Support
Looper's Delight
|
Support |
|
|
Hi neighbors, Ah yes, time again for one of those tiresome review posts of mine. This time I have a request for any of you French speakers out there -- could you possibly translate the first one for me? Good, bad or indifferent it'd be nice to know the gist of what they said (last time it was a real pain to find a affordable translator for Lithuanian . . . no I am not kidding). Since the CD has been out for 10 months already . . . that's in itself a sort of a testimony as to how very long it takes for things to get around when you are just another oddball geek with a guitar and none too well connected (or talented) either . . . I doubt if there will be any more of these kind of posts from me until I put out another CD (whenever the heck that'll be). At least that is my sincere hope. Time to put it to rest chucko. See you on the funway! Ted Killian ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Review 1 (in French) from Jazzosphere: Ted Killian - Flux Aeterna - 1 CD pfMentum CD 007 pfMentum s'impose depuis plusieurs années maintenant comme la structure à suivre dans le milieu des musiques créatives. Label d'où sont sorti quelques opus majeurs (Ganz Andere, Hear. or what, Asphalt Buddhas ou Pith Balls and Inclined Planes), pfMentum propose aussi de pénétrer plus largement dans cet univers particulier par l'intermédiaire d'un site web (www.newcreativemusic.com) qui regroupe tout un ensemble de textes, interviews ou essais qui facilitent l'accès de l'auditeur à cette musique. Ted Killian est sans doute peu connu en Europe. Guitariste-poète, sa musique impose un rythme et un souffle d'une grande fraîcheur. Sur cet album le musicien réunit dix de ses compositions qui participent toutes à la construction d'un espace sombre fait de questionnements et de réflexion mais dont l'issue reste l'espoir. http://membres.lycos.fr/jazzosphere/cdnew.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Review 2 from Guitar 9: Ted Killian -- Experimental Explorations On Electric Guitar If you're looking for guitar music where you'll be searching for a stylistic reference point, but will come up empty handed, check out Ted Killian's CD Flux Aeterna. Imagine an Uli Jon Roth or Jimi Hendrix within a sonic landscape not cohabited by bass and drums, but simply with guitars and amps set to feedback mercilessly (oh yeah, and add a heaping helping of samples, loops and other sonic mayhem). Creativity with a capital 'C' is what we've got here, but it won't peak everyone's interest of course. That may not be the artist's desire though. Killian is walking his own path with these ten instrumentals; within the structure of what he's established however, he does do his job with conviction, tenacity and confidence, which are important elements to have in order to enjoy work that's constantly breaking down your preconceptions and shattering barriers. The highly overdriven tones on songs such as "Cauterant Baptism" and "Hubble" may frighten children and small rodents, but others will find it just what Dr. Ted Nugent ordered (if this reference escapes you, look for late '70s footage of Nugent bowing before a wildly out-of-control amp). Born and raised in sunny Southern California, Ted has played guitar for over 38 years and has never managed to learn how to do it correctly. But, as it turns out, this may have turned out to be a pretty good thing. Without necessarily having set out to do so, Ted has found his own unique "voice" on an instrument that is nearly ubiquitous in modern popular music. Killian began playing and experimenting early on, but (in terms of public performance) bloomed late. Beginning in the late 1980s, he began performing his original music in conjunction with the Ventura New Music Concert Series (Southern California) - aided by close friend and colleague, avant-jazz trumpeter, Jeff Kaiser. So began a long series of ever-changing concerts and presentations all around Southern California. Ted has been interviewed as a featured composer on "Music of the Americas" on KPFK radio in Los Angeles. Since the debut of Flux Aeterna his music has been played on literally dozens of radio stations around the globe and has garnered critical praise in as many publications internationally. In recent years, Killian has composed music for ballet, "fixed" gallery installations, multi-disciplinary art performances, large ensembles and small groups. And, after all of this, he has still somehow managed to avoid having ever been in anything resembling a "band." http://www.guitar9.com/undiscov37c.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Review 3 from Rent Romus, Bay Area Improvisors Network: Guitarists are a dime a dozen in the pop world, but when you go further out into exploration like Ted Killian, commonality is replaced with unique sound. Thus said, I was happy to receive this new CD from Ventura rebel label pfMentum. It's great to hear another voice in the world of experimental electric guitar done so well. Killian utilizes both his superb skills as a musician on electronics as well as guitar. He interfaces the two seamlessly to create a powerful and unique voice to the known fair we've come to expect from other players such as Nels Cline. This CD has made it quite clear that rock is not dead it just got cloned and reconstructed before it's original was gutted by the music industry. Killian creates a full musical adventure with ten cuts of thematic tunes ranging from rhythmic scream sessions to all out grooves digging deep into the history of the guitar. He even makes an interesting musical reference to a famous Jimi Hendrix performance one summer in the late sixties, and I would swear I hear some Sun Ra in there as well (though I may be tripping). What I love about the improvised scene growing throughout the world is the abolishment of specific styles that continue to eat away at the artistic status quo. I'd say if you have an open ear to electric guitar exploration with appreciation for the hard core, you'd want to get this one. Flux Aeterna is another nail in the coffin of pop sensibilities, and I thank Mr. Killian for that. http://www.bayimproviser.com/interviewdetail.asp?interview_id=12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Review 4 from Matt Borghi, All Music Guide: Ted Killian's Flux Aeterna begins with a eerily apocalyptic electric guitar solo that in places seems to quote parts of Jimi Hendrix' by now world-famous rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" from 1969's Woodstock Music Festival. With the first track as a point of departure, Killian moves through a series of compositions where the guitar plays the main role, while surrounded by a variety of synthesized harmonic tapestries. For the most part, though, the guitar is the primary melodic instrument on Flux Aeterna, and really shows Killian experimenting with it in a lot of new ways. In places, this recording sounds like the work of Robert Fripp and King Crimson, and in other places there's strangely experimental work going on that's reminiscent of Brian Eno, and even some of John Cage's work. However, one thing is certain: Ted Killian has created a fantastic disc that truly creates a new harmonic vocabulary both for the guitar and for the guitar as background and foreground instrument. Guitar players in particular should pay special attention to this recording, but if you're looking for a recording that seems to be slightly -- very slightly -- tinged with an 1980s synthesizer sound (as well as a very unique guitar sound), then this is certainly a fantastic recording. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A5ho7gjvr36ib ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Review 5 from Guitar Player's Matt Blackett: Ted Killian, Flux Aeterna. Feedback shreiks and EBow howls over hypnotic grooves add up to a great soundtrack for a ba dream. pfMetum -- MB July 2002 issue "Quick Hits" (p.104) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Hard to believe, but there are actually radio stations playing ”Flux Aeterna” from time to time (in the wee hour I'll bet). KUCI.88.9 FM Irvine,CA—USA KCSB 91.9 FM Santa Barbara, CA—USA KZSU 90.1 FM Stanford, CA—USA KDVS 90.3 FM Davis, CA—USA KFJC 89.7 FM Los Altos Hills, CA—USA WPKN 89.5 FM Bridgeport, CT—USA WHUS 91.7 FM Storrs, CT—USA WOMR 92.1 FM Provincetown, MA—USA WXYC 89.3 FM Chapel Hill, NC—USA WNCW 88.7 FM Spindale NC—USA KDSU 91.9 FM Fargo, ND—USA WSIA 88.9 FM Staten Island, NY—USA KLCC 89.7 FM Eugene OR—USA KTRU 91.7 FM Houston, TX—USA KBCS 91.3 FM Bellevue, WA—USA WSUM 91.7 FM Madison, WI—USA WORT-FM 89.9 Madison WI—USA CKUT 90.3 FM Montreal, Quebec—Canada CFLX 95.5 FM Sherbrooke, Québec—Canada CJAM 91.5 FM Windsor, Ontario—Canada CIUT 89.5 FM Toronto, Ontario—Canada 3D Radio 93.7FM Adelaide—Australia RTR 92.1 FM Perth—Western Australia FRK 105.8 FM Kassel—Germany RCV 99 FM Lille—France 90.1 FM Sens—France RCV 100.4 FM Barcelona—Spain RF 91.5 FM Barcelona—Spain KAPSAI FM 100.2 Marijampole—Lithuania Anywho, thanks for your time. Over and out . . .