In an interview with the Melody Maker published just weeks before this concert, Fripp was asked why he continuing to perform Frippertronic concerts. “It gives me a way of working with intimate contact with members of an audience...It's almost an excuse to put me in a situation where one has the audience, performer and music, and in a certain kind of way something remarkable can happen. And that has happened to me, and it's not possible in a group...Frippertronics is the most enjoyable means of playing I've ever found.”
That “something remarkable” is certainly heard on this complete concert. DGM engineer, Alex Mundy, has done another first-class job matching the original tape loops to the solos taken from bootleg sources. Thanks to his efforts we can now hear the complete concert in much the same way as punters did 29 years ago. “I found this a particularly moving and beautiful performance” says an elated Mister Stormy.
Fripp’s also right when he says in the same interview that “you can't play Frippertronics and coast. It's never that safe.” After the customary assemblage of the basic loops, the second night of Fripp’s residency at the Washington Square Church in aid of a local arts organisation, has the guitarist really piling on the tension.
With each swing back and forth of the main pendulum-like note, more grit, texture and melodic information are accrued. When he does start soloing the following 26 minutes is something akin to a dam bursting with notes and ideas spilling every which way. From the tender beginnings of Loop II and Solo we move smartly to a rapid succession of bubbling notes, quickfire slides and dazzling lead lines, it builds to one of the most dramatic breakout solos yet heard on a Frippertronics download.
Similarly, if the fierce roar that opens the following track doesn’t have the hair on the back of your neck standing to attention, then it’s just possible you’ve slipped off this mortal coil to go plucking your harp in the celestial orchestra! With the kind of blistering passion peeling off the fretboard throughout this download, this gig must be regarded as absolutely essential for admirers of the guitarist’s work whether you’re a grizzled veteran, or someone new to this most individual of soundworlds.
In an interview with the Melody Maker published just weeks before this concert, Fripp was asked why he continuing to perform Frippertronic concerts. “It gives me a way of working with intimate contact with members of an audience...It's almost an excuse to put me in a situation where one has the audience, performer and music, and in a certain kind o...
While the mighty Krim was reformed already, played two handful of extraordinary gigs in UK, and made an album called Discipline which belongs to the timeless precious highlights of mankind’s music making, right next to the later albums of The Beatles, Robert demonstrated with this tenure in NYC for a dozen of Frippertronics sessions his will to continue his way of 3-level music making. Fascinatingly he transposes recently developed ideas, adopted for the Discipline Krim, directly to this serie...
While the mighty Krim was reformed already, played two handful of extraordinary gigs in UK, and made an album called Discipline which belongs to the timeless precious highlights of mankind’s music making, right next to the later albums of The Beatles, Robert demonstrated with this tenure in NYC for a dozen of Frippertronics sessions his will to continue his way of 3-level music making. Fascinatingly he transposes recently developed ideas, adopted for the Discipline Krim, directly to this series of Frippergigs.The bundle is the perfect model for tour bundles on dgmlive. Thanks to the digital revolution and Alex’ endless devotion and commitment the presentation is a revelation. I can’t even point out which of these analogue looping miniatures with guitar soloing are just the best - they’re all unbelievably meaningful. Or which set is the most moving, deepest, demanding, dreaming and raving one. Are the first days different to the later days? How does one esteem quality? All this blossoming, flouring picture is only possible via bundle.Anyway I pick this performance as outstanding one, due to its length and the variations. And its accessibility for the less frequent listener to Frippertronics - some culmination of creativity peaks. Indeed 1981 was the year of the Fripp, with King Crimson during fall again in NYC, and properly documented again by Alex.
Written by ALLAN G OKADA
Haunting
After repeated listenings of this performance, I’ve encountered a unique moment in Loop II (without solo) at about 1:50 seconds into it, where a particularly haunting note sends me into another world. The hair stands up on my arm. Beyond words it is so beautiful. Just tremendous.
Written by Mark Sullivan
Performance Question
This is a lovely recording--I’d have given it 4.5 stars if I could have--and it’s wonderful to hear the synced solos. You don’t get the full effect of a Frippertronics performance with just the loops. I attended a 1979 performance (at Second Chance in Ann Arbor, Michigan), and Fripp took himself out of the loop for brief solos during the creation of the first loop. The second set consisted of him soloing over a playback of the first loop. I assume that was his standard practice. So my...
This is a lovely recording--I’d have given it 4.5 stars if I could have--and it’s wonderful to hear the synced solos. You don’t get the full effect of a Frippertronics performance with just the loops. I attended a 1979 performance (at Second Chance in Ann Arbor, Michigan), and Fripp took himself out of the loop for brief solos during the creation of the first loop. The second set consisted of him soloing over a playback of the first loop. I assume that was his standard practice. So my question is, were there such solos played during the creation of these loops? If so, this is an incomplete record of the performance (but it’s great to hear the solos over the loops, so I’m not complaining). As I said, not a complaint, just a question.
Written by Melvin Collins
finally giving us what we want
I LOVE THIS DISC.BEEN WAITING SINCE 1980 TO HEAR THIS STUFF.YIPPIEEEEEE.FRIPP IS BACK ! TO HECK WITH THE SO CALLED NEW MUISC THE CLOCK IS TURNED BACK AND I FOR ONE AM ENJOYING IT PLEASE PUT OUT MORE.THREE CHEERS TO FRIPP AND STORMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BEST REGARDS FROM TIM COLLINS.BLESSINGS TO ALL AMEN.
