John White / Gavin Bryars - "Machine Music" Vinyl, LP, Album, UK, 1978/1976 (Obscure Records)

Although no one will mistake Brian Eno as precisely as a pop star, yet, he is in a sense, but of course with that something extra, which is his interest in Experimental or new music.  In the mid-70s Eno started a record label, Obscure Records, to focus on modern music composers, most of them are British, and very much in Eno's social and music world.   One interesting album (of many fascinating titles) is  the John White and Gavin Bryars album "Machine Music."  

White is by design a minimalist composer, but I find labels too limiting and not very accurate in the sounds one hears.   On side one he has four pieces.  The opening cut is "Autumn Countdown Machine" which is a playful series of notes between a Bassoon, Double Bass, and Tuba that has a sound of various percussion instruments and a metronome underlining the main instrumentation.  To me, I can tell it's British because of its character.  It's a funny piece, but beautiful as well.  Perhaps it's that dynamics that gives this work such character.  "Son of Gothic Cord" is a piano piece played by White and Christopher Hobbs.  It reminds me of a bit of a Steve Reich piano work, but usually, his music is based on another culture, this I think is more numeral orientated or with a strict system in place.  It has an echo that fills the room. One thought but with four hands.  "Jew's Harp Machine" is sort of a super session with White, Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, and Christopher Hobbs (the Obscure house band!) all playing Jew's Harp, in a rhythmic fashion that has echo and delay (at least to my ears).  "Drinking and Hooting Machine" is a bottle blowing composition and it's eerie, and I can imagine this being heard over a rural countryside, with nothing but owls looking down on the musicians.  

On side two we have one composition by Gavin Bryars which is all guitars.  Played by Bryars, the great Derek Bailey, the amazing Fred Frith, and professional beginner Brian Eno, called "The Squirrel and the Ricketty Racketty Bridge."  A riff that reminds me a bit of White's first composition on the other side "Autumn Countdown Machine."   Four types of guitars that have separate and distinctive sounds that has a beautiful layered aural presence.  Not The Ventures or The Shadows mind you, but still a fresh piece of music.   

Obscure Records had only eight or nine releases but all of them are real gems, and it's excellent to re-hear them in 2019.   Eno should be applauded for presenting new music in such a fashion that's enticing and thrilling at the same time. 

The Scratch Orchestra - "London, 1969" (Die Stadt) Limited Edition of 500, vinyl 10"

The first time I heard of "The Scratch Orchestra" was in a Brian Eno interview, around the time he was in Roxy Music.  I have always been intrigued by this project, which as legend has reported, was organized by the British composer Cornelius Cardew.   With a name like that, I knew he had to be fantastic.  The other co-founders were Howard Skempton and Michael Parsons.  "London, 1969" is the recording of the first concert they gave in '69 at Hampstead Town Hall.   

First of all, one doesn't know which side is one or two - so that obviously doesn't make a huge difference.  Nor do the two selections have titles.  Which probably fits the Scratch Orchestra motif of everything is equal.   The actual rules of the orchestra are that anyone can join, graphic scores were used instead of musical ones, and oddly enough, concerts are assigned in reverse seniority, so that means the newest member has a stronger say in the programming.  Which comes to this record.   Eighteen year old Christopher Hobbs (then a student of Cardew's) designed or headed this specific concert that took place on November 1, 1969.  

This album, in a particular style, is ground zero for British avant-garde music and its (non) musicians. Five or six years later, most of the composers/music makers became hooked up with Brian Eno's label, Obscure Records.   I have listened to it twice, and basically it resembles John Cage and David Tudor's "Variations IV."  A mixture of radio sounds, and what I presume is tape loopings.  It's a fantastic little record.  Someone should re-issue it again.   Love the pigeons on the front and back cover as well.