I’ve felt a little more lost than usual as this year begins. I have to keep reminding myself that I don’t really identify with January 1st, or anything near, as a good time for a New Year. Like most things for me, it’s seasonal: here in Montreal, we’re in the first throws of deep winter, which doesn’t feel like a time to start anything other than a long book or a British detective series with a solid three seasons, minimum. In any case, I’m still slowly going through people’s year-end lists and uncovering gem after gem. I’m also gearing up to share some terribly quiet music, which accounts for a good chunk of my listening through the winter months.
Also, did you know/remember that this newsletter now has an Instagram account? I’m gonna share a lil’ game / brainbuster related to this issue in the stories today. Give it a follow and a share if you’re so inclined. Bonne année grand nez!
click the covers to listen or go your own way ~~
The Mystic Revelation Of Teppo Repo - Kosmoksen Erakko (2022)
Thank goodness for other people’s ears, amirite? I wish to the heavenly Finnish mystics I could remember who included this on their year end list so I could shout them out here, but alas, I’ve forgotten. Kosmoksen Erakko sounds like Natural Information Society covering the third and fourth singles from Ill Communication, namely ‘Root Down’ and ‘Sure Shot’. Understated, flute-laden bangers.
Jutta Hipp - At The Hickory House (1956)
A wonderful collection of quietly adventurous soft bop from this German-born pianist. Hipp was one of the very, very few women to gain any notoriety as an instrumentalist in the misogynistic, male-dominated jazz world (...of the era?). Her playing is so crisp and cool, effortlessly balancing rhythm and lyricism. Because patriarchy, she was literally written out of the history books after refusing the advances of her manager, famed composer and music critic Leonard Feather. In 1955, following their un-amicable split, Feather published the first edition of his Encyclopedia Of Jazz, which included a jilted, disparaging entry on Hipp. In subsequent editions, he removed her entry entirely. Ew. In short: listen to Jutta Hipp, fuck Leonard Feather, and read all about it in this Longread if you’re so inclined. The album cover links to Volume 1 of the collection, Volume 2 is right here.
The Supreme Jubilees - It’ll All Be Over (1980)
As a Christmas gift this year, my father built a beautiful kitchen table + bench, custom fitted for the nook in our kitchen. It’s been feeling so nice to host people around it. Whether it’s for dinner or a game of cards, this glorious private press gospel r&b record has made great accompaniment. Lovingly reissued by Light In The Attic back in 2015, the power of its warmth and groove simply can’t be overstated. Big hugs.
Aidan O’Rourke - 365 Complete Works (2018-2020)
Is full disclosure necessary on such an obscure, casual outlet as The Reg? You tell me… but just in case, here it is: I went to Aidan’s wedding this summer. I’d never met the fella before, and only had a passing familiarity with his music (through his work with Brìghde Chaimbeul, who I wrote about way back in Issue #6). But getting to know him, his work, and Scotland more broadly, albeit briefly, really cracked something open for me. Hailing from Nova Scotia (aka the campy sequel), I’d spent a good part of my life avoiding ‘traditional Scottish culture’. But Aidan’s music isn’t simply traditional. As his Bandcamp bio puts it plainly, he’s “pioneering new sounds in traditional Scottish music”. And the writer in me wants to get specific about just how efficient that phrase feels to me…
These days, there are a lot of artists engaging with musical traditions in ways that are explosive and subversive; taking traditions and recontextualizing them so much so that they effectively become new forms, using a given tradition amidst a melee of others, forming entirely new pathways. I’m thinking primarily of artists working with computers, and not in an unfavorable way, mind you: lots of incredible music is being created in this mode. But Aidan’s music is something else. He’s working in-not-with tradition. His work is unmistakably traditional, his sound is rooted firmly in age-old sonic territory. For every bit of subversion, there’s an honoring as well. He’s quietly teasing out the edges, creating music that feels profound in its roots yet wild and alive with possibilities. And I’m here for it. It’s so beautiful.
*** Ok, I love Nova Scotia and it’s more than just a campy sequel. Also, I’ve linked to Aidan’s main Bandcamp page so you can choose-your-own-adventure through this massive work. May it last you through ‘til spring, lil’ grasshopper.
Fredrik Rasten - Four Parallel Rivers (2021)
Remarkably delicate, seductive piano music from composer Fredrik Rasten who splits his time between Berlin and Oslo. From what I gather, Rasten is much more active on guitar and is more likely to be exploring microtonal music as opposed to the lush, equal temperament of these pieces. Released through Wandelweiser Editions, the label incarnation of a school of composers well worth exploring if you dig space, duration and silence.
I’m super interested in feedback / dialogue / suggestions. If you have ideas about the newsletter, want to share music with me, have specific questions / requests, don’t hesitate to get in touch. And please: share this newsletter with a pal if you feel so inspired!
Yrs.,
Andrew P.
andrewdanielpatterson [at] gmail [dot] com