new DJ Spooky?

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So has anyone heard Optometry?

Jordan, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Every time I'm about to pick it up I start to feel smarmy by association and put it back. The couple of tracks I heard at a store the other night sounded really good though, thanks to the William Parker/Shipp crew. So did Spooky make a great record in spite of himself?

Jordan, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I quite like it. Good (solid) jazz performances, lots of textures. Why do you feel smarmy when you pick it up? Despite his pretentious liner notes and buzzword-happy interview presence, he's responsible for some truly great music. I think he's simply willing to try anything. That recent Shadow records mix he did - just excellent listening.

Matt Riedl (veal), Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I guess I haven't heard anything that great from Spooky yet...it wasn't awful of course, but the pretentious liner notes/'dj for the indie crowd' image/jazz tokenism shtick makes me wary. The mix cd did look good though.

From little I heard of Optometry though it sounded like possibly the best of beat-oriented stuff that Shipp, Parker, and Guillermo Brown have been doing lately.

Jordan, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've heard it.

It's a rather interesting album, he has a great jazz band backing him, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Joe Mcphee. As well as a couple of great guest musicians.

Geoffrey Balasoglou, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've heard it. sounds good, but I must ask: backing him on what? he's not really DOING anything except mixing the album

M Matos, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

oh, and Under the Covers is as boring and lousy and full of shit as you might fear

M Matos, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think he's credited with bass and kalimba, matos

so does this mean it sounds like that spring heel jack record in the same series, involvement-of-the-non-jazz-musicians-wise?

Josh, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

in fact DJ Spooky, played Double Bass and Turntables for Sun Ra's Arkestra, in 2001. (this is the arkestra minus Sun Ra and John Gilmore)

Geoffrey Balasoglou, Saturday, 20 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

credit where credit's due: he triggered the quad ADATs for the Xenakis/Kraanerg ie orchestra block -> tape of manipulated orchestra block -> orchestra block -> etc. sequence for the 1997 recording on Asphodel/Sombient. (spooky label ?)

the reverse of "count basie orchestra on triangle" maybe and some vaguely useful sleevenotes

george gosset, Saturday, 20 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It also says he wrote most of the pieces on the new one (I just got round to noticing!).

Matt Riedl (veal), Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)


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