“Great. Really good. What now?” enquires a delighted Bill Bruford at the end of a number What now indeed?[endtease] The residency at the Jazz Café felt fresh and different yet paradoxically recognizable and familiar, suggesting that P1 were in many respects the missing link between 1974 and 1994. Despite Mr. Clueless of Camden interrupting Robert’s first KC-related stage announcement in over 13 years, nothing could take away from the fact that it had been an amazing week of momentous improvisations with the fourth and final evening being particularly strong. This gig represents both a completion and a new beginning as Bill takes his final bow on the KC stage.
We recently discovered that when this gig was first uploaded it was missing seven minutes worth of music – a fact that went unnoticed by all and sundry until the mighty Vargan alerted us to this lamentable omission.
Here’s how it happened.
The four Projekct one shows were recorded by David Singleton onto ADATs, which are effectively three VHS video machines linked together. During the first set, there was a problem with one of these tapes - and during the audience applause after the third improv, the tapes were switched off, and set of tapes from a previous night (which still had some unused space) inserted. After this improv - the original set of tapes were put back in for the remainder of the set.
As Alex ‘Stormy’ Mundy was only uploading night four to DGMLive, he hadn't seen the other tapes - one of which is clearly labelled as containing the "penultimate improv from first set night four" - which has now been restored to its rightful place.
But the bizarre feature of all of this is that the "join", where the machines were switched off, the tapes removed and then not used until some seven minutes later, is completely inaudible. The concert that was uploaded had not been doctored. Anyone with the original download (now a collectable item?!) can listen to the join between the fourth and fifth improvs - somewhere there should be an audible "leap" where seven precious minutes were stolen and put onto a different set of tapes. Call us deaf, but we can't hear it.
“Great. Really good. What now?” enquires a delighted Bill Bruford at the end of a number What now indeed?[endtease] The residency at the Jazz Café felt fresh and different yet paradoxically recognizable and familiar, suggesting that P1 were in many respects the missing link between 1974 and 1994. Despite Mr. Clueless of Camden interrupting Rober...
One of the most magical performances of 90s-era crimson I have ever heard. You can hear the sound of the Wetton era improvisations trying to break out during these songs, but even so, all of these performances are unique and reflect a special sound that is new and exciting. None of this music had been rehearsed before, and everything was done on the fly; spontaneous compositions are created within the air, and Crimson manages to harness and play with that. A lot of this feels like pangea by mile...
One of the most magical performances of 90s-era crimson I have ever heard. You can hear the sound of the Wetton era improvisations trying to break out during these songs, but even so, all of these performances are unique and reflect a special sound that is new and exciting. None of this music had been rehearsed before, and everything was done on the fly; spontaneous compositions are created within the air, and Crimson manages to harness and play with that. A lot of this feels like pangea by miles davis, like that record this is complex music but also magicical because it is pushing what music can be and function.
Written by William Jenks
Jazz Cafe night 4, A must for Bruford fans
These four shows are not especially repetitive. These guys really did go in a lot of different directions. I see no one show that summarizes all of them, though this one might be my choice if I were to limit myself to one.
The first number is quite the shred - the sort of thing that will rip you a new one if you've got the volume up a little too high and you're not sitting down. In keeping with the show's pattern, a change of pace is given in 4i2. This is the only of the ProjeKcts with Br...
These four shows are not especially repetitive. These guys really did go in a lot of different directions. I see no one show that summarizes all of them, though this one might be my choice if I were to limit myself to one.
The first number is quite the shred - the sort of thing that will rip you a new one if you've got the volume up a little too high and you're not sitting down. In keeping with the show's pattern, a change of pace is given in 4i2. This is the only of the ProjeKcts with Bruford in it, and for his biggest fans, there is no mistaking that it is he on the kit. That is extremely evident in the third track. 4i4 has a real groove to it, and somewhere near 4.5 minutes in a good crunching guitar line comes in. Think Led Zeppelin meets later King Crimson. Again, Billy B stars for a bit and pieces change pace during the second set. In particular, 4ii2 sounds like something that could have provided directions for a new tune and 4ii5 has some very dramatic moments with what I assume is bowed base. This is a good show in varied styles.
Written by Christopher DeVito
What music could be (if the music industry wasn't shit blood & death)
Four nights in a club. What music used to be, might be, rarely is, but could be again. Well, I ain’t no blardy music "con-o-sewer" or anything like that -- music is just my oxygen and H2O. I’m a fan and don’t care who knows it. If it doesn’t do anything for me I’m not going to try to vivisect it, I’ll just move on to something else that works for me. Like ProjeKct One -- a unique band, a one-off (unfortunately), but we have the recordings from here till eternity (closer than we’d ...
Four nights in a club. What music used to be, might be, rarely is, but could be again. Well, I ain’t no blardy music "con-o-sewer" or anything like that -- music is just my oxygen and H2O. I’m a fan and don’t care who knows it. If it doesn’t do anything for me I’m not going to try to vivisect it, I’ll just move on to something else that works for me. Like ProjeKct One -- a unique band, a one-off (unfortunately), but we have the recordings from here till eternity (closer than we’d all like to think). Just say it’s the mutt’s nuts and leave it at that. --VideoChrist (with the forebearance of his good buddy Chris DeVito)P.S. Tony Levin should do an album of unaccompanied upright bass!
Written by James Mastanduno
Wow
My first ProjeKt download. I am mesmerized by this set. Whilst I am a HUGE fan of the "double trio" a la Deja Vroom (a transcendental experience in itself) this is just the cats meow. I’m discovering a whole new realm here. I really dig Bills acoustic drum work on this, I assume he was using a scaled down kit. Some listeners commented that the subharmonic meanderings could be a bit "much" for repeated listenings but I say bring it on. Blown subwoofers are easily replaced. But not the...
My first ProjeKt download. I am mesmerized by this set. Whilst I am a HUGE fan of the "double trio" a la Deja Vroom (a transcendental experience in itself) this is just the cats meow. I’m discovering a whole new realm here. I really dig Bills acoustic drum work on this, I assume he was using a scaled down kit. Some listeners commented that the subharmonic meanderings could be a bit "much" for repeated listenings but I say bring it on. Blown subwoofers are easily replaced. But not these moments. Recording quality is superb. Someone asked me the other day what the hell I was listening to and I attempted to explain it but the explanation was going nowhere judging by the blank expression I received. Thats not their fault that they just dont get it. I am getting ready to download the P2 set from the same venue 4 months later (thanks for the "Heavy ConstruKction" tickle guys) which is a much different experience. But I would say this stuff is addicting. I’m going to have to get them all. Thanks guys. Please keep it up, everytime you are around NY I am there unless physically incapable. MORE MORE MORE
