Memorial 浜崎あゆみ

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, A Silver Mt. Zion (just one of its many names) came to life in 1999 as a project for Godspeed You! Black Emperor member Efrim Menuck in his attempt to learn to score music. The original idea was pushed aside, and the project would go on to become a group setting, and was more in touch with the idea of the organic growth and exploration of music than the heavily composed and arranged theoretical work of Godspeed. Inspired to record an album of the music that had been made, Menuck built up the first version of A Silver Mt. Zion, taking on violinist Sophie Trudeau and bassist Thierry Amar, both known as collaborators in the Godspeed family. The band made its live debut in 1999 and released its first album, He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms…, on Constellation in 2000. Still known as A Silver Mt. Zion, the band expanded its membership in 2000 – adding cellist Beckie Foon, guitarist Ian Ilavsky, and violinist Jessica Moss – which led to the first of many name changes.

The Mandrake Memorial - The Mandrake Memorial (1968) {Poppy–Collectables COL-0691 rel 1996}
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© 1968, 1996 Poppy Records / Collectables Records | COL-0691
Rock / Psychedelic Rock

The interplay between the amplified harpsichord and electric guitar in this gem of a psychedelic group is worth the price of admission alone. There is no air between the tracks so a seamless dance spins hypnotically for 38 minutes through a variety of moods and tempos. Chord progressions and musical structure sound a wee bit simplistic and dated on this first outing, but nothing grates and the vocals are silky and soothing. The musicianship is excellent though slightly constrained in the studio, compared to their live concerts.

On September 9, rock icons KISS will release the next installment of their popular ‘Off The Soundboard’ official live bootleg series with KISS – Off The Soundboard: Live In Des Moines 1977, recorded during the Alive II tour at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, IA on November 29, 1977.

The Mandrake Memorial - 3 Part Inventions (1969) {Flashback Records FLASHCD1008 rel 2016}
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© 1969, 2016 Flashback Records | FLASHCD1008
Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Early Progressive Rock

Having made two superb psychedelic albums and gigged with the Doors, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, the Velvet Underground and many others, in June 1969 the Mandrake Memorial came to London. The plan was to record with famed producer Shel Talmy (the Kinks, the Who, Pentangle), but when that fell through they persevered alone. Long thought to be lost, 3 Part Inventions anticipates the woozy, dreamlike vibe of their 1970 masterpiece Puzzle, combining eerie vocals, trippy guitar and otherworldly electronics to create a unique whole. Transferred directly from the master tape, it s released here for the first time, together with a detailed band history, rare images, two previously unheard outtakes from a 1969 acetate, and a rare radio interview.

Walter Bishop, Jr. & The Charlie Parker Memorial Band - Bird Still Lives! (1993) {Timeless SJP373 rec 1991}
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© 1993 Timeless Records | CD SJP 373
Jazz / Bebop / Post Bop / Piano

When Charlie Parker died unexpectedly on March 12, 1955, at the age of 34, the jazz world was devastated. Almost immediately, "Bird Lives!" graffiti began to appear around New York City, while musicians paid tribute, through live performances of his music, to the man who had done so much to revolutionize jazz. A memorial live performed in 1991 in memory of Parker by a bop pianist loved by both Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. Harold Jeffta from South Africa played the role of Parker. (From the CD journal database).

Frank Zappa - Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa, A Memorial Tribute (1996) {ZFT UMRK 02}
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© 1996 Zappa Family Trust | UMRK 02
Rock / Experimental Rock / Avant-Garde / Art Rock / Jazz Rock

This 1996 CD compilation was the first one put out privately by the Zappa family following Frank Zappa's death in 1993 from prostate cancer. The music includes three new versions of familiar Zappa works, followed bytheir better-known counterparts that have previously appeared on both LPs and CDs. As Dweezil Zappa explains in his liner notes, this previously unreleased excerpt from "Black Napkins" is not yet fully formed; oddly enough, like the version that follows from Zoot Allures, the Napoleon Murphy Brock sax solo has been edited out. The new version of the next instrumental, "Zoot Allures," fares better in comparison to the well-known take from the Zoot Allures CD, in spite of some distortion inadvertently added by the Tokyo PA system during its recording.

Memorial Beach is the fifth album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released in 1993. The album was recorded primarily at Prince's Paisley Park studios outside Minneapolis in the U.S. Memorial Beach featured three UK Top 50 singles for the band, "Move to Memphis" (released as a single in 1991, almost two years before the album), "Dark is the Night" and "Angel in the Snow". While the album did not chart on the U.S. Billboard 200 and would be the band's last to be released there, the single "Dark Is the Night" peaked at #11 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, their last U.S. charting to date. Q magazine listed the album as one of the 50 best albums of 1993: "If ever a band deserved reappraisal on the back of an album then it was a-ha!"

This unusual album is an unlikely success. Altoist John Zorn, who is best-known for his avant-garde flights and rather eccentric concept albums, here plays it fairly straight. He interprets seven compositions (all fairly obscure) by the somewhat forgotten hard bop pianist Sonny Clark including "Cool Struttin'," "Voodoo" and "Sonny's Crib." With alert support from pianist Wayne Horvitz, bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Bobby Previte, Zorn creates fairly boppish solos with occasional hints at more advanced improvising techniques.

The Mandrake Memorial - Medium (1969) {Poppy–Collectables COL-0692 rel 1996}
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© 1969, 1996 Poppy Records / Collectables Records | COL-0692
Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Early Progressive Rock

The brooding second album by Mandrake Memorial is complex, transitional and driven by four egos trying to define a unique sound-and still get along. I would chalk up any unevenness between the tracks to the compromises happening behind the scenes. It lacks the upbeat, spontaneous flow and continuity of their first album, though this music has a gradual tidal wave swelling to it, and it's full power becomes accessible after repeated listening. Mandrake's musicianship is improved and the song writing is far more adventurous.