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Thanks to the Cortical Foundation, the lost works of minimalist kingpin Terry Riley are finally seeing light of day. It's truly a revelation. Take
Reed Streams, Riley's first LP, originally released in an edition of 1,000 on the Mass Art label in 1966. Consisting of
Untitled Organ and
Dorian Reeds--both remastered here from their original tapes--the album marked the first appearance of Riley's Time Lag Accumulator (the composer's system for making tape loops). The first piece is hypnotic, with Riley's rapid keyboard notes softly pulsating over the course of its 20-minute span, never really letting up. "Dorian Reeds" takes a similar approach, but furthers the use of tape recorders. The effect is dizzying, varied, and almost jazzy. Riley's sax solos meld into each other to create multilayered collages of varying intensity. Notes are extended and solo passages sneak out, but the piece works best as a whole: a giant New Music traffic jam of car horns. But perhaps the real gem on this disc is the bonus of 1970's
In C (Mantra). Here, Riley's seminal work is performed by a Montreal collective through a psychedelic haze. Electric bass, a drum kit, and a rock sensibility enter into the fold, giving new life and imparting a wild flair to a composition that wasn't so tame to begin with. A truly unique, great recording.
--Jason Verlinde
Product Description
This CD represents the first album by Terry Riley, originally released in 1966, as well as the first recordings Riley made using his two personal Revox reel-to-reel tape machines (or "Time Lag Accumulators") later heard on his groundbreaking release Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band All Night Flight. Reed Streams has been remastered from the original tapes. In addition, this edition includes a psychedelic big-band version of "In C (Mantra)" recorded under the direction of renowned Canadian composer and conductor Walter Boudreau in 1970.
--This text refers to an alternate
Audio CD
edition.
