Browse by Artist: RUSSELL, ARTHUR

Artist:	RUSSELL, ARTHUR
Title:	Calling Out of Context
Label:	AUDIKA RECORDS
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	AU 1001CD

"When Arthur Russell died in 1992 he left an overwhelming archive of over a 1000 tapes that reveal the sublime genius of one of the most important musicians of the last 25 years. As a cellist, songwriter, composer, and disco visionary Arthur Russell consistently blurred the lines of our expectations of what pop music could be. Originally from Iowa, Arthur travelled west in 1970 to study Indian classical composition with Ali Akbar Khan, befriended Allen Ginsberg, performed with Alice Coltrane, and then moved to New York in 1973 to study at the Manhattan School of Music. Quickly gravitating to the then burgeoning downtown scene, Arthur wrote and performed his minimal compositions (captured on Instrumentals and Tower Of Meaning. Both to be re-issued by Audika) and collaborated with a who's who of some of New York's most influential artists including Rhy's Chatham, Ernie Brooks, David Byrne, Phillip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Jon Gibson, Robert Wilson, Christian Wolff, John Cage, Arnold Dreyblatt, and Phill Niblock. It then changed by a mere accident. Simply, he went to a disco. Inspired by the sonic repetition and sense of community, Arthur wrote and recorded some of the most important records of the disco era including 'Kiss Me Again', 'Is It All Over My Face', and co-founded Sleeping Bag Records with partner Wil Socolov releasing 'Go Bang' and the album 24-24 Music. In 2002 Audika Records entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with the estate of Arthur Russell to issue previously unreleased and out of print material from Arthur's vast archive. The first album Calling Out Of Context , features 12 previously unreleased tracks recorded during Arthur's prime years 1985-90. The material is drawn from Corn, an album that was completed in 1985 but never released, and an abandoned album recorded for Rough Trade as Arthur had become ill. Many of these tracks show hidden sides of Arthur's talent and underline the loss of his great potential. Contrary by nature, Arthur's spontaneous reaction and altered perception to his environment produced music that remains challenging and contemporary. Arthur's open hearted attitude to music was far ahead of it's time, and now that time is ours."

Artist:	RUSSELL, ARTHUR
Title:	World of Echo
Label:	AUDIKA RECORDS
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	AU 1002CD

"Out of print for over fifteen years, Arthur Russell's most extraordinary work, World Of Echo is issued for the first time on CD by Audika Records. Newly remastered from Arthur's pristine original 1/4" sequenced masters, World Of Echo sounds like nothing you have heard or will ever hear. 18 tracks are featured including drumless versions of his Disco classics 'Let's Go Swimming', 'Tree House' and 'Wax The Van' along with four previously unreleased tracks from Sketches From World Of Echo. Originally released on LP in 1986, World Of Echo is a deeply intimate and meditative work of awe-inspiring grace and remains a timeless work of sublime beauty. Arthur's aim was to achieve what he calls 'the most vivid rhythmic reality', with just cello, voice, and echoes. Arthur achieved all of this and more on one of the most amazing albums you will ever hear." [this is the regular mass market single CD version; limited version with bonus DVD is out of print]

Artist:	RUSSELL, ARTHUR
Title:	World of Echo
Label:	AUDIKA RECORDS
Format:	2LP
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	AU 1002LP

Double LP version. "Following in the footsteps of Audika's CD reissue, Arthur Russell's most extraordinary work, World Of Echo is reissued for the first time as a newly remastered limited edition double vinyl set. 18 tracks are featured including drumless versions of his Disco classics 'Let's Go Swimming', 'Tree House' and 'Wax The Van' along with four previously unreleased tracks from Sketches From World Of Echo. Originally released in 1986, World Of Echo is a deeply intimate and meditative work of awe-inspiring grace and remains a timeless work of sublime beauty. Arthur's aim was to achieve what he calls 'the most vivid rhythmic reality', with just cello, voice, and echoes. Arthur achieved all of this and more on one of the most incredible suite of songs ever recorded."

Artist:	RUSSELL, ARTHUR
Title:	First Thought Best Thought
Label:	AUDIKA RECORDS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	AU 1005CD

"Before disco, and before the transcendent echoes, Arthur Russell wanted to be a composer. His journey began in 1972, leaving Iowa to study Indian classical composition with Ali Akbar Khan in Northern California and ending two years later in New York at the Manhattan School of Music. In that brief period Arthur met and worked with several musicians and poets that would guide his work throughout the remainder of the decade: Allen Ginsburg, Christian Wolff, Jackson MacLow, Rhys Chatham, Philip Glass, Elodie Lauten, and Ernie Brooks. First Thought Best Thought collects Arthur Russell's out of print instrumental and orchestral compositions along with over 45 minutes of previously-unreleased material on two CDs. Initially intended to be performed in one 48 hour cycle, 'Instrumentals' was in fact only performed in excerpts a handful of times as a work in progress. The legendary performances captured live in New York at The Kitchen and Franklin St. Arts Center include the cream of that era's downtown new music scene including Ernie Brooks, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Garrett List, Andy Paley, Dave Van Tiegham, and Peter Zummo. Included here is the previously unreleased 'Instrumentals' Vol. 1 along with 'Instrumentals' Vol. 2 that has been out of print for over twenty years. Originally released in 1984, sections of 'Instrumentals' Vol. 2 were incorrectly mastered at half speed, and have been now corrected for this compilation. 'Reach One' is one of Arthur's earliest compositions dating back to 1973. The hypnotic soundscape was written and performed for two Fender Rhodes pianos, and is previously unreleased. One of the holy grails in Arthur's discography, 'Tower Of Meaning' is a beautiful and stunningly moving orchestral work. Conducted by the late Julius Eastman, 'Tower Of Meaning' was originally released in a limited private edition of only 320 copies. 'Sketch For The Face Of Helen' shares only the same title as the previously released excerpt from 1981. Inspired by his work with friend and composer Arnold Dreyblatt, this previously unreleased version was recorded with an electronic tone generator, keyboard and ambient recordings of a rumbling tugboat from the Hudson River. First Thought Best Thought is an essential collection of the lost instrumental treasures from Arthur Russell's vast archive and brings the genius of his legacy closer into focus. Packaged with a 16-page color booklet + O-card of archival images and essays by former Modern Lover Ernie Brooks and Audika's Steve Knutson."

Artist:	RUSSELL, ARTHUR
Title:	Springfield
Label:	AUDIKA RECORDS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	AU 1007CD

Seven track mid-length CD, all tracks previously unreleased. Includes a new DFA remix. "Before Homer (Simpson) there was Arthur Russell and his vision of a utilitarian and common social oasis. There appears to be in every state of the union a Springfield -- be it county, city or street. Arthur imagined that his music could be universally accepted in each and every one of them. Springfield is one of the last compositions Arthur Russell wrote in his all too short lifetime. Arthur recorded over four hours of tracking with the intention of collaborating with a producer for completion. It never happened until now when DFA accepted the monumental task of editing and completing the track. No overdubs were used with the exception of minimal keyboards on the remix. Three versions are included with separate vocal takes. The result is a classic electro dub track that ranks beside Arthur's visionary club music and DFA's prime remixes. The remaining tracks are some of Arthur's finest, most twisted moments, and culled from the unreleased 1985 album Corn. 'See My Brother, He's Jumping Out (Let's Go Swimming #1)', is the original (and no less stunning) version of what became the classic 12" released a year later. 'Corn #3' is a hypnotic instrumental with Casiotone, cello and found water sounds while 'Hiding Your Present From You' is a psychedelic blur that hints at the elements that came later with World of Echo. Closing out the album is 'You Have Did The Right Thing When You Put That Skylight In,' Arthur's ode to his close friend Ernie Brooks' home skylight. The heavy metal cellos rumble throughout as Arthur sings, 'It makes your place, your pad, a nicer place to be.' Springfield is a companion album to the critically acclaimed Calling Out Of Context, and offers further exploration of the genius of Arthur Russell."

Artist:	RUSSELL, ARTHUR
Title:	Another Thought
Label:	ORANGE MOUNTAIN
Format:	CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	OMM 027CD

"During his lifetime, classically trained composer, cellist and disco legend Arthur Russell studied and performed with a wide variety of musicians and artists including The Flying Lizards, David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Ali Akbar Khan, Allen Ginsberg, John Hammond, Peter Gordon, Jon Gibson, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Frank Pagano, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett and Peter Zummo. In 1979, Russell, working under the name Dinosaur, wrote and produced Kiss Me Again -- the first disco single to be released by Sire Records and the first of Russell's many innovative dance tunes. Kiss Me Again also features contributions from then-fledgling guitarist David Byrne. As a solo act in the 1980s, he produced successes such as the single 'In the Light of the Miracle' (featured on this release) and the album World of Echo (1987, Rough Trade) a masterpiece that defies description and categorization. World of Echo was included in Melody Maker's 'Top Thirty Releases of 1986'. When Russell dies of AIDS in 1992 at the age of 40, the Village Voice wrote, 'his songs were so personal that it seems as though he simply vanished into his music.' Orange Mountain's re-release of Russell's 1994 album Another Thought (Point Music) is a fitting tribute to one of music's greatest and most underappreciated musical innovators."

Artist:	RUSSELL, ARTHUR
Title:	The World of Arthur Russell
Label:	SOUL JAZZ RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	SJR 083CD

"Arthur Russell holds a unique place in the history of dance music. As an artist he had the admiration of everyone from Philip Glass to Todd Terry. As well as his solo work he also formed the seminal groups Dinosaur L and Loose Joints in the 1980s. With tracks such as 'Go Bang' and 'Is It All Over My Face?', Russell redefined Dance music in the 1980s as both an intelligent and subversive form. At the center of the New York Dance scene in the 1980s, Russell was co-founder of Sleeping Bag Records along with Will Socolov. As well as releasing Russell's own material, Sleeping Bag would release seminal music from Mantronix, Larry Levan, Patrick Adams, EPMD, Joyce Sims and Todd Terry amongst others. As a regular visitor at David Mancuso's 'Loft', and Nicky Siano's 'Gallery' nightclubs and even Studio 54, Russell immersed himself in the New York Dance scene whilst continuing to create avant-garde experimental music. These two elements in his life and music make him truly unique. Larry Levan, Walter Gibbons and Francois Kervorkian all played pivotal roles as remixers of Russell's work and feature on many of the tracks featured here. Arthur Russell died in 1992 from AIDS leaving behind an enormous body of work. This release features both the classic tracks of Arthur Russell such as 'Go Bang', 'Is It All Over My Face', 'Wax The Van' etc alongside impossible-to-find collectors tracks such as 'In The Light Of The Miracle' and the private-pressing only 'Pop Your Funk'. This is the first collected work of Arthur Russell who has been for many years one of the most respected iconic artists in the history of dance music."

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