Septober Energy

Occupation

• Piano, composition, line: Keith Tippett
• Vocals: Maggie Nicols, Julie Tippett, Mike Patto, Zoot Money, Boz Burrell
• Trumpets: Peter Parkes, Mick Collins, Ian Carr (also: flugelhorn), Mongezi Feza (pocket trumpet ), Mark Charig (cornet )
• Alto Saxophones: Elton Dean, Ian Steel ( also flute), Ian McDonald, Dudu Pukwana
• Tenor Saxophone: Larry Stabbins, Gary Windo, Brian Smith, Alan Skidmore
• Baritone Saxophones: Dave White, Karl Jenkins (also: oboe), John Williams
• Trombones: Nick Evans, Dave Amis, Dave Perrottet, Paul Rutherford
• Violins: Wendy Treacher, John Trussler, Roddy Skeping, Wilf Gibson ( Concertmaster), Carol Slater, Louise Jopling, Garth Morton, Channa Salononson, Steve Rowlandson, Mica Gomberti, Colin Kitching, Philip Saudek, Esther Burgi
• Cello: Michael Hurwitz, Timothy Kramer, Suki Towb, John Rees- Jones, Katherine Thulborn, Catherine Finnis
• Guitar: Brian Godding
• Bass: Roy Babbington (also bass guitar ), Jill Lyons, Harry Miller, Jeff Clyne, Dave Markee
• Bass Guitar: Brian Belshaw
• Drums: John Marshall ( also percussion), Tony Fennell, Robert Wyatt

Septober Energy is the title of the genre cross- album, Keith Tippett and his ensemble Centipede grossed over three days in June 1971. Producer was Robert Fripp, who actually - should play as a guitarist, but was employed in the recordings so that he found no opportunity for boarding - as in the concerts before.

The album

After Centipede had already completed some concerts, Tippett was given a record deal by RCA. With the well -rehearsed ensemble, he played a suite Septober Energy for their experimental sub-label Neon. Here, a " music of incredible length " was born.

The suite consisted of a large number of smaller pieces that were not shown separately on the album; rather formal units were formed, which were each over a whole disk page. " The idea of ​​a panstilistischen music on the tip impulsive " ( Ekkehard Jost ), the factory covers both free jazz and rock music passages. It contains "Songs and Hymns, partly romantic, partly political programmatic character " as well as to Ligeti reminiscent " sound surfaces structures and Modaljazz improvisations " and " chorale-like horns and vocal Africanisms. Dominant design principles are ostinati any provenance as well ... long phase enhancement systems ".

Track list

Plate / disc 1

Plate / Disc 2

All compositions are by Keith Tippett; the texts were written by Julie Tippett.

Reception

" An erratic, monumental boulder stood suddenly in the musical landscape, eventually the music of Keith Tippett and his big formations Centepede from the conventional big band sound was at least as far away as from the other, more famous white double album in pop history. ". arte praised the album as "a weighty century Recording" and " a collective experience of extraordinary intensity ." Billboard recommended the album in 1974 and it turned out that it would include " a number of beautiful solos in each category ."

From a large part of the audience and also a part of the criticism, the music of Centipede was not understood and interpreted as misguided experiment. " When the album was released, it rained criticism - which is up to the CD reissues ... stayed that way ." For example, for Ekkehard Jost Album " a rather contradictory work. " For him, the various " elements of a pluralistic musical culture ... relatively unrelated side by side " without a " mutual penetration " would take place: " The whole thing is in this case no more than the sum of its parts. "

For Jazzthetik the orchestra sounds "like a Duke Ellington Orchestra at the time of the Carnegie Hall concerts ", although apparently " one half of the musicians on a LSD trip and the other in a primal scream therapy " would be. " On the four " Movements "by Septober Energy is everything possible and impossible to hear - and that is the merit of this album. It has expanded the aural conventions of some of his contemporaries. " For example, put the album for Mike Oldfield a major inspiration for his Tubular Bells dar.

The critics Richard Cook and Brian Morton described the work in the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, as " a masterpiece or a mess, depending on your personal opinion. The vision of a mighty Tippett free jazz ensemble, which should have the spontaneity of a smaller lineup, though was not working properly, but the whole thing was in his way a great achievement. " It is the opinion of the authors is " now unanhörbar and an album that would be talked about more than it would be heard, but that would kept as a unique moment in modern British music in honor ."

Editorial notes

The album of 1971, 1974 and in the United States out. Prior to the CD release of BGO ( from 2000 ) several predatory pressures came on the market, but have not pulled from the master tapes, but were transferred from a plate (so that, for example, on a very quiet beginning of the first piece distinct clicking sounds to be heard ).