those have gone
hysterical about the coming gigs ;) Yes I am coming to see the gigs too !
Finally!=20
To the point : I have heard a rumour from reliable source which has to do
with the drumchair on the next album. Well I dont want to spoil it right
away and give his name out , and throwing oil on a burning drumchair, so I
only give you all something to puzzle : his sticksize is 5B , he uses
traditional grip, he weares a pair of spectacles and has an esthetical
manner of putting them back when they tend to drop down his nose due to one
of his unparalleled chops. ;) That should be enough hehe..
=20
____________________________________________________________________________=
__
Ren=E9 Janssen \/ UNIX System Engineer at Telematica Int. =
=20
http://www.via.nl/users/rene /\ rjanssen@oke.nl | phone private:
0773074741=20
Quote of the day: Not only is Java not dead , its starting to smell really
bad.
=20
----------
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 02:04:18 -0800
From: Daniel Larsen
Subject: Re:
> one professor (don't remember who) for an advanced chord lab who claimed
> that Holdsworth
> was the undisputed master of chord voicings on the guitar -- I am inclined
> to agree.
>
> I mostly kept to myself anyway and purposely avoided any clique (Jazz or
> otherwise).
> Most of my time was spent in a closet, practicing.
> spence
>
I have to truely agree with your professor and you! I've never
encountered such a thing done with chord voicings from anyone like
Holdsworth. To me, he is a master and original in his craft like
Hendrix was in the '60s with his own craft. Likewise, my time was spent
in a room practicing and playing for many moons over. Alot of people
are shocked that I've lived in the Bay Area in Northern Ca. all my life,
and have never been up Lake Tahoe or Reno. I think you have a very
rounded and open attitude, Spence. Keep up the faith!
>Daniel Larsen...guitarist for life and beyond*
----------
From: Ivor Thomas
Subject: David Gilmore
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 14:42:29 -0800
> >This is with the Crazy Saints band, featuring the great David Gilmore on
> >guitar (Lost Tribe, Wayne Shorter, Steve Coleman). It was also recorded
> >live, and has special guests Bill Evans and Mark Feldman.
I saw this Gilmore guy with Wayne Shorter last summer.
He is a killer player, but didn't have a whole lot of
space in Shorter's compositions to play out--his few
solos were excellent though. I'm curious what these other
recordings are like. Would a very brief review of them
in this digest be out of order?
thanks, Ivy Thomas
Portland, OR
----------
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 20:43:52 -0500
From: rbisson@courrier.usherb.ca ( =?iso-8859-1?Q?R=E9mi?= Bissonnette)
Subject: Benny Jansson
Hi all Holdsworth fans,
I've read a little something in a mail-order catalog about a swedish guitar
player named Benny Jansson, and it really intrigued me because it said his
style was 'Holdsworth goes Metal', about his solo album 'Virtual Humanity',
supposedly a Satriani-esque affair.
This description, albeit vague, is fairly interesting enough (can you
imagine such a combination??) but I haven't checked it out yet. So I'm
asking: is there somebody here who has, and is willing to offer his
comments and/or confirm the above statements? Perhaps we could even get
hands-on information from our keyboard-playing friend Jens Johansson, since
Benny apparently plays on 'Sonic Winter', the Johansson Bros. latest
offering. (that's another CD I have to get my hands on!)
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Bruno Bissonnette
R=E9mi Bissonnette Ph.D.
Professeur titulaire
=46acult=E9 d'=C9ducation physique et sportive
Universit=E9 de Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke, Qu=E9bec
J1K 2R1
=20
----------
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 01:14:27 -0800
From: Francisco Pablo Espinoza Estrada
Subject: WATCH OUT... HERE COMES THE SPIDERMAAAN !
Fellow Holdsworth worshippers:
> From: Steve_Vaughan@ilink.demon.co.uk
> Date: Mon, 27 Jan 97 12:50:54 GMT
> Subject: Steve Topping
>I once bought a friend an album by Jim Mullen, a British guitarist.
>With it came a free CD, "Six String Sampler" which showcased some
>other british guitarists (as well as Mullen). Steve Topping did two
>very enjoyable tracks on this.
>Oddly enough, it was the last I heard of Topping (that must have been
>five years ago).
Could you tell us what record label issued this Sampler ? Thank you
very much for the info !
> Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 12:52:30 -0800
> From: "Kevin G. Walker"
> Subject: There's More in Life Than Jazz
>
>I'm not trying to stereotype AH fans.
>It's just that those top 10 lists seemed to consist of only Jazz.
This is my top twenty list of all time (SPIDO excluded):
1. AC/DC "Back in Black"
2. John Coltrane "Coltrane Plays The Blues"
3. Junior Brown "Guit With It"
4. Jeff Beck "Guitar Shop"
5. Prince "Batman"
6. Brecker Brothers "Heavy Metal Be-Bop"
7. Slayer "Reign in Blood"
8. Michael Hedges "Live On The Double Planet"
9. Ozzy Osbourne "No Rest For The Wicked"
10. Frank Zappa "Roxy & Elsewhere"
11. Pantera "Vulgar Display Of Power"
12. John Scofield "Blue Matter"
13. Johnny Winter "Hey, Where's Your Brother?"
14. Bill Frisell "Is That You?"
15. John Coltrane & Julian Adderley "Cannonball & Coltrane"
16. Scott Henderson & Gary Willis "Tribal Tech"
17. Morbid Angel "Domination"
18. Albert Collins "Iceman"
19. Weather Report "Night Passage"
20. Judas Priest "Screaming For Vengeance"
If you don't have all these records.... Satan will take your
soul....TONIGHT !
> Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 08:30:19 -0600
> From: Tony Hubert
> Subject: AH and F. Gambale
>
> > I own the Mark Varney Project featuring Holdsworth and glam?
> > player/smooth jazz guitarist
> > Frank Gambale. I really got into this album. It is mind boggling to
> > listen to and ineffable to describe.
>
> Definitely an interesting CD. I especially like the covers of the Chick
> Corea and Michael Brecker numbers.
So Gambale's glamorous and smooth at the same time ! WOW ! In latino
lingo that would be "Rico... Suave !" :>)
> However, I've never really been a "fan"
> (pun intended)of Frank Gambale. I feel he plays a lot of gratuituous notes
> without much consideration for how they might fit within the tune (like
> Yngwie Malmsteen at his worst). And the sweep pick thing can really sound
> tired real fast, hackneyed, cliched, just like hammer-ons and other two
> handed stuff. On MVP Gambale sounds more forced than ever (except for one
> cut where he does a pretty tasty acoustic solo).
Hey Tony, I think you are being a little too hard on Frank... It is
true that he wastes a lot of notes sometimes. It is true that some sweep
licks he resorts to, are simply annoying (specially those descending
chromatic ones). BUT, he does achieve some really inspired moments, as a
result of his 'just wing it' attitude towards soloing. And that is very
valuable ! Plus, his command of modal theory is simply stunning and he
throws some very cool blues licks every now and then ! I just bought the new
Vital Information CD, and what saves it from fuzak mediocrity is Frank's
great playing..... Conclusion: He's not that bad ! ;)
> Holdsworth by contrast
> sounds relaxed and yields all kinds of creative fruit, in many ways
> providing a slower, more methodical approach in contrast to Gambale's
> frenetic sweeping arpeggios.
That's right ! Allan makes musical sense all over this CD. And he
sounds soooo relaxed. My favorite solo is in 'Not Ethiopia' ... the melodies
are so beautiful. Anybody who plays this solo must be touched by divinity.
This will sound like heresy to some, but I think that Allan and Steve
Tavaglione's solos in that tune are better than the original ones by the
Breckers (Straphangin'), and those were HOT !
> Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 23:35:17 -0700 (MST)
> From: rdymond@softnc.com (Robin Dymond)
> Subject: Summer Tour Dates - Jazz festivals?
>
> As to what I'll call the "Wynton manifesto", that
> all things old are true and all things new are cruft,
> go back to sleep Wynton, and may flowing chordal progressions of
> molten glass haunt your 2-5-1 dreams.
YEAH MAN ! And may you wake up next morning, only to find that Gary
Husband has moved to the house next to yours !
Greetings from Chile !
Francisco Espinoza
(franaesp@entelchile.net)
----------
From: MrBERWELL@aol.com
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 01:46:34 -0500 (EST)
Subject: LA shows/ Tony Williams
>>Date: Mon, 17 Feb 97 12:03:37 PST
From: "Hoard, Chris"
Subject: Alan Pasqua at LA Shows?
When I read the Sunday LA Times, the gigs at Catalina's (2/25-3/2/97)
listed AH w/GN, DC, *and* Alan Pasqua! By coincidence, the next
week's act at Catalina's was listed as "The Tony Williams Trio" (no
names given).<<
The Tony Williams trio consists of Ron Carter and Mulgrew Miller (at least
thats who was at Bilrdland in NYC a couple months ago.) Wouldn't it be nice
if Allan were to sit in on a tune or two with this trio???
----------
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 16:48:41 -0800
From: Francisco Pablo Espinoza Estrada
Subject: GARY 'JAZZ-ROCK' BURTON
Dear Arachnophiles,
> Date: Wed, 15 Feb 1995 20:09:07 -0800
> From: Spencer Seidel
> Subject: Re:
>
> lednammurco@earthlink.net wrote:
>
> > Is this really true??? How do you know he tried to abolish all the
> > rock oriented ensembles?????
>
> While I was there it was a really big deal -- all the students as well
> as "rock oriented" professors were talking about it. As I recall,
> Jon Finn (i.e. Satriani II) was very
> upset and had many clashes with Burton about it.
Ian Carr, former leader of Nucleus (one of Mr. Spider's first
bands) and jazz educator extraordinaire, tells us the following little
things about Gary Burton in 'The Rough Guide To Jazz' (Penguin Books):
"In 1967 he formed his own quartet with Larry Coryell, Steve Swallow and
Bob Moses, and the fully mature Burton sound and style were clearly
evident for the first time. The quartet's music had all the jazz virtues
- harmonic sophistication, swing, good dynamics - but it also fused
elements from rock and country music, creating a fresh, attractive,
totally contemporary sound, and anticipating the jazz-rock movement of
the 1970's"
Later....in the recommended discography:
" 'The New Quartet'(1973,ECM) 1973 saw the high watermark of the
jazz-rock movement, and this album was one of the most accomplished of
the time. Burton leads guitarist Michael Goodrick, bassist Abraham
Laboriel and drummer Harry Blazer in a performance of eight excellent
compositions - two each by Mike Gibbs and Gordon Beck and one each by
Carla Bley, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and Burton himself. The
performance has terrific panache and bites deep rhytmically and
emotionally."
We have found the jazz version of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde...
In the inmortal words of Bela Lugosi, BEWARE, TAKE CARE !!!
Francisco Espinoza (franaesp@entelchile.net)
----------
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 22:48:15 +0100 (MET)
X-Sender: mvs@worldonline.nl (Unverified)
To: owner-atavachron@jabular.webster.com
From: mark van schaick
Subject: hello & some questions
Hi Jeff,
Let me thank you first for your mailing list efforts. It's a great read
every time. I'm a Holdsworth fan from The Netherlands. I discovered the guy
when I was about fifteen and started getting into jazzrock and complex forms
of rock. In about the same period that the first U.K. album was released I
bought 'Believe It' by The New Tony Williams Lifetime and 'Enigmatic Oceans'
by Ponty. To make a long story short: I got hooked.
I'd like to ask some questions I have had on my mind for some time now.
Howcome nobody, including you, knows for sure what group Allan is taking on
tour? I know about the Dutch dates since they've been published in several
music magazines and club leaflets, but names of band members aren't
mentioned. I expect Dave Carpenter on bass, but is Gary Novak confirmed by
now? And what about Alan Pasqua? Is that just a rumour? Doesn't Holdsworth
or his manager (I guess that's him as well, right?) issue a press release
about his forthcoming tour? What better place for it than the site or the
mailing list?
Then: I have a I.O.U. LP with a red sleeve, that's the Enigma version. Was
that just a European release?
I thought Alex Masi's album 'Attack Of The Neon Shark' (Metal Blade '89) had
some interesting playing on it. It's got Allan on Synthaxe on the
'classical-avantgarde-metal' track 'Toccata', but since his playing is
barely audible, it's only fair that I have never seen it mentioned in the
postings. After that album Masi recorded the at points outrageous 'Vertical
Invader' (Metal Blade '90). Does anyone know what he did afterwards? Is he
still playing in California or did he return to his native Italy?
And do any of the Newyorkers out there know what Dave Fiuczynski is doing
these days? I guess we better not wait for a second Screaming Headless
Torsos album, but he's gotta be busy with lots of other things...
Most contributors to the mailing list seem to come from the jazz end of
music. Anyway, nobody elaborates much on Allan's influences on the players
in hardrock and metal, although there are some obvious Holdsworth-fans in
these genres. I know through his postings that at least James Murphy (isn't
that an interesting version of 'Red Alert' he plays on his album,
'Convergence'?) is a fan of Swedish band Meshuggah and their guitarist,
Frederik Thorendahl. On 'Destroy Erase Improve', Meshuggah's last album, he
displays some Holdsworthian chord progressions and melodies (no, I didn't
write them out, but that's what they sound like), which is enough reason to
look forward to his first solo-album, due out in March on Nuclear Blast (in
Europe; I don't know about the States or elsewhere).
And is there anybody out there who heard the album by Jason Becker,
'Perspective'? I know it's been released in Japan in '95, but it got
available in the Netherlands only a couple of months ago. I think it has
some great progressive ideas on it and I'd like to hear other people about it.
Okay, I'll stop here. I'm looking forward to hearing from you, Jeff, or any
other mailing list-member out there.
Best wishes to all and enjoy the Holdsworth shows!
Mark van Schaick
----------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Tony Williams has passed.
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 20:50:42 -0600
Tony Williams passed away today (Monday, 2/24/97) after
complications arising from surgery. He was 51. A sad day,
indeed.
Jeff
----------
End of Atavachron Digest
Send postings to: atavachron@webster.com
Send administrative requests to: atavachron-request@addimension.com
Web page: http://www.addimension.com/holdsworth/
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 19:57:35 -0500
From: owner-atavachron@jabular.webster.com
Apparently-To: atavachron-outgoing@jabular.webster.com
To: jeff@addimension.com
The New Atavachron Digest 97/02/27
Sender: owner-atavachron@webster.com
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: Jeff Preston
----------
From: "Leslie Miller"
Subject: the passing of Tony Williams
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 21:59:46 -0600
To all:
It is February 24 and my insincts told me to check out the atavachron site.
On a black screen was a message that Tony Williams has passed away. I sat
there blank for awhile, breathed a heavy "oh no!" then sighed. What a
sudden and sad thing. I felt the urge to write and express my sorrow to
his family, all who were touched by his music and to all who performed
with him. I am so sorry.Tony was a truly creative artist and will be
missed. Even though I did not personally know Tony. I am sure I say this
for a lot of people. The power of his music made you feel as though he was
our family as well and a part of this family at atavachron. My deepest
sympathy to his family and those close to him. We love him.
Leslie Miller
lmiller@our-town.com
----------
From: Ola Strandberg
Subject: Jazzclub Fasching
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 07:57:04 +0100
Hi Atro and everyone,
check out http://www.kuai.se/~laf/fasching/ there's all then information you
need.
See you there on March 15.
--
Ola Strandberg, M.Sc. Product Manager Workflow
PharmaSoft AB, Box 1237, S-754 51 Uppsala, Sweden
http://www.pharmasoft.se/
Tel: +46 18 185459 Fax: +46 18 109200
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 00:10:51 -0700 (MST)
From: rdymond@softnc.com (Robin Dymond)
Subject: Thank You, Tony Williams
Thank you Tony Williams for all the great music
you brought to us. Your performances and spirit will continue
to inspire us for many years to come. May you rest in peace.
... Time to give some of my favourite TW a spin.
I anyone has a 'complete' Tony Williams discography, please post,
it would be good to talk about some of that great music, and the synergy
between Tony and Allan's artistry.
Robin Dymond
rdymond@softnc.com
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 01:17:32 -0600
From: Stephen Cayden
Subject: Benny Jannsen
In reference to Benny Jannsen his CD Virtual Humanity is hyped as a
"Heavy Metal Holdsworth"...After listening to the CD I quite simply
don't see it....If anything the Satriani comparison is more valid...I am
not knocking him as a player but I feel that the Holdsworth fans should
be aware that if they are expecting to hear Alan-esque playing, perhaps
they should check into some other players....Perhaps COLIN MANDEL whose
album "Strang and Savage Tales", features J.J. on bass.........
scfret@earthlink.net
----------
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 23:22:31 -0800
From: Daniel Larsen
Subject: Re:
owner-atavachron@jabular.webster.com wrote:
>
> We'll miss you, Tony.
> The New Atavachron Digest 97/02/24
> Sender: owner-atavachron@webster.com
>
> From: Jeff Preston
> Subject: Tony Williams has passed.
> Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 20:50:42 -0600
>
> Tony Williams passed away today (Monday, 2/24/97) after
> complications arising from surgery. He was 51. A sad day,
> indeed.
>
> Jeff
Wow Jeff!
Strange, and I was just reading about some new cd being released this
month ("best of" I guess), earlier today at a music store. I'm very
sadden and shocked to hear of his passing today from your message.
Tony Williams- Lifetime "Believe It"
album was what got me hooked on Allan's playing in the late '70s. I
always thought Tony's drumming was so complimentry to Allan's playing
and style at that time and period of fusion music.
Daniel Larsen
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 01:32:59 -0800
From: Tony Accurso
Subject: Re: Tony Williams
Sorry to read. I just saw him on Letterman sitting in with the band, but
I dont know if it was a re-run. :-(
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony Accurso
Digital Artist/Graphic Designer
accurso@earthlink.net
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 08:50:16 -0800
From: "Kevin G. Walker"
> From: "Kent D. Del Castillo"
> Subject: Live CD???
> Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 23:33:21 -0500 (EST)
>
> Here's a new one (question, that is)!
> Any mention of a LIVE CD of AH with Erskine?? Come on, it's gotta happen! If
> Allan reads this, PLEASE! You have to make a live CD sometime in your life!
> Why not now!!! It'll sell like hot cakes, and you could get that life
> insurance that other post was talking about!
>
> And yes, keep posting about CD recommendations! I was about to buy that
Trilok
> Gurtu CD until I saw David Gilmour on there (I don't have anything against
> him, just didn't want to pay $14 for him!). Then I read it's not him, but
that
> ausum guitarist that can play that funked-up Coleman. I never would have
> remembered Gilmore, but would've kept reading Gilmour! DOH!
I'm glad you don't have anything against him. Pink Floyd's David Gilmour may
not be the David Gilmore playing with Trilok Gurtu but, nevertheless he's one
of the all time great rock guitarists. He's a very soulful and innovative
player.
And yes, I'd buy a live AH CD in a flash. Maybe we need to petition some
record company to do it.
--
Kevin G. Walker
EMAIL: kg_walker@pnl.gov
VOICE: (509) 375-6864
FAX: (509) 375-3641
"Whatever it does, it's doing it now"
- Marge Simpson
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 09:20:42 -0600
From: Tony Hubert
Subject: Tony Williams
God, what a blow. Some of my favorite "vintage" Holdsworth is from Tony's
"Believe it" from the seventies, where Allan actually plays with a distorted
sound! Tony Williams' creativity and wonderful polyrythmic sense will be
genuinely missed. Like Holdsworth he took risks and wasn't afraid to cross
"genres" and styles. He could swing hard and he could rock hard with equal
vigor and sincerity. Funny. I'm going to the Holdsworth show Saturday
night at the Catalina Bar and Grill and was kind of hoping that maybe Tony
would show up or something. He'll of course be there in spirit...Time to
get out the old Lifetime CDs...Namaste my Holdsworthian friends...
----------
From: WDCKdarin@aol.com
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:24:08 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Tony Williams
>>>We'll miss you, Tony.<<<
Indeed, this is very sad news. And how ironic that his anthology is released
the day after (2-25-97). He truly was one of the greats.
DG
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:45:22 -0500
From: neti_zen
Subject: one person's poison ...
Hi fellow Atavas. I really enjoy reading all your observations as it
broadens my knowledge of styles and artists that I have no contact with
and at times no previous knowledge of. It does seem to me that there's
too much (endless) debate about preferences/artists/styles. since each
of us is an individual like no other, we are bound to have our own
idiosyncracies and personal preferences shaped by our paast experiences,
friendships, and training. This debate about Wynton is a prime
example. We don't have to agree with his direction, his comments, or
anything else about him, to recognize that he is extremely blest with
talent. Same with Gary Burton. I personally try to be as tolerant as
possible as I feel you can't always judge a book by it's cover, and and
that one person's poison is another's delight. I was saddened to hear
about the loss of Tony Williams at such a young age still in the prime
of life.
As a final comment I must say I have enjoyed all the postings of top "x"
number recordings (Kevin G. Walker - if I have most of them will I still
lose my soul?). Anyone who can tell me where to find any recordings by
Jens (eg Heavy Machinery) solo or with his brother (Sonic Winter?), in
Southern Ontario would be greatly appreciated.
Paul Morris
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:34:24 -0600
From: "Mark C. Wood"
Subject:
>From: "Kent D. Del Castillo"
>Subject: Live CD???
>Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 23:33:21 -0500 (EST)
>
>Here's a new one (question, that is)!
>Any mention of a LIVE CD of AH with Erskine?? Come on, it's gotta
> happen! If Allan reads this, PLEASE! You have to make a live CD
> sometime in your life! Why not now!!! It'll sell like hot cakes, and you
> could get that life insurance that other post was talking about!
>
Holdsworth is a true improvisor. He could make a great live CD. And if
he's ever going to do it, this is probably a good time since he seems to be
playing as well now as ever. He's kind of a perfectionist, so he might
rather record several concerts from this tour, and take the best cuts
from the different shows(?) He may also have some new material that
he could record live, but I'd especially like to hear live versions of some
of his classics. I think Holdsworth fans would rather hear high-quality
live recordings of Holdsworth rather than all these bootlegs circulating
around, and I'm sure he'd rather have that way.
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 16:00:46 -0800
From: Francisco Pablo Espinoza Estrada
Subject: TONY WILLIAMS WILL ALWAYS RULE !
Dear friends,
I feel really sad, because one of the greatest musicians in the
world is gone... Tony Williams was a revolutionary on the drums, and he
shouldn't have died so young ! His playing was so powerful and always
interesting and original, but above all full of excitement and feeling !!
We will always remember you Tony !!
"Of all the great musicians I've had the opportunity to work with, Tony
probably influenced me the most. I'd love to play with Tony again. He's
magic !"
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH
"Tony doesn't play time, he plays pulse."
ERIC DOLPHY
"But man, I can tell you this: there ain't but one Tony Williams when it
comes to playing the drums. There was nobody like him before or since.
He's just a motherfucker !"
MILES DAVIS
My condolences to Allan, and all who were touched by Tony's
music.
Francisco Espinoza
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 14:55:13 -0800
From: henry
Atavi;
Greetings, (up from the "no e-mail slumber"), all who
know and appreciate AH and all he stands for...
As we all should know by now, the totally awesome Tony
Williams has been taken from us, and I, as a personal friend and
past collaborator of "all things guitar" with Allan, know that he
was a close friend of Tony's and held him as a mentor towards
creating great music. That point made, the show(s) I will attend
at Catalina starting tomorrow will be affected to a sincere degree
by this sad milestone in jazz history. Expect Allan's "on to the next"
attitude to propel some heartfelt performances (solo's?). Myself, I
am considering the entire week to be dedicated to TW by one of the
consumate artists truly qualified to sign his praises, however he
chooses to do so... I can think af at least one rhythm master who
carrys the torch for TW..... Gary Husband....need I say more?
And on a lighter note: Holdsworth Euro tour '97
UUUUU-HUALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good to be here...
HBoyle:
Listening..............
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 16:49:32 -0800
From: paul mason
Subject: Re: The Late, Great Tony Williams
Hi,
Judging by the header on the latest "Atavachrin" I gather that the news
of Tony Wiliams death is now fairly common knowledge.
He had emergency gall bladder surgery last Friday, was preparing to go
home on Sunday and suffered a fatal heart attack. 51 years old.
What a way to start the week....
Paul Mason
----------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 22:38:18 -0500
From: rbisson@courrier.usherb.ca ( =?iso-8859-1?Q?R=E9mi?= Bissonnette)
Subject: Becker's Perspective
Hi again Holdsworth fans,
In the last digest, Mark Van Schaick asked if anybody had heard Jason
Becker's 'Perspective' album, so here: yes I have and I wouldn't mind
commenting on that particular release, since it's pretty good. FYI, Jason
used to be a terrific guitar player, who emerged in the mid-to-late
eighties frenzy of 'shred' guitar music with some stunning (mostly
instrumental) neoclassical metal albums. He was to be (by many's opinion)
Yngwie's successor, but he also showed much promise in various other styles
as he was beginning to mature musically. However, when he got 20 years-old
(around 1990) he was diagnosed with ALS, an incurable disease that
paralyses the whole body; you can understand how tragic this is considering
he played music for a living!
So by using computer technology and the performance of musician friends, he
wrote and recorded (over the course of a few years), 'Perspective'.
Although it has absolutely nothing to do with his past work in terms of
style, it is an amazing piece of music. There is a classical track, 'End
of the Beginning', that is very Mozart-esque and quite an accomplished
songwriting feat. Another song, 'Serrana', features many horn passages
that were transposed from Jason's old live guitar solo, and it vividly
brings to mind Allan's Synthaxe soloing (the 'Postlude' improv track from
HHA is a good comparison of this, IMHO).
There isn't much guitar on the album, and most of it isn't played by Jason
either (but all the playing is top-notch on the album, regardless of the
instrument). However, it's a very interesting CD which does feature many
progressive ideas and concepts. Check it out if you have a chance, you
shouldn't be disappointed.
Bruno Bissonnette
R=E9mi Bissonnette Ph.D.
Professeur titulaire
=46acult=E9 d'=C9ducation physique et sportive
Universit=E9 de Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke, Qu=E9bec
J1K 2R1
=20
----------
From: Robert Lynch
Subject: Carvin AH model
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 22:28:41 -0700
Aahh, who cares about Wynton ;-) I just received my Carvin Holdsworth
model and I am EXTREMELY happy. Sure, guitars are subject to personal
taste, but this one has many features that I personally have been
looking for in other guitars but was unable to find. Mine has a tung
oiled alder body and neck, no inlays on the fingerboard, two pickups,
and a Wilkinson trem. Pretty simple, but the chambered out body adds
resonance that you just can't get out of a solidbody. The neck is
pretty fat, although after a day or two, I hardly noticed the
difference. The pickups are a tad anemic, but they have tremendous
clarity. The guitar is very light, and it hangs comfortably on my
shoulders.
This is my second Carvin, and I have to say that their quality control
is remarkable. The action is guaranteed to be 1/16 of an inch at the
24th fret, and it was actually a hair under. Josh Vittek at Carvin was
my salesperson, and he was very helpful and supportive throughout my
numerous option changes.
There is never going to be one guitar that fits everyone, but this is
undoubtedly the most comfortable and easiest playing instruments I have
ever owned. Does it make me play like Allan? Of course not. But, it
helps me to play closer to what I would like to, and that is all I could
ever ask from any guitar.
I truly hope that Allan gets some type of compensation for his namesake
Carvin. I don't know what kind of a deal he has with them, and I am sure
this guitar will never replace a Strat or Les Paul in terms of volume
sales, but I hope that at least some of my dollars end up in his pocket.
It's the least I could do for the years of inspiration. Allan, if you
see this, thank you!
For those of you who have never experienced a Carvin, please, give them
a shot. Their ten day trial period gives you plenty of time to decide if
it's a keeper or not, and you can return any guitar you are not happy
with within that time for a full refund.
One final note; I almost had an accident when I heard over the radio
about Tony Williams. I was on my way to the Newark Airport and literally
had tears in my eyes when WBGO announced the news. Tony was a natural
talent unlike the world has ever seen. I wish him and his family peace.
--Bob
Robert Lynch
Genuity, Inc., a Bechtel Company
212-210-9273 (v)
602-651-2277 (f)
800-406-7737 (p)
http://www.genuity.net
----------
From: R.J.Heath@lboro.ac.uk (Richard Heath)
Subject: Tony Williams
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 10:39:52 +0000
Reading the latest edition of AVTAVDIG, you confirmed what I had only half
heard, (and hoped I had missed heard) on national BBC Radio news at 9am
last Tuesday morning, that Tony Williams had died. And died too young. A
major loss.
Hearing his brief obituary on the BBC's main radio news channel, the normal
reserve for the deaths of politicians, Brit celebrities and Hollywood stars,
surprised me, but at least it confirmed that Tony Williams was recognised as
a seminal figure in jazz and fusion. It also surprised me that this major
broadcast authority, which I'm oft to criticise about their conservative
jazz programming, managed to do this - maybe there is a chance of hearing a
wider range of music in the future. Unfortunately they spoilt it a wee bit,
by referring to the "ground breaking and influential Lifeline".
The Allan Holdsworth fan club of Leicestershire (all 2 of us) are/were
equally great fans of Tony Williams - who could mistake that amazing rock
steady beat in many of his recordings of the last 25 years - and we had been
concerned about his occasional disappearances (seemingly so, over here in
England), whether he had some reoccurring illness(es) that kept him away
from the music scene too often? The photo of Tony on the insert of his
last(?) release "Wilderness" was not flattering and suggested something was
medically wrong .
Digging into the Penguin book of Jazz Recordings, you realise Tony made
relatively few recordings under his own name, a handful with Miles Davis and
not a huge number as a session player - my personal favorite was the
session work on Stanley Clarke's first solo album. Thank goodness Sony
Columbia have re-released the New Lifetime recordings, and Polydor have
released "Emergency" on CD, but when can we expect the rest of the original
Lifetime recordings and Tony's own "Joy of Flying", remastered and out on CD???
The former press officer of CMP (UK) informed me about two years ago, that
Jack Bruce had been given studio time by the label and was pursuing the idea
of getting Tony Williams, Allan Holdsworth and Bernie Worrell together with
what sounded like another variant of Lifetime. Goodness knows what happened,
(can Allan throw any light on this or the truth on the whole rumour?), but
instead "MonkJack" was the outcome with Bruce and Worrell only, in very
reflective mode. A missed opportunity?
Two final points:
1. Is there a comprehensive Tony Williams discography?
2. In the season of top tens, please could those who are interested let me
know they top 3 Tony Williams tracks and I'll produce a chart.
Yours in sadness.
Dick Heath
----------
From: Steve_Vaughan@ilink.demon.co.uk
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 97 09:28:57 GMT
Subject: Steve Topping on "Six String Sampler"
I've tried to get as much information as I can about this CD.
Actually, it was called "Six Strings and a Plank of Wood". Serial
number was SAP CD 100 and it was produced & distributed by a small
London company called Castle Communications.
The bad news is, I just called them and it's long been deleted. They
don't even have it on their computer any more.
At first they reckoned they never even produced it, until I told them
their name and old address was printed on the CD itself, at which
point the quote was "it must have been one of ours then"!
I also asked them if they had any other Steve Topping connection, and
as you can imagine they've never heard of him. So helpful these
people.
If you want to torment Castle Communications further I can supply
their number, but I'd really advise against it, you'd be flogging a
dead horse.
Maybe Allan himself could point us in an alternative direction (Jeff?)
Regards,
Steve Vaughan
----------
Date: 26 Feb 97 13:33:55 +0100
From: "Pier Francesco MARINI "
Subject: UNFORGETTABLE TONY
I'm listening at this moment to "Mr.Spock". This was the first tune
I heard about 17 years ago with Allan (it blew me away that time as
much that today!). It sounds always great (I know Allan doesn't like
very much listening to his "old" works) but today it sounds really sad,
because Tony is no more among us...
This is the best way to me to remember him... On the drums chair.
He was like a Monolith, any drummer (and not only drummer) has to
thank him because without Tony perhaps a lot of musicians would not exist
today.
This night will be the first day of Allan's Band Tour, I think they will
play with a lot of sadness in their hearts.
Good Luck Allan, Dave and Gary!
Thanks again Tony, we'll never forget you.
----------------------------------
Pier Francesco MARINI
phone +39-(0)6-50261320 (hh.9-18 CET)
fax +39-(0)6-5018553
email pmarini@it.oracle.com
----------------------------------
----------
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 12:43:00 -0500
From: kfa@orpsparcc.micro.lucent.com (Kurt F. Angel)
Subject: I can hardly BELIEVE IT
I was sad to hear about Tony Williams. I will never forget hearing the Believe
It record for the first time. Back then I was mostly listening to rock and
progressive rock. My drum mentor and friend, Rod Morganstein, played it for me.
Rod stated that Tony was a major influence on his style. He loved the "loose
but in control" feeling that Tony was so good at. The drums and guitar on that
record forever changed my musical direction.
Thanks for all the recent lists and suggestions on new music. Keep them coming.
There are so many great players, it is hard to keep up. Rod will be playing on
two new releases. The Kip Winger project will be in the Peter Gaberial/Sting
style. Rod and Jordan (the latest Dregs keyboard player) are shopping for
distribution on their fusion project.
If anyone would like to discuss the pros and cons of releasing a project
through a record company (fusion normally gets small budgets) verses an
independent release via the internet, please email me at:
orkfa@micro.lucent.com
I live in Orlando, Fl. I have a home studio and love to jam. If you are in the
area contact me. Let's plug and play!
----------
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 13:27:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Roger Billerey
Subject: A few things
Hi there Atavachronists
A few observations regarding a few recent postings.
I agree with Kent Castillo that Trilok Gurtu's album with David Gilmore is
excellent. Gilmore's tone and phrasing are absolutely beautiful (IMHO),
really original and sweet. My only gripe is that Kent seems to berate
David Gilmour (of Pink Floyd) when he says "I was about to buy that TG CD
until I saw David Gilmour on there". Granted, Gilmour would be quite out
of place on a fusion album, but I believe he is a guitarist with one of
the most readily recognizable voices of all, a sweet tone and a delicate
sense of phrasing. He may not blow the way Allan or Henderson do, but he
still is a great musician IMHO, so no need to diss him that way, eh ;)
One sad note about the passing of the great Tony Williams. It will be a
great loss to the jazz community. Aside from his Lifetime albums, I would
like to mention one outstanding album he played on: "The Word" by Swedish
bass player Jonas Hellborg. The line up is acoustic bass guitar, acoustic
drums and string quartet, and this album is an absolute MUST-HAVE if
you're interested in innovative, beautiful music. It recalls Bartok's
Zigeunertanzen at times, and there's even a cover of Hendrix's "Cherokee
mist" which easily surpasses the original IMHO.
Regarding metal-oriented players, I would like to say a few things about
Alez Masi. Have you guys actually listened to his instrumental albums? I
bought "Vertical invader" and I thought it was so bad that I sold it back
immediately. The production is messy, his buzzsaw tone is painful to
listen to, and there's absolutely no organization or phrasing to talk
about. Just flurries of overdistorted notes, no articulation whatsoever.
Comparing this guy to Allan is an outrage. On the other hand, I'd like to
mention one great guitarist who put out an extraordinary (but outrageously
underrated) album in 1990: Chris Poland (ex-Megadeth, currently??? Damn
the machine), album title "Return to Metalopolis". It's strongly melodic
throughout, with chugging thrash metal rhythms and soaring, Holdsworthian
solos that still make my jaw drop after so many years. This guy should be
heard by millions!! Ok, maybe not millions but at least thousands. He
really deserves it.
About Jason Becker's "Perspective": a beautiful album, with some
incredibly tasty lines (with the most beautiful guitar tone I've heard in
years) by Michael Lee Firkins (whose "Cactus Cruz" BTW is another
must-have). Not as rocking as before, with a lot of orchestrated parts and
singing (more chanting than actual singing , though). Another must-have
(that makes a lot, doesn't it?)
Dave Fiuczynski: what about this dude? I mean, could anyone explain to me
what in his playing makes people rave the way they do? His whammy playing
is nothing new, his tone is muddy and he's sloppy as hell, just like
Vernon Reid. So what's the hype? Please let me know what you think.
Since it's become almost a custom, I'll give you my own top-15 list:
1) Powers of 10 (Shawn Lane)
2) Quid Pro Quo (Brett Garsed - TJ Helmerich)
3) Heart of the immigrants (Al Di Meola)
4) Heavy Machinery (Allan Holdsworth - Johansson brothers)
5) The extremist (Joe Satriani)
6) Alien Love Secrets (Steve Vai) - Flexable - Passion and warfare (tie)
7) Cactus Cruz (MLFirkins)
8) Introspection (Greg Howe) (unbelievable)
9) Perpetual Burn (Jason Becker)
10) Rising Force (Yngwie) (yeah, so what?)
11) Return to Metalopolis (Chris Poland)
12) The Word (Jonas Hellborg)
13) Abstract Logic (Shawn Lane - Jonas Hellborg - Kofi Baker)
14) Couldn't stand the weather (SRVaughan)
15) Breakfast in the field - Aerial boundaries (tie) (Michael Hedges)
That's all folks. Sorry for being a tad verbose.
Rog the Frog
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Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 03:46:53 +0100
From: henrik.lundberg@gnesta.mail.telia.com (Henrik Lundberg)
Subject: I remember Tony Williams
The departure of Tony Williams is very sad.
I'm a major Miles-fan and what Tony did on his records was so blowing.
One of my strongest concert-experiencies was when He, Ron Carter, Wayne
Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and a young trumpeter who's mame I don't remember,
played at the Stockolm Jazz & Blues festival in, I belive, '93. That was
killing!
Seeing these legends together, doing a "Tribute to Miles"-concert was
really something special.
Tony had his drums at the front of the stage, so they sort of formed a rank.
He didn't want to sit behind the others, he to, was a star, right?
I don't think I ever have seen a drummer play so much during a
group-performance. It was a new aspect that came to me, which I really
hadn't understood when listening to the records. Seeing and hearing that,
live, 5 meters away, was really something to remember.
The only drummer that has that same feeling and attitude, and whom I also
have seen live with the Bob Berg Quartet, is Gary Novak. (IMHO)
I don't think it's a coincidence that Allan fell for him (Novak). He feels
that energy with Gary Novak, that he felt with Tony.
We'll sure hear Allan credit Tony on the tour.
Jeez,in about two weeks HE is here......
- Henrik Lundberg
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