Arthur Russell - The World of Arthur Russell
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Artist: Arthur RussellPerformer: Dinosaur L
Performer: Lola
Performer: Loose Joints
Performer: Indian Ocean
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2004-02-26
Music Label: Soul Jazz
Soundtracks:
- Go Bang (Francois Kevorkian Mix) - Dinosaur L
- Wax The Van - Lola
- It It All Over My Face (Larry Levan Mix) - Loose Joints
- Keeping Up - Authur Russell
- The Light Of The Miracle - Arthur Russell
- A Little Lost - Aruther Russell
- Keeping Up - Aurther Russell
- A Little Lost - Loose Joints
- Pop Your Funk - Arthur Russell
- Lets Go Swimming (Walter Gibbions Mix) - Arthur Russell
- In The Cornbelt (Levan Mix) -dinosaur L
- Treehouse - Arthur Russell
- Schoolbell Treehouse (Walter Gibbons Mix) - Indian Ocean
Music reviews of The World of Arthur Russell
Music Review: Another fantastic compilation from the guys at the "Soul Jazz" Label...
Rating: 5 Stars
Having already made his name as a classically trained cellist and also becoming well known for his involvement in setting up the 'sleeping Bag' Hip-hop / Dane label, Arthur Russell became involved in the growing N.Y. dance scene around the early 70's, and although his contributions would eventually be anything but conventional (incorporating his Cello into Dance music??), his influence in a then growing scene, helped push the underground music into new interesting ideas.
Firstly it's important to note that this compilation, that has been expertly compiled by the folks at U.K. label 'Soul Jazz' has gone for a overview of Arthur's music, rather than merely focusing on purely his dance-orientated music. And so, although this compilation has a tendency to veer all over the place, the collection of work here (including a few rarities) is incredibly solid, and a perfect introduction, to those (like myself) unfamiliar, as to exactly how talented and innovative his music was. Several tracks on this compilation may well be familiar to some, with tracks such as "Go Bang" exhibiting some of the early forms of what would now be considered 'Punk-funk'...and takes the form, of an energetic and slightly agitated sort of dance music, and pushes it into experimental territory, by taking its cues from an almost arty form or punk, and disco with traces of dub. "Wax the Van" on the other hand is far more informed by disco, and takes a stylish and dramatic sound and makes a sort of mutated disco sound from it, spilling over with sort of wired energy. "Is It All Over my Face", is probably amongst the best known work here, and takes a more straightforward dance music approach to it sound, and still manages to have that urgent energy and lively party aesthetic that would later mark this track out as deserving of its post-disco Garage anthem status.
"Keeping up" touches on the more experimental side of Arthur Russells music, and focuses on his fusion of his acclaimed Cello work and builds a track that is closer to possibly experimental-house music, that although lacks the tempo of dancefloor music, introduces guitar and more percussive instruments , that leans more towards music not strictly considered dance, music, has overtones of subtle form of melodic house music buried within. "In the Light of the Miracle" makes a grand statement with a track that is a long (13min) Afro-centric fusion of house and progressive dance, and if you think along the lines of the sub-genre 'Jazz-house' you be on the right tracks, with complex instrument arrangements (with brass segments) sitting on top of heavy percussion, with a fluid kinetic and visceral approach, for a epic track full of lucid basslines and circular rhythms. "A Little Lost" is my personal favourite track. It's not even a dance track, but instead a touching acoustic guitar and cello assisted ballad, to the perils of love, and subtle in the most affecting way possible, with a way with musical folklore & heightened romanticism that is generally very rare in an artist with a background in Dance/Hip-Hop music.
The creative side of Post-punk gets another spin, with the mostly instrumental shuffle of "Pop Your Funk", which (like a lot of music from that era) is something that although seemingly simply devised, is actually something more akin to a sprawling track with a celebratory feel, that trades in mutating rhythms, and adds extra layers onto its sound and holds the listeners attention with its hypnotic groove and relative striking digital beats. And speaking of Digital beats "Let's Go Swimming" has a fine line in them, with a distinctly retro sound, coupled with slightly off-centre rhythms mixing things up wonderfully and a prominent synth arrangement playing throughout, and not sounding too far off a more restrained tribute to early Detroit House/Techno music. "In the Cornbelt" of which this is the Larry Levan mix, sits in nicely amongst this oddball collection of tracks, with sampled voices and spooky synths and minimalist tendenices bring this closer to electronica then I was expecting, and reminds me of some of the 'Warp' labels earlier output. "Treehouse" reshapes what they would musically come to expect from Russell with something more akin to Afro-centric drumming, and the dance grooves that you might be expecting have largely been replaced with this more minimal percussion approach, to produce a spooked out almost ambient-groove, with a very weird distinctive track, that is so distressingly brief. The final track "Schoolbell/Treehouse", pushes keyboard sounds to the fore, with upbeat percussion, and bass guitar adding texture, thereby African-style chanting/singing is added, with various inspired electronic sounds being mixed in, constantly redirecting the listener's attention.
As is the case with the majority of 'Soul Jazz's' releases, this has been lovingly compiled and seems like a labour of love, with the sleevenotes providing useful/informative information, and although long-time fans or purists may bemoan certain tracks missing, even they would have to admit that a excellent effort has been made here. Arthur Russell's music probably isn't really for everybody, and it's one of those sort of releases that will probably appeal most, to those sorts of people that have heard a lot of music, maybe too much, and are looking for a new musical romance, to become interested in. As it's an album bursting with innovative and highly accomplished work, and although musically it's all over the place, I found myself really getting into this compilation, and those that are curious like me, really must give this a whirl. Highly reccommended!!!
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Description of The World of Arthur Russell
While Russell was formally trained as a classical cellist, he was very much a multi-faceted musician, having produced the first 12 inch single for Seymour Stein's Sire label ("Kiss Me Again") and co-founded the Sleeping Bag label himself. Sleeping Bag releases were the heart of the underground disco music scene that operated well below the radar of the pop hits that dominated the charts. Under the guise of Dinosaur L, Russell released "Go Bang" to great acclaim (remixed by Francois Kervorkian). Sleeping Bag releases were regularly played at Larry Levan's Paradise Garage and other haunts of true discophiles. Here is a wonderful compendium of the man's lifetime of work, that life cut all too short by AIDS in 1992.Dance & DJ CDs
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