Browse by Artist: BAILEY, DEREK

Artist:	BAILEY, DEREK
Title:	Fairly Early Derek Bailey With Postscripts
Label:	EMANEM (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	EMANEM 4027CD

"Solo electric guitar improvisations from 1971 (unedited) & 1973-4 concert excerpts with Kent Carter & John Stevens; 1974 rehearsal extracts with Anthony Braxton; a 1979 cassette letter (edited less); previously unissued 1980 acoustic guitar improvisations; postscripts from 1987 & 1998. This disc comprises various items, mainly from Emanem LPs, that have not made it to CD yet. It is not meant to be a comprehensive portrait -- more a sort of scrapbook showing some of the different instrumental approaches that Derek Bailey has used over the years. In his early free work, Bailey used a six-string guitar with pedal-controlled amplification. This allowed him, among other things, to instantly control the volume of each note sounded, and also to vary the volume during the course of a sound. Using this technique meant that notes could fade in and/or end abruptly, in direct opposition to what happens naturally. Around 1972, Bailey added another loudspeaker and another volume pedal to his guitar, enabling him to throw sounds around stereophonically in addition to what he was already doing...As an alternative to his stereo set up, Bailey also used a 19-string (approx) guitar -- perhaps the only modified instrument he has used."

Artist:	BAILEY, DEREK
Title:	Lot 74: Solo Improvisations
Label:	INCUS RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	INCUS 057CD

"In 1974, when Derek Bailey was planning his second solo LP on Incus, he decided to include a side-long solo using his stereo electro-acoustic set-up. Unfortunately, he never seemed to have a 20-minute stretch of time free of interruptions in his home, so he asked if he could record it at my place. After a fairly lengthy drive across London on the arranged date, he discovered that he had brought all his gear except the actual guitar. So he had a cup of tea and a chat, then drove home again. He came again about a week later, on May 13th, this time with everything. I set the level too high for the first two takes, not quite allowing for his enormous dynamic range (which really was not suitable for analogue recording and reproduction equipment). The result was too much distortion for his liking. The level was corrected for the third take which was the one used as the title track on the LP, even though he preferred the music on the earlier takes. All but one of the short pieces on the second side of the LP were recorded by Bob Woolford around the same time, probably at Derek's home. (The exception, 'Improvisation 104(b),' was recorded the previous year and originally released on one of the Incus TAPs -- mini reel-to-reel tapes that were an attempt to bypass the technical problems of going from tape to vinyl. They were reissued by Organ of Corti.) 'Pain In The Chest' and 'In Joke (Take 2)' feature the unamplified 19-string (approx) guitar, which was probably the only instrument that Derek modified -- he otherwise used standard guitars. There was a shortage of good vinyl at the time, making it difficult to get decent pressings. (The original pressing of the solo Steve Lacy Emanem LP sounded as though it had been recorded in a hail-storm.) We were recommended to go to a pressing plant that specialized in 'classical' music. (At the same time that Derek was trying to get Lot 74 pressed, I was also working on his duo album with Anthony Braxton.) The first test pressing of Lot 74 was very muffled, and we discovered that the cutting engineer had played the tape up-side-down, so that the music had been filtered through the tape backing (used on professional tapes to reduce print-through). The cutting was subsequently redone correctly, resulting in an acceptable test pressing. However, the plant manager was completely incredulous and perplexed, as he was used to checking pressings using his library of scores of Beethoven sonatas and the like. How could he tell if the vocal and feedback howls at the start of side two ('Together') were correct? Over thirty years later, advances in technology have eliminated most of the technical problems we had then, so that this magnificent music can be heard sounding better than ever. Every so often, I get someone asking me to issue things on vinyl -- my response is usually not very polite." -- Martin Davidson

Artist:	BAILEY, DEREK
Title:	To Play: The Blemish Sessions
Label:	SAMADHISOUND
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	SAMAD 008CD

"Derek Bailey's final studio recording session, parts of which were used throughout Sylvian's acclaimed solo album Blemish. Derek Bailey died on Christmas Day, 2005, aged 75, leaving behind a lifetime of collaborations, friendships, and a vast treasure hoard of recordings accumulated in fifty years during which he was one of the principle figures responsible for the rise of improvisation in music in the West. 'As fate would have it this was to be the last solo studio session Derek was to record before the onset of illness,' recalls Sylvian. 'That might make the session valuable in itself but it's the quality of the work that's outstanding.' Those familiar with Bailey's angular, spiky, minimal lines on Blemish will be surprised by the lush, melodic richness and density of Bailey's performance here, which has the same beauty and playfulness found on Bailey's most popular and accessible recent disk, Ballads. Presented in a digipak featuring the beautiful and poignant photography of Derek, designed by Chris Bigg, this release continues Samadhi Sound's commitment to creating beautifully packaged, stunning music."

Artist:	BAILEY, DEREK
Title:	Pieces for Guitar
Label:	TZADIK
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	TZ 7080

"Private recordings of incredible historical importance (practically the holy grail to fans of free improvisation), Pieces for Guitar presents the earliest known solo recordings of guitar innovator Derek Bailey. Dating from 1966 (possibly 1965) these pieces were recorded for personal study during a transitional period and include some of the only instances of him performing his own written compositions! Under the influence of the music of Anton Webern, Bailey began working through a variety of techniques as he formalized his unique approach to music in general and the guitar in particular. These fascinating recordings offer us a rare glimpse into the secret world of one of the most original and respected guitarists in the world."

Artist:	BAILEY, DEREK
Title:	Ballads
Label:	TZADIK
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	TZ 7607

"Yes, this is for real. Experimental guitar wizard Derek Bailey performs a program of his favorite standards in his own inimitable and enigmatic style. Inspired and energized by a very special vintage acoustic arch-top guitar, this intriguing solo recording is a one-of-a-kind chance to hear the master pioneer of non-idiomatic free improvisation perform compositions from the American Songbook. A textbook of originality for years to come, this is one of the most vexing arid enjoyable CDs Derek has ever made. You have got to hear it to believe it. Insightful liner notes by Marc Ribot vainly attempts to explain the proceedings."

Artist:	BAILEY, DEREK
Title:	Carpal Tunnel
Label:	TZADIK
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	TZ 7612

"Quite literally one of the most original and influential guitarists on the planet, Derek Bailey has completely revolutionized the language of guitar music in the twentieth century. His work has been championed by almost every cutting edge guitarist: Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot, Buckethead, Jerry Garcia, but his influence reaches far far beyond the insular world of guitar freaks, to classical composers such as Brian Ferneyhough and Karlheinz Stockhausen, creative musicians Anthony Braxton, George Lewis, Leo Smith, jazz players Dave Holland, Steve Lacy and Milford Graves, rock bands Sonic Youth, Fantomas and so many more. Carpal Tunnel , his first solo recording since the best-selling Ballads album of 2003, finds Derek battling a crippling hand disorder, coming up with creative solutions that result in some of his his most soulful and emotional documents ever. Essential late recordings by a man who has helped improvisation change the world."

Artist:	BAILEY, DEREK
Title:	Standards
Label:	TZADIK
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	TZ 7620

"In early 2002, Derek Bailey astounded the free music community with his gorgeous album Ballads, a radical and steely interpretation of the standard repertoire. It became an instant classic, hit a dozen best-ten lists and remains his best selling CD of all time. The recordings here were made just weeks after the idea was first born at an intimate Christmas gathering in New York -- and two months before the recording of Ballads. Here Derek is working out his personal approach to the standard song repertoire in longer takes, thinking out loud, discovering and honing his ideas in performance. More abstract and stream-of consciousness than Ballads, Standards is a startling prequel to a modern music classic."

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