Paul Dunmall Recommendations

Hot Ptah · August-25th-2005, 04:30 PM

Which Paul Dunmall CDs are essential, and can anyone summarize his recording career and the different settings in which he had recorded?

Squaredancecalling Steve · August-25th-2005, 04:56 PM

His work with Mujician is outstanding. "Colours Fulfilled" is a GREAT album, and "Birdman" is very good. The whole group is pretty great, with Keith Tippett on piano, Paul Rogers on bass, and Tony Levin on drums.

Paul B · August-25th-2005, 05:24 PM

Calling Steve Reynolds.....

MRS · August-25th-2005, 05:27 PM

walto · August-25th-2005, 05:29 PM

I think I prefer his work as a sideman/collaborator to his stuff as leader. I also consider him a better improviser than composer. My faves are "Birmingham Concert" (though the sound isn't too good) and "Time of Brightness."

bluenoter · August-25th-2005, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hot Ptah

and can anyone summarize his recording career and the different settings in which he had recorded?

AMG online can--

credits--Paul Dunmall

(Each of the albums listed is a link.)

bernardlyons · August-25th-2005, 09:58 PM

I have worked with Dunmall for a number of years now (both in UK,Ireland and lately in USA) and am constantly amazed by his music. The only reason I cannot set up tours this year is the ridiculous price of flights!

At this time I would point you to www.dunslimitededition.com for the latest of his output.
Also his work on CIMP with Kevin Norton and Paul Rogers.

Search Slam archives for tasty earlier recordings, also Emanem and FMR.

You can contact him directly to purchase his limited edition CDs at pauldunmall@btopenworld.com

Rob C · August-26th-2005, 12:27 AM

I enjoy both Hour Glass and Love, Warmth and Compassion, which is with Hamid Drake, of all people! Not sure I would term either "essential", but I like both of these.

My one complaint about LW&C is that he doesn't play tenor. I would have liked to hear him on tenor with this band. He sticks with soprano on most of it, but does pull out the bagpipes on the final track.

Steve Reynolds · August-26th-2005, 07:13 AM

Ghostly Thoughts, of course

He is great on Time of Brightness

I love Live at The Quaker Center - the bagpipe section in the middle is almost surreal

Barry Guy's LJCO's Theoria has some intense Dunmall on it

The 2 CD set on SLAM is very good

newer dates with Rogers and Norton are supposed to be good, the band was great when I saw them

Gary Sisco · August-26th-2005, 09:38 AM

Ghostly Thoughts is some great Dunmall, and a great record.

Live At The Quaker Center, as Reynolds says, is also a great one. That one's only available from him in his limited releases, I believe, as is linked above; and it also has a different kind of sounding performance for those who think they know what he sounds like.

A more recent great one to my ears is In Your Shell Like, which features a hurdy gurdy player who fits in wonderfully.

An often overlooked great, and a hell of a nice guy, as well, if you ever get the chance to hear him live.

Frisco · August-26th-2005, 09:53 AM

It's kind of difficult to say where to begin. I think his work is very consistent. So it may depend on what type of setting you'd like to hear him in. As stated above, you can't go wrong with the Mujician dates. I like "Spacetime" on Cuneiform a lot in addition to the ones mentioned. other nice dates with Keith Tippett are 'Onosante" and 'Kunikazu" on Paul's DUNS label.

Keith also joins Paul on a new one on DUNS called "Mahogany Rain". Also Julie Tippetts and guitarist Phillip Gibbs on this one. Julie plays a variety of percussion instruments in addition to her vocal work. Wood xylophone, Tibetan Singing Bowls, thumb piano, etc... It's a very interesting, very involved 63 minute piece.

Works like "The State of Moksha" explore his influences in Eastern thought and philosophy. There are a few nice things with trombonist Hilary Jeffries such as "High Bird, Low Bird" and "Zooplongoma". He and fellow saxophonist Simon Picard hook up for some intense blowing on "Utoma Trio" on Emanem.

Speaking of Picard, perhaps my favorite Paul Dunmall dates are with his Octet. I loved "The Great Divide" by the Dunmall Octet on Cuneiform. Desire and Liberation is a good early Octet date on Slam. I would go with any Paul Dunmall Octet recording though.

Felix · August-26th-2005, 10:57 AM

I think I own only one album with Dunmall, and it's Mujician's "Colours Fulfilled". One of my recent discoveries, you can't go wrong with that one...

Doc Martin · August-26th-2005, 11:05 AM

My Paul Dunmall favorites:
SOLILOQUOY
BABU: Featuring Simon Picard
DESIRE & LIBERATION: Featuring Keith Tippett
ESSENTIAL EXPRESSIONS: Featuring Tony Levin

Quote:

Originally Posted by WALTO

I think I prefer his work as a sideman/collaborator to his stuff as leader. I also consider him a better improviser than composer.

I agree with WALTO

As a sideman / collaborator:
MASTER MUSICIANS OF MU: Philip Gibbs
SPIRITUAL EMPATHY: Tony Levin
HOUR GLASS: Tony Bianco

frankiepop · August-26th-2005, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Martin

My Paul Dunmall favorites:
SOLILOQUOY
BABU: Featuring Simon Picard
DESIRE & LIBERATION: Featuring Keith Tippett
ESSENTIAL EXPRESSIONS: Featuring Tony Levin

I agree with WALTO

As a sideman / collaborator:
MASTER MUSICIANS OF MU: Philip Gibbs
SPIRITUAL EMPATHY: Tony Levin
HOUR GLASS: Tony Bianco

i agree also but ghostly thoughts aint that bad tho...albeit conservative, gt contains some worthwhile free guitar work...

walto · August-26th-2005, 12:57 PM

Yeah, I like Ghostly Thoughts, too.

frankiepop · August-26th-2005, 05:43 PM

it may not be cpt black, but it's helluva lot better than song x ...

Rob C · August-27th-2005, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankiepop

it may not be cpt black, but it's helluva lot better than song x ...

But is it better than Song XX???

LeMo · August-27th-2005, 05:32 AM

Paul Dunmall grows more and more consistent to my ears.

To say that he is better as a sideman than as leader is a little tough when you consider his body of work.

If the Paul Rogers date "Time Of Brightness" (Rare Music) is a great one, look for the following and recent CDs:

- Dunmall/ Rogers/ Norton: "Rylickolum: For Your Pleasure" and "Go Forth Duck" (CIMP)
- Dunmall & Rogers: "Awareness Response" (Emanem)
- Dunmall with Paul Lytton & Stevie Wishart: "In Your Shell Like" (Emanem)

For older job, look for:

- P. Dunmall Quartet: "Love Warmth And Compassion" (FMR) with Phil Gibbs, Paul Rogers & Hamid Drake.
- P. Dunmall Sextet: "Shooterhill" (FMR) with a killer band (Paul Rutherford, John Corbett, John Adams, Roberto Bellatalla, Mark Sanders)
- Dunmall/ Adams/ Sanders: "Totally Fried Up" (Slam) the follow up of "Gosthly Thoughts" in less glorious sound (wasn't mastered in 24 bit by Peter Pfister, alas)

And a fantastic one - Paul Dunmall: "Shawbaccansied: Solo Bagpipes" (FMR).
Believe me, you have never heard bagpipes play that way. Never.

Editing - Two more add in quite rich disco:

- P. Dunmall/ Tony Bianco/ John Edwards/ John Adams: "Out From The Cage" (FMR)

And a different and quite intriguing one:

- The Intuitive Art Ensemble: "Now" (FMR)
with Andrew Ball (piano/ celesta), P. Dunmall (saxophones & invented instruments), Phillip Gibbs (guitar), Hillary Jeffreys (trombone), Neil Metcalfe (flute) and Trevor Taylor (percussion, Sound Sculptures)

Hot Ptah · August-27th-2005, 04:23 PM

This is fantastic. A thousand thanks to all of you. Now to stimulate the economy with purchases of the recommended albums!