Marilyn Crispell

[riverrat]

...it is just my opinion nothing more ! But really this "nothing ever was anyway" is probably (imho) one of the most boring jazz record i've ever heard...

Couldn't agree more.

I rarely take the time to post negative comments; generally I subscribe to the notion that if you can't say something nice why say anything? But for me this recording went well beyond boring- not just mindnumbingly slow but also atonal, dissonant and irritating to listen to. Ranks among the five worst CD purchases I've ever made. If you think you might like the sound of a cat walking (slowly) back and forth on, or on and off of, a piano, try this CD. Come to think of it, that might sound better- at least the individual notes might be related in some way.

Different strokes for different folks of course, but I simply do not understand how this kind of aimless, self indulgent noodling (IMO) qualifies as music. But there are many things in this life that I don't understand, and if some people find this stuff worth listening to, more power to 'em.

Edited May 15, 2009 by riverrat

[jeffcrom]

I'm not an expert on Ms. Crispell's output, but out of the albums I've heard, I like Complicité on Victo the best. It's a three-CD set that documents one evening of the 2000 Victoriaville Festival. The other two CDs are by Paul Plimley with John Oswald and Cecil Taylor. I hope it's not sacrilegious to admit that I probably play the Crispell disc more that the Taylor.

[Alexander Hawkins]

I think the recent duo on Intakt with Louis Moholo, Sibanye (We Are One), is absolutely awesome. Wonderful playing by both IMHO. I would really recommend it.

[Nate Dorward]

-- I also find the trio with Barry Guy & Paul Lytton rather chilly & dull (they've done 2 albums for Intakt), but if you like the ECMs then they're worth checking out as something in roughly the same line.

Wonder if time and new material changes that assessment. I'm quite blown away by Phases of the Night, the latest by this trio.

I think it's pretty good, though it's not my favourite by any of the 3 players.

[Swinger]

I think the recent duo on Intakt with Louis Moholo, Sibanye (We Are One), is absolutely awesome. Wonderful playing by both IMHO. I would really recommend it.

Yep Sibanye is a great one! One of my recent favorite purchases.

[clifford_thornton]

I like the duo with Moholo-Moholo a lot as well, and the recent trio on Intakt with Guy & Lytton was pretty enjoyable, IMO.

Never had any problems with the ECM's - I like them, perhaps not love them, but they're interesting. You don't hear that much talk of Peacock's compositions, but I think that some of them are absolutely stunning.

The trio w/ Grimes and Cyrille was kind of ridiculous, I agree.

[Peter]

My favourite Crispell is probably with the Braxton quartet though...check out Birmingham, London and Coventry (all on Leo) from the 1985 UK tour.

Strongly agree.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

I think the recent duo on Intakt with Louis Moholo, Sibanye (We Are One), is absolutely awesome. Wonderful playing by both IMHO. I would really recommend it.

I was at that show, and it was indeed gripping.

[David Ayers]

In case anyone here hasn't already found this, Rick Lopez' Crispell sessionography is here: http://www.bb10k.com/CRISPELL.disc.html

Many if not all of the Leos and ECMs are on Spotify. Can you get that in Norway? I'd work through it there before investing in hard copies. Perhaps the best is the hardest to find, the Braxtons from WIllisau and Santa Cruz. The Leo's I don't much like, nor Live in Berlin. ECMs a matter of taste - Nothing Ever Was has a good deal of blank space since only the second take of the title track takes it to two disks!

Edited May 19, 2009 by David Ayers

[jostber]

Anyone head this pretty recent Crispell release?

Vignettes

[Hoppy T. Frog]

Anyone head this pretty recent Crispell release?

Vignettes

I did. I'm kind of meh on the ECMs, but I remember this one being a little more interesting. Must give it another listen.