This two-hour-plus opus is billed as "a chronotransduction." With music by Carla Bley and lyrics/text are by Paul Haines, the project was recorded over nearly three years (1968-1971) in several locations and with nearly a hundred people involved in one way or another (musicians, singers, speakers). Those involved included a veritable who's who of the jazz world at that time (from Don Cherry to John McLaughlin) along with such unexpected combinations of singers as Linda Ronstadt and Jack Bruce.
The Detroit Escalator Co. is the project of Detroit native Neil Ollivierra. Long before he released his first album in 1996 he was part of that city's early techno scene, often hovering in the background including a stint as manager of Derrick May's iconic label Transmat which released a string of definitive club techno records in the late 80's and 90's. Both Soundtrack 313 (1996) and Black Buildings (2000) are quietly stunning works of gorgeous, haunting ambient techno. Although sparse, Ollivierra's music has great depth. Some of the clean, glistening melody lines hook you straight away, others only start to sink in with repeated listens…