Jon Hassell-Undersung Hero

[Echoes]

Jon Hassell is one of the most underrated influences on modern music. Artists including Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Mark Isham, and Steve Roach have either used his talents directly or been inspired by his ideas. His collaboration with Brian Eno, Fourth World Possible Musics V1 was seminal. His merging of world music and electronics, improvisation and extended composition are singular in their approach. His Fourth World music directly spawned techo and Ambient Tribal music. His trumpet voice is as unique as Miles Davis. Celebrate the 80th birthday of Jon Hassell today. We'll have interviews and comments from Brian Eno, Steve Roach, Robert Rich, and Jeff Rona tonight on Echoes. http://wp.me/p4ZE0X-81u

[rcarlberg]

Oh my yes, Hassell has carved himself out a unique voice in the intersection of jazz, new age, electronica and drone music. His most recent album "Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street" is the best of his career, and a marked improvement from his last several efforts.

in terms of "influence" I see the Norwegian post-jazz like Nils Petter Molvaer, Eivind Aarset and Jan Bang as direct descendants.

[Echoes]

His most recent album "Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street" is the best of his career, and a marked improvement from his last several efforts.

Last Night was a great album, and a great live band as well, but his previous albums were brilliant. 1990 City: Works of Fiction, 1994 Dressing for Pleasure 1999 Fascinoma,
2005 Magic Realism, Vol. 2: Maarifa Street

Great albums. Maybe you don't like his more rhythmically inclined releases?

[rcarlberg]

Fascinoma's covers were a misstep, IMO. Maarifa Street has some GREAT moments but is marred by anomalous vocalizing. To tell the truth I don't recall Dressing for Pleasure or City Works of Fiction without going back and listening to them, to remind myself why I never play them.

But even a bad Hassell album is usually adventurous. At least he isn't standing still.

[gpeccary]

Been a fan since i first heard his Eno collaborations way back when it was released...

[Dave (in MA)]

Oh my yes, Hassell has carved himself out a unique voice in the intersection of jazz, new age, electronica and drone music. His most recent album "Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street" is the best of his career, and a marked improvement from his last several efforts.

in terms of "influence" I see the Norwegian post-jazz like Nils Petter Molvaer, Eivind Aarset and Jan Bang as direct descendants.

I think I might end up in an Aarset/Hassell/Molvaer listening binge, now.

[Gizmotron]

Not many artists truly do something new and exciting. Mr. Hassell is certainly has. I am a fan of his work and first became aware of it through Mr. Eno.

[Dave (in MA)]

Fascinoma's covers were a misstep, IMO. Maarifa Street has some GREAT moments but is marred by anomalous vocalizing. To tell the truth I don't recall Dressing for Pleasure or City Works of Fiction without going back and listening to them, to remind myself why I never play them.

But even a bad Hassell album is usually adventurous. At least he isn't standing still.

I enjoyed the City album as a whole, though nothing in particular stands out. I hated Dressing for Pleasure, except for 3 or 4 tracks I have on my media player. I think they were G-Spot, Villa Narco, Destination:Bakiff and Blue Night. I thought the rest of it seemed like it was lazily slapped together with a bunch of ctrl-C/ctrl-V, the worst being Personals.

[Proghound]

Happy B'day Jon!, been a fan since the 70's. Hoping you have many more years of good health! Many cd's and LP's in my collection. thank you!

[hFx]

Such a great and influential musician! Never miss an opportunity to see him play!

[Zeuhlmate]

Earthquake Island
Dressing for Pleasure

Great albums - VERY different !

[wurz]

Happy B'day Jon!, been a fan since the 70's. Hoping you have many more years of good health! Many cd's and LP's in my collection. thank you!

Always loved his contribution to David Sylvian's Brilliant Trees - absolute quality

[Buddhabreath]

Bought Dream Theory in Malaya way back in the early 80's and have been mesmerized ever since. As has already been stated, Jon is a great original.

[regenerativemusic]

Happy Birthday to you.....(singing it through a four voice chorus unit in his honor).

Definitely one of the top ten groundbreaking in these last generations of people that aren't quite rock, aren't quite classical.

[rcarlberg]

¿¿Classical??

[Udi Koomran]

One of my favorites artist since that album with Eno
Its obvious he was inspired by the kosmicgroove of the late 60's early 70 but unlike many others he had his own district original voice and that unique tone
The best ones for me :
Earthquake Island
Fourth World Vol. 1 - Possible Musics
Power Spot
Maarifa Street - Magic Realism 2

[Supersonic Scientist]

LOVE this guys earlier work...I do have to say that I have not kept 100% up on him in the past 5-8 years.....will need to correct that failure of mine soon.

[Dave (in MA)]

Anybody wanna let us know if the 3CD City re-release is worth getting if one already owns the CD, and why/why not?

[rcarlberg]

Top Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great remaster + two completely new albums
ByQuiet Wyatton September 7, 2014
Format: Audio CD|Verified Purchase

"City" is one of Jon Hassell's most forceful and active albums; with a strong hip-hop influence, loud percussive bursts and occasional chopped-up vocal samples, it has more in common with David Byrne & Brian Eno's "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" (an album Hassell was originally supposed to be a participant in) than it does with Hassell's predominantly ambient albums like "Possible Musics", "Dream Theory in Malaya", "Power Spot" and "Fascinoma". The only other Hassell album I know of that packs a similar punch to "City" is his collaboration with Bluescreen, "Dressing For Pleasure". If you're looking for mellow background listening, "City" is not your best choice. This one kicks.

This 3-CD edition contains a superb remaster of the original album, a live concert from 1989, and a bonus disc of demos, remixes, and outtakes. The original album (CD1) has never sounded better. The live concert (CD2) is actually much more mellow and ambient than the other two discs, and may please fans of Hassell's quieter works. It features most of the "City" band playing over a bed of rainforest-y sonics by Brian Eno, and while riffs and bits of songs are occasionally recognizable, it's largely a loose jazzy improvisation.

I like the concert, but my favorite addition is CD3. It's like getting a whole new 1990 Jon Hassell album; he has very carefully sequenced outtakes, versions, demos, jams, and remixes (some from the "Voiceprint" single, others unreleased) into an album that feels and flows like an album rather than a hodgepodge. His liner notes about these tracks are also excellent.

The only letdown for me is the new artwork. I am very, very fond of the original 1990 artwork (the Moorish labyrinthine design on copper) and *also* the All Saints repackaging in the 2000s (the silver circuit boards and city grids). The 1990 art has been completely jettisoned in this 3-CD set; traces of the 2000s design remain, but the front cover photo(? painting? collage?), a blurry white explosion of smoke and sparks, does nothing for me. And I can't see how it relates to, or is meant to convey, anything about the City/Fictions concept. But them's the breaks. At least all of the liner notes essays and thoughts have been kept, and expanded upon. If you're already a fan of this album, you need this edition for the remastering and all the new music.

Sound samples at Amazon

All three discs downloadable on iTunes for $10.99, Amazon $10.49

[jkelman]

Hassell fans may enjoy an extensive interview I did with him back in 2009, when his last ECM album was released.

Culled from an interview planned for 90 minutes but extending to a full three hours, this 10,000 word piece is one of the longest interviews I've ever had the pleasure to do. Jon has a lot to say.

Check it out here.

You can also read a couple of reviews I've written (including my look at the City: Works of Fiction reissue) here, as well as some live performance reviews amidst larger festival coverages here.

[Dave (in MA)]

I should have known that I could have searched for John's review.
(and it mentions Harambe before it was an annoying meme)

[Zeuhlmate]

[FrippWire]

Hassell is one of those artists who if I see their name on a record, I buy it. No hesitation. I've not been disappointed yet. My personal favorites are Earthquake Island, Fourth World w/Eno and Power Spot.

[Echoes]

The Jon Hassell Echoes Birthday feature with Hassell, Brian Eno, Robert Rich, Steve Roach and Jeff Rona is now
up in the Echoes Podcast. http://wp.me/p4ZE0X-85D

[Spiral]

My personal favorites are Earthquake Island, Fourth World w/Eno and Power Spot.

Mine as well, though it's great not to have to choose. I was wondering when someone would mention Power Spot--a great and almost equal complement to Fourth World v1 in my book.

Maarifa Street, Fourth World v2 and Last Night... would come next if I felt inclined to do tier rankings. If nothing else, this thread is reminding me again how much I still need to try in the catalogue.