Arthur Russell
The Sleeping Bag Sessions
(10tx – CD|LP, ca 60'00'' - Traffic Entertainment ‘o9)
| mike thumb
Potrebbe apparire quanto mai velleitario ogni tentativo di
circoscrivere l'opera eterogea di un artista fondamentale come Arthur
Russell facendo riferimento ad una singola uscita. Ma questo a noi non
interessa. La convinzione che le luci della ribalta non dovrebbero mai
venir meno su una tale figura fa sí che, a distanza di diciassette
anni dalla sua prematura scomparsa, ogni singola nuova sfaccettatura,
ogni illuminante ripescaggio all'interno della sua discografia, debba
essere salutato con gioia, come la scoperta di una nuova tessera di un
mosaico complesso e polivalente. Il violoncellista americano, lungo
tutti gli anni '80, ha visto la sua esperienza lambire l'avanguardia,
la disco (sua grande passione), il pop, la (propto)house e la materia
embrionale di quello che sarà l'hip-hop, il tutto accompagnato da
collaborazioni con figure eminenti come David Byrne, Philp Glass, Nicky
Staino e, tra gli altri, William Burroughs. Con The Sleeping Bag
Sessions l'eredità artistica di Arthur
Russell guadagna una
prospettiva diversa: la Sleeping Bag infatti era l'etichetta che
proprio lui mise in piedi nel 1981 insieme a Will Socolov, ospitando
nel suo roster diversi artisti ma anche una pletora di progetti
direttamente riconducibili allo stesso Russell (Mantronix, Cash Money
& Marvelous, EPMD e Just-Ice), e che si affermò anche grazie ai
suoi seminali live acts di scena a NYC durante gli anni ‘80,
sfruttando cosí appieno la possibilità di esplorare sonorità nascenti
(e dirompenti) come, per l'appunto, hip-hop, disco e proto-house.
L'uscita in oggetto mette in luce un aspetto diverso della sua
discografia, ovvero quello del Russell produttore, del remixer,
dell'editor… dell'artista a tutto tondo, per intenderci. I pezzi
inclusi nella raccolta sono uno spaccato vitale ed intenso della natura
e della stessa vita di Arthur
Russell, quasi una catarsi funk-disco,
in contrapposizione all'introversione che ha sempre segnato la sua
opera. Sicuramente The Sleeping Bag Sessions non è proprio il disco
più giusto per entrare nel mondo di Arthur
Russell, ma senza dubbio
sarà la chiave sufficiente ad animare la curiosità di chi ascolta. Per
chi invece è particolarmente interessato a disco|hip-hop|house e
quant'altro questo disco rappresenta un'occasione eccellente per
arricchire la propria discografia con una voce eclettica, geniale e
genuinamente fuori da ogni coro.
+++++++++++++
Putting under the lens only a unique release and claiming to draw a circle around a key artist as Arthur Russell might look like an unrealistic attempt. That doesn't matter anyway. Under the belief that footlights should be always shining on every new single facet around a such so figure, every bright retrieval from his discography, - even after seventeen years since his premature death, - that should be warmly welcome, like the discovery of a new tile for a polyvalent and complex mosaic. The american cellist, during the 80s, brought his skills touching avant-garde, disco music (his greatest passion), pop, the earliest house music, and the embryonic matter of what hip-hop will become later, - accompanied by excellent contributors as David Byrne, Philp Glass, Nicky Staino and, among all, William Burroughs. Through The Sleeping Bag Sessions, Arthur Russell's legacy takes a different perspective: the Sleeping Bag was infact the record label he founded in 1981 together with Will Socolov, making room in their roster for several artists albeit it featured also a plethora of projects having a direct reference with Russel himself (Mantronix, Cash Money & Marvelous, EPMD and Just-Ice), also memorable for his seminal live act in the scene of NYC during the 80s, - that gave him the chance to explore rising (and breaking free) sounds, like, as said, hip-hop, disco, and proto-house. This new release focuses on a different face of his discography, that is the one around Russel as a producer, remixer, and editor.. A complete artist. The featured tracks are an intense and essential snapshot of Arthur Russell's life and nature, - a sort of funk-disco catharsis, in opposition with the introversion that always caractherized his work.
For sure, The Sleeping Bag Sessions is not exactly the right piece of record to enter Arthur Russell's world, - albeit there's no doubt this is sufficient to stimulate listeners' curiosity. For those who are particularly interested in disco|hip-hop|house and whatever, - this release represents an excellent chance to enrich oneself's collection with an eclectic title, - genius and genuinely standing out of the crowd.
+++++++++++++
Putting under the lens only a unique release and claiming to draw a circle around a key artist as Arthur Russell might look like an unrealistic attempt. That doesn't matter anyway. Under the belief that footlights should be always shining on every new single facet around a such so figure, every bright retrieval from his discography, - even after seventeen years since his premature death, - that should be warmly welcome, like the discovery of a new tile for a polyvalent and complex mosaic. The american cellist, during the 80s, brought his skills touching avant-garde, disco music (his greatest passion), pop, the earliest house music, and the embryonic matter of what hip-hop will become later, - accompanied by excellent contributors as David Byrne, Philp Glass, Nicky Staino and, among all, William Burroughs. Through The Sleeping Bag Sessions, Arthur Russell's legacy takes a different perspective: the Sleeping Bag was infact the record label he founded in 1981 together with Will Socolov, making room in their roster for several artists albeit it featured also a plethora of projects having a direct reference with Russel himself (Mantronix, Cash Money & Marvelous, EPMD and Just-Ice), also memorable for his seminal live act in the scene of NYC during the 80s, - that gave him the chance to explore rising (and breaking free) sounds, like, as said, hip-hop, disco, and proto-house. This new release focuses on a different face of his discography, that is the one around Russel as a producer, remixer, and editor.. A complete artist. The featured tracks are an intense and essential snapshot of Arthur Russell's life and nature, - a sort of funk-disco catharsis, in opposition with the introversion that always caractherized his work.
For sure, The Sleeping Bag Sessions is not exactly the right piece of record to enter Arthur Russell's world, - albeit there's no doubt this is sufficient to stimulate listeners' curiosity. For those who are particularly interested in disco|hip-hop|house and whatever, - this release represents an excellent chance to enrich oneself's collection with an eclectic title, - genius and genuinely standing out of the crowd.
Feedback:
pall youhideme writes:well come back, calculator!
(11/04/2009 13:41:00 - ip: 84.221...)
Leave a feedback about this post, or don't.
your sweet name:
your IMPORTANT text:
url:
icon: will be resized 30x30pxl
your IMPORTANT text:
url:
icon: will be resized 30x30pxl
.jpg)
see blah blah archives
