When you get up in the morning, you must have a song - Ray Charles

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Billy Bang - Vietnam records

A pair of records tonight.

Billy Bang's virtuosity and ability to bring the violin into the modern jazz canon is unrivaled. His adaptability to various idioms is well documented, especially his work with Kahil el Zabar's Ritual Trio. Perfect recordings and highly recommended.
These two recordings, made 3 years apart are surely the pinnacle of his career.
Somehow after spending time in the jungles of Vietnam during the infamous Tet Offensive, he still managed to walk away with an interest in the native sounds. Whether that happened then or it was something he dug into later, I'm not sure but all of us benefit from these incredible lps.
The themes and titles are irreverent at times, and the music itself often digs deep into the local sounds burying them in modern jazz, but the feeling of SE Asia is there for those that want to listen.

Billy Bang - Vietnam the aftermath

1. Yo! Ho Chi Mihn is in the House
2. Moments for the KIAMIA
3. Tunnel Rat (Flashlight and a .45)
4. TET Offensive
6. Bien Hoa Blues
7. Mystery of the Mekong
8. Fire in the Hole
9. Saigon Phunk
Billy Bang - violin
Frank Lowe - tenor sax
Sonny Fortune - flute
John Hicks - piano
Curtis Lundy - bass
Ron Brown - percussion
Michael Carvin - drums

Justin Time records just 165-2 2001

Billy Bang - Vietnam Reflections

1. Reflections
2. Ru Con
3. Lock and Load
4. Ly Ngua O
5. Doi Moi
6. Reconciliation 1
7. Waltz of the Water Puppets
8. Trong Com
9. Reconciliation 2

Billy Bang - violin
James Spauling - alto sax & flute
Henry Threadgill - flute
Ted Daniel - trumpet
John Hicks - piano
Curtis Lundy - bass
Michael Carvin - drums
Ron Brown - percussion
Co Boi Nguyen - vocalist
Nihan Thanh Ngo - dan tranh

Justin Time records just 212-2 2005

7 comments:

Cosmo Vitelli said...

Well, how beautiful thhose two cds are? I saw Bang's Vietnam group three years agon and as soon as possible had the cd you are showing. Great music; dramatic without overt sadness

oui said...

i know billy personally, he added me on his myspace 2 years ago because he loved the music i make. btw, i already mentioned the bad CD skips on track 01 of the Aftermath once... any luck for a re-rip?

Hookfinger said...

Oui - sorry I accidentally deleted your earlier comment.

I have re upped the record with the fix.

Hmmmm 41 dls and you're the first to point it out.

Thanks.

Look for a new BB record very soon.

oui said...

thanks! yeah it's become so common that people don't listen to what they download, they only want to own!!! the skips are definitely not an hallucination, glad that i could help with that one :)

gilhodges said...

Hello and thank you from the future. Billy has just died this week and I am finding great solace in these tremendous records. Blessings.

melanpyre said...

could you please re-upload Vietnam : reflections ? those records are a rare wonder

Hookfinger said...

Sorry mel, but these records (discs) are readily available again. Please buy them from a legitimate vendor.