(Recorded live at the Quaint Street Music Club, San José on January 25 & 31, 2009)
1. Drink Like a Platypus in the End Zone (11:49, 11MB,
15-tone equal tuning)
2. Drifting Toward Aldebaran (21:45, 20MB,
15-tone equal tuning)
3. Slow Fever (8:59, 8.5MB, 9-tone equal tuning)
4. Excess Gravity and Too Little Vacuum (10:52, 10MB,
harmonic scale)
Diznox Flopnerkerz (Drums & Percussion)
Aphagxin Ablignochs (Bass)
Bhleghirorlogh Zltronk (Alto Sax, Piano, Trombone, Alto Flute)
Gez'hz "Tony" Lagworzhnochs (Vibraphone, Synthesizer)
Brozniplox Flopnerkerz (Trumpet, Tarogato)
Palzgronk Obnerfwip'hnk (Tenor Sax, Bass Sax, Bass Clarinet, Bass[3])
These guys have shown what they can do in the studio on their previous three albums. Now we get a chance to hear them up-close, in person, and totally raw. Here, for the first time ever, is a live recording of the band on Earth. It's amazing to me not only how tight they are as a completely improvisational band, but that they can even blow those wind instruments in an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere. (They wear ammonia/methane breathing gear while they perform.)
But unlike humans, who need to breathe while they play, these guys are blowing through their auxiliary directional appendages instead of their respiratory tracts: they don't need breathing space like human players, and can occasionally spin off incredibly long lines.
Their current microtonal tour, as alluded to in the title, features specially modified horns and a vibraphone all tuned to fifteen equal tones per octave for a really gnarly off-planet sound.
At the start of the second track, "Drifting Toward Aldebaran", we hear drummer Diznox Flopnerkerz introduce the end of their second set that night, giving the name of their tour. (Unable to talk in our atmosphere, he uses an earth-manufactured voice box similar to the one used by Stephen Hawking.)
And if you're so inclined, you can find their first (studio) album here: Six Guys
[Click me home again Kathleen]
Copyright © 2009 Rick McGowan