the big nOte files - 2002/03/24

• simon steensland: the phantom of the theatre  (4)
      (2002, cd, sweden, ultimate audio entertainment disc 14)
  simon steensland's previous album is from 1999.  as he explains in the liner notes of this latest release: "besides making records no one wants to listen to, i also compose and perform music for plays no one wants to watch.".  the phantom of the theatre presents a selection from his theatre-music.  if you thought his previous works were avant-garde, you should check this one out.  thirty-six diverse pieces, all torn away from their theatrical environment.  they make your imagination go wild: you have to make up your own plays while listening to them.  highly recommended.
  info from: www.itv.se/uae
  
• die beistelltische: die beistelltische
     (2002, cd , ger, private release)
  die beistelltische is a german sextet (from göttingen)  that performs frank zappa's music a capella.  twenty minutes of very fine vocal work (including percussion and solo parts !).  i like it a lot.
  info from: k.c.dressler@gmx.de  or at www.diebeistelltische.de
  
• various artists: zappanale 12
      (2002, cd, ger, arf society)
  at the time that the arf society is planning their next zappanale festival in bad doberan, germany, this disc reflects the previous (2001) edition of the festival.  besides jos on the cover, the album includes famous black house, things that look like meat, chris der berg zappamania project, blessed relief, die beistelltische (yes, see above), beat the boots, and the children of invention. limited to 500 copies, so you shouldn't wait too long to get your hands on this one.  my favourites: chris der berg & beat the boots.
  info from: www.arfsociety.de
  
• brathanki: patataj
      (2001, cd, poland, sony) - incl. 'let's make the water turn black' (frank zappa)
  brathanki are from poland.  they did a european radio broadcast at the 'prix d'europe' ceremony last year.  The press-release states: "a prestigious award that also offered a musical platform for new musical talents".  in this case, the talent being brathanki.  well, i have to admit that i was quite suprised by "patataj".  brathanki play contemporary folk music, or world music, if you prefer.  a beautiful voice (halinka mlynkova, a beautiful name as well) plus bandoleon, flute, violin, double bass, guitar, percussion and probably a lot of other instruments that i cannot recognize.  the album contains mostly up-tempo, very melodic tunes, one of which is frank zappa's 'let's make the water turn black'.  it's a very fresh and happy sounding album.  perfect to start your day with.
  info from: www.brathanki.com.pl
  

the nederlands blazers ensemble will perform compositions by corrie van binsbergen, tilburg, the netherlands, 2002/04/10* * * * * i just received an 'updated' program for the zappanale festival.  i don't know if this is true, or if it's just somebody's "wish-list", but i thought i'd share it with you.  i'm considering going.

2002/07/26 - 27 - 28: zappanale 2002

friday     (from 18.00 h)  :

• dwarf nebula

• cosmics  debris

• euphorium  freakestra  / günter „baby“ sommer

• projekt  objekt/ ike willis/ napoleon murphy brock

saturday  (from 16.00 h)  :

• landplage
• arne fruit quartett
• candy zappa/ nigey lennon/tabacco
• lewinskys/ scott thunes/ mike keneally/ jimmy carl black
• (ozric tentacles)? 

sunday    (from 14.00 h)  :

• jazzprojekt hundehagen
• yahozna´&vaclav cesak
• die beistelltische
• nasal retentive orchestra
• pierrejean gaucher/ christophe godin
• grandmothers west/ don preston/ bunk gardner/ roy estrada/ napoleon murphy brock/ bob harris

the black page website
http://www.geocities.com/pdoelder.geo/index.html
has an excellent interview with arthur barrow (by tom brown), and in its news-section,
http://www.geocities.com/pdoelder.geo/HotBarfs.html
a lot of new info:

* * * * don preston will be touring europe with the akashic ensemble late 2002 * * * * * september / october 2002 the grandmothers (with candy zappa on vocals !!) will tour europe as well. * * * * * the ensemble modern will perform “greggery peccary & other persuasions” in hamburg, germany on 2002/09/13. * * * * * there’s a missing persons live album scheduled, called “lost tracks”. it’ll be out any day now. * * * * * the ensemble ambrosius played zappa on bbc radio 3 on 2002/03/13  (anyone catch it?) * * * * * piano duo alice rybak and susan grace are quattro mani.  together with two percussionists, they are scheduled to perform frank zappa's 'ruth is sleeping' next june. (2002/06/05   concert ‘carnagie hall’, new york, usa)

and there’s more opportunity to see frank zappa’s music on stage.  how about the muffin men:

• 2002/04/19concert ‘paard op hol’, den haag, the netherlands

• 2002/04/20concert ‘de piek’, vlissingen, the netherlands

• 2002/04/21concert ‘de lintfabriek’, kontich, belgium

• 2002/04/25concert ‘mechanics’, burnley, uk

• 2002/04/26concert ‘south parade pier’, portsmouth, uk

• 2002/04/27concert ‘acorn’, penzance, uk

• 2002/04/28concert ‘kelly’s’, leamington spa, uk

• 2002/05/01concert ‘limelight’, crewe, uk

• 2002/05/02concert ‘flowerpot’, derby, uk

• 2002/05/04concert ‘platform’, morcambe, uk

• 2002/05/05concert ‘strawberry fields’, glasgow, uk

• 2002/05/06concert ‘cluny’, newcastle, uk

• 2002/05/07concert ‘thached house’, stockport, uk

• 2002/05/09concert ‘robin 2’, wolverhampton, uk

• 2002/05/10concert ‘borderline’, london, uk

• 2002/05/11concert ‘zacks’, milton keynes, uk

• 2002/05/12concert ‘new roscoe’, leeds, uk

• 2002/05/13concert ‘alexanders’, chester, uk

• 2002/05/16concert ‘whelans’, dublin, uk

• 2002/05/17concert ‘brysons town and country inn’, margherfelt, co.derry, uk

• 2002/05/18concert ‘menagerie’, belfast, uk

• 2002/05/19concert ‘spirit store’, dundalk, uk

• 2002/05/23concert ‘cavern’, liverpool, uk