not a review, just some stream of conscious schtick on one of my favorite discs this year.

Boggles the mind that no one has mentioned this disc until now. For me, lately, the Scandinavian music scene is where it's AT. I've been prompted to bust out some old Gush discs. There are some true unheard treasures at work over there. And some heard. Strid, Jormin, Sture Ericson, Mazur, Jonas Kullhammar. I'd never heard any of the musicians from Exploding Customer, save for AALY's Kjell Nordeson prior to this record. Martin Kuchen's many horns are a breath of fresh air, and what a motherfucker on soprano. There is some Coleman influence but the music is its own, bass and drums are an infectious driving force for much of the disc. Nice melodies, even better improv. I haven't heard muted trumpet (Tomas Hallonsten) in this context in many moons and the delivery is refreshing. Nordeson plays with much restraint compared to AALY. He's the better for it, but then this is a different approach altogether. The melodies... opening track plays like Ravel scoring for Band of Gypsys but I think I've said that elsewhere. Great disc, like anarchy within the tradition of another tradition within tradition.

label?

more info needed, Mr. Christmas....

Steve, I believe this is on Ayler.

yes, Ayler.

this CD wins "best title of the year award", no doubt. But Joe, why the relucatnce to provide basic information such as who the musicains are? Is this a small group, a big band, what? Is "Ayler" a record label as well as a dead musician?

Enquiring minions wnat to know.

reluctant, no. scatterbrained, yes. my apologies


This was released a few months back on Ayler Records, a Swedish label run by one of our JCers, JaS. He could explain the aesthetic better I'm sure. All live music releases, the sound is exceptional and the music has yet to disappoint.

E.C.:

Martin Küchen- tenor, alto, soprano
Tomas Hallonsten- trumpet
Benjamin Quigley- bass
Kjell Nordeson- drums


The label is distrubuted here in the states by Drimala dot com, as far as I remember. With their current 30% sale going right now you can get this on the cheap. The Electrics - Chain of Accidents (Axel Dörner, Sture Ericson, Raymond Strid, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, traditional pianoless instrumentation) gets my strong recommendation as well.

Short history:

I first heard Exploding Customer in October 2000, at ”The Frippe Memorial” day at the Golden Circle in Stockholm. (Bengt “Frippe” Nordström was the guy who “discovered” Albert Ayler in 1961 and made his first recording in 1962. Frippe’s last performance is on “Arthur Doyle & Sunny Murray, Live at Glenn Miller Café” from March 2000).
Exploding Customer played in a very fresh, loose, style remaining about AEOC not only because that “Odwalla” is a part of their repertoire.

A couple of months later, I received a demo from Martin Küchen and after that I proposed a recording for Ayler Records. In May 2002, we mange to collect all the members in the group and we recorded at Glenn Miller Café and the release party took place at the same location on October 1.

Martin is a very active man and he is now trying to book the Exploding Customer for gigs all over the place for the next year. I have to send promo copies to countries from Italy to the west coast of US. But, that is just a pleasure!

Up Zig. . .


This album fucking SMOKES.


LISTEN,

Pan Michaw