The Kohntarkosz Blog (http://kohntarkosz.blogspot.com) is happy to bring you, for the first time ever :
The French Gentleman Tapes - Volume 1
MAGMA
CHATEAUVALLON, France
Festival de Jazz
23 aug 1972
01 Intro (Giorgio Gomelsky) (5:01)
02 Stöah (7:14)
03 ''Iss'' Lanseï Doïa (12:22)
04 Sowiloi (Soï-Soï) (9:36)
05 Ki Ïahl Ö Lïahk (13:40) >
06 Ptah (10:30)
07 Intro (2:31)
08 Mekanik Destruktiw Kommando (30:24)
09 Klaus Kombalad (4:52)
Total : 1h36
Christian Vander : drums
Klaus Blasquiz . vocals
Francis Moze : bass
Teddy Lasry : soprano sax, flute, derbouka
François Cahen : keyboards
Jean-Luc Manderlier : organ
Jeff Seffer : tenor sax
AUD > reel-to-reel (Scotch, 9.5 ips, master ?, mono) > wav (16/44) > flac
Magmasystems Notes:
This is the first time that these recordings have been released. The original reels came from "A French Gentleman" who stumbled upon the various Magma blogs and who, as it turned out, had seen Magma several times in the 1970's. The gentleman not only had some assorted photographs, but had recorded various concerts. These tapes made their way to a well known DIME contributor who wishes to remain anonymous at this time. This person spent quite a bit of time digitizing the music and trying to clean up the sound. Some of these efforts were successful, some were not so ... as will be apparent in some later releases. I have dubbed these recordings "The French Gentlemen Tapes", and after about two years, I have been given permission to share these through time. Much thanks go to the Gentleman, as well as Trahnsferheur.
If you want to find out more about Magma's appearence at Chateauvallon, read the article here:
http://kohntarkosz.blogspot.com/2009/11/best-no-51-magma-chateauvallon-1972.html
"It was half past two in the morning when Magma could take possession of the stage because in addition to having nothing to say CTI said slowly. Magma begins to play and two hours sweeping and ridicules everything that had been previously submitted to and Châteauvallon. The outstanding musician, a remarkable singer, all led by a crazy drummer who knows what he wants and what he can get, as this is Magma which confirmed what we already believed, namely that they are the best European group and they may arise in the face of monsters equal Anglo-Saxon. The atmosphere and the climate created by Magma are not unlike those of James Brown, that the hypnotic rhythm crushes everything in its path and hungry machine that swallows you whole if you happen to take leave your finger. Faced with this demonic rhythmic change of high-class musicians like Francois Cahen, whose piano solo was reminiscent of Keith Jarrett. It should also emphasize the virtuosity of the singer Klaus, he would name them one by one as all are outstanding, but above all Magma is a group and certainly the largest that we had in France.
The ovation they gathered was the most enormous sounds in the pines festival Châteauvallon and the last image I retain is that of three thousand people standing, screaming, asking over at half past four in the morning."
The French Gentleman Tapes - Volume 1
MAGMA
CHATEAUVALLON, France
Festival de Jazz
23 aug 1972
01 Intro (Giorgio Gomelsky) (5:01)
02 Stöah (7:14)
03 ''Iss'' Lanseï Doïa (12:22)
04 Sowiloi (Soï-Soï) (9:36)
05 Ki Ïahl Ö Lïahk (13:40) >
06 Ptah (10:30)
07 Intro (2:31)
08 Mekanik Destruktiw Kommando (30:24)
09 Klaus Kombalad (4:52)
Total : 1h36
Christian Vander : drums
Klaus Blasquiz . vocals
Francis Moze : bass
Teddy Lasry : soprano sax, flute, derbouka
François Cahen : keyboards
Jean-Luc Manderlier : organ
Jeff Seffer : tenor sax
AUD > reel-to-reel (Scotch, 9.5 ips, master ?, mono) > wav (16/44) > flac
Magmasystems Notes:
This is the first time that these recordings have been released. The original reels came from "A French Gentleman" who stumbled upon the various Magma blogs and who, as it turned out, had seen Magma several times in the 1970's. The gentleman not only had some assorted photographs, but had recorded various concerts. These tapes made their way to a well known DIME contributor who wishes to remain anonymous at this time. This person spent quite a bit of time digitizing the music and trying to clean up the sound. Some of these efforts were successful, some were not so ... as will be apparent in some later releases. I have dubbed these recordings "The French Gentlemen Tapes", and after about two years, I have been given permission to share these through time. Much thanks go to the Gentleman, as well as Trahnsferheur.
If you want to find out more about Magma's appearence at Chateauvallon, read the article here:
http://kohntarkosz.blogspot.com/2009/11/best-no-51-magma-chateauvallon-1972.html
"It was half past two in the morning when Magma could take possession of the stage because in addition to having nothing to say CTI said slowly. Magma begins to play and two hours sweeping and ridicules everything that had been previously submitted to and Châteauvallon. The outstanding musician, a remarkable singer, all led by a crazy drummer who knows what he wants and what he can get, as this is Magma which confirmed what we already believed, namely that they are the best European group and they may arise in the face of monsters equal Anglo-Saxon. The atmosphere and the climate created by Magma are not unlike those of James Brown, that the hypnotic rhythm crushes everything in its path and hungry machine that swallows you whole if you happen to take leave your finger. Faced with this demonic rhythmic change of high-class musicians like Francois Cahen, whose piano solo was reminiscent of Keith Jarrett. It should also emphasize the virtuosity of the singer Klaus, he would name them one by one as all are outstanding, but above all Magma is a group and certainly the largest that we had in France.
The ovation they gathered was the most enormous sounds in the pines festival Châteauvallon and the last image I retain is that of three thousand people standing, screaming, asking over at half past four in the morning."
Posts
This is astounding that this was finally leaked and made available to the public. 3000 people cheering was thunderous, I imagine. Cahen sounding sounding similiar Keith is a wondering thing.
ReplyDeleteJazz Website
For some reason, my torrent client does not work... Is there a way to download the concert on megaupload ? Thanks a lot for releasing such a GEM !!!
ReplyDeleteI roughly translated the (infamous) Giorgio Gomelsky opening speech:
ReplyDelete"It's a very important evening for us, because we've been thinking about this night for 6 months......also because the Chateauvallon Festival is a success and a first of its kind in France......If you wanna stay after the concert and talk with us until sunrise, because we have a lot to say - you too I guess......It's an important evening, I've been in the business for 20 years, and I met these boys (garçons) 8 months ago, french with different origins: hungarians, redskins....((answering to a man in the audience: I'm boring you (emmerder)? Well you too are boring me, we're all boring each other......
It's the first time since the boys started 3 years ago, that they get this ideal opportunity to give you their best, or the better, sorry my french is very bad......but you get the point......
Tonight we heard 3 hours of a kind of "highjacked" music, it's such a pity to say, because there were musicians of very high value......I don't know why people like Jack Dejohnette or Hubert Laws feel the need to play "soup" (=bad commercial music) to make a living.......We'll never play soup!!!
People say that one shouldn't mix politics with Art, but Art IS politic, and we do politic!......The politic of "good taste" (bon goût)....and the politic of artistic honesty and integrity...
Let me tell you one thing: on this european continent, there have been boys who, during 3 years, starved out, to create a music that no one has heard before...tonight you're gonna here them and I'm so glad!"
I remember reading an interview with Faton Cahen (I think) saying that he didn't like at all what Gomelsky was saying about Dejohnette and Co. and that this attitude was one of the reasons he left the band.