If Reagan Played Disco
Monday, September 12, 2005
Faith Moves
Nicky Skopelitis & Sonny Sharrock
CMP
I'd always wondered what this collaboration between these two guitar giants would sound like and now I know. Nicky Skopelitis is responsible for most of the string sounds on peak-era Material's albums, playing guitar, oud, baglama as well as Coral sitar, a cheesy, sixties novelty which Skopelitis has mastered and forged a distinctive sound all his own. Sonny Sharrock was undisputedly the John Coltrane of the six-string guitar. He could summon up a brain frying barrage of jazz notes one moment and the next beautiful, soulful passages worthy of Bird or Coleman, all with a fat, warm overdriven guitar tone that would've had Fripp or Santana green with envy.
This album features surprisingly upbeat, bright sounding compositions with Skopelitis providing exotic, multi-ethnic beds of music for Sharrock to solo over or at times play counterpoint to.
Beautiful.
Fans of the nineties incarnation of Material will undoubtedly love this album as most of that era's crew is on board.
CMP
I'd always wondered what this collaboration between these two guitar giants would sound like and now I know. Nicky Skopelitis is responsible for most of the string sounds on peak-era Material's albums, playing guitar, oud, baglama as well as Coral sitar, a cheesy, sixties novelty which Skopelitis has mastered and forged a distinctive sound all his own. Sonny Sharrock was undisputedly the John Coltrane of the six-string guitar. He could summon up a brain frying barrage of jazz notes one moment and the next beautiful, soulful passages worthy of Bird or Coleman, all with a fat, warm overdriven guitar tone that would've had Fripp or Santana green with envy.
This album features surprisingly upbeat, bright sounding compositions with Skopelitis providing exotic, multi-ethnic beds of music for Sharrock to solo over or at times play counterpoint to.
Beautiful.
Fans of the nineties incarnation of Material will undoubtedly love this album as most of that era's crew is on board.
# posted by Chardman @ 12:59 PM 
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when i first got this baby home and put it on, i was SERIOUSLY disappointed...i expected an apocalyptic jam-out along the lines of Sharrock's collaboartion with Pharoah Sanders and Elvin Jones (buy RIGHT NOW if you dont have it, by the way), so the slightly upbeat and pleasant tunes on here were a bit too restrained for my tastes...kinda like listening to muzak after hearing early 70s era Miles Davis (Pangea, Dark Magus, etc)
it grew on me over time, though...Sharrock's penchant for lyricism really comes to the fore and Skopelitis can jam out on anything with strings...skeery
it grew on me over time, though...Sharrock's penchant for lyricism really comes to the fore and Skopelitis can jam out on anything with strings...skeery
That was my experience as well.
It was too damn bright and happy for something affiliated with Laswell, Axiom, etc. And nothing like 'Ask the Ages', which I love. But it is definitely growing on me, too.
I also got "Iron Path" by Last Exit, a Laswell, Sharrock, Peter Brotzmann and Ronald Jackson noise-Jazz combo that is BRUTAL.
It will get the Disco-Reagan treatment when I find the time.
It was too damn bright and happy for something affiliated with Laswell, Axiom, etc. And nothing like 'Ask the Ages', which I love. But it is definitely growing on me, too.
I also got "Iron Path" by Last Exit, a Laswell, Sharrock, Peter Brotzmann and Ronald Jackson noise-Jazz combo that is BRUTAL.
It will get the Disco-Reagan treatment when I find the time.
i had the same thing with sharrock's life time - it's so happy and ear-friendly, but sharrock was a very earnest musician, starting with brute fury and ending as a very unique modern "blues" artist, although with some of the best guitar technique around.
sonny sharrock should be heard more often - go check out his "seize the rainbow", what a wonderful record!
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sonny sharrock should be heard more often - go check out his "seize the rainbow", what a wonderful record!
# posted by 
: 1:56 AM
: 1:56 AM << Home
