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Rabble Without A Cause
Wednesday June 29th, 2016 with Sean McFee
Alan Silva - composer

Alan Silva's Celestrial Orchestra was a big band free jazz thing. Such a thing was not unheard of in the late 60s; there was the Jazz Composers' Orchestra of America. There was the Globe Unity Orchestra. Years later Cecil Taylor and Peter Brötzmann have made powerful noises with the format. These two albums came out two years apart; the first in 1969 and the second in 1971. They have rather different line-ups, but all-stars on both. Luna Surface features Grachan Moncur III, Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, and Malachi Favors among others. It contains two side-long tracks and is probably the more chaotic of the two releases. Seasons features Lester Bowie, Alan Shorter, Joseph Jarman, Steve Lacy, Roscoe Mitchell, Joachim Kühn, Malachi Favors, and more. It is an astonishing 2.5 hours long, originally coming out as a triple vinyl with six side-long tracks, and reissued on CD as two disc-long tracks combining three sides apiece. So settle in for a joyous racket as we revisit these two classic recordings.
From the Luna Surface Part 1
Alan Silva and his Celestrial Communication Orchestra - Luna Surface - BYG Actuel (Get Back)
Part One
Alan Silva and the Celestrial Communication Orchestra - Seasons - BYG Actuel (Sunspots)
Part Two
Alan Silva and the Celestrial Communication Orchestra - Seasons - BYG Actuel (Sunspots)
Interactive CKCU