The Squid's Ear Magazine


Necks, The: Open (Northern Spy)

The Necks trio of Chris Abrahams (piano), Tony Buck (drums) and Lloyd Swanton (bass) return to their evolving improvisation format, with ethereal arco harmonics, mesmeric piano riffs, subliminal pulses, twittering electronics, and even an arco bass choir.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Chris Abrahams-piano

Tony Buck-drums

Lloyd Swanton-bass


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




UPC: 081159198749

Label: Northern Spy
Catalog ID: NSCD 047
Squidco Product Code: 18169

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2013
Country: USA
Packaging: Cardstock gatefold foldover
Recorded at Studios 301, in Alexandria, Australia, by Tim Whitten.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Following on from their two track LP release, Mindset (2011), Open sees legendary artists-in-resonance The Necks return to the territory they are best known for, a single piece running for over an hour. The piece emanates a calm, immersive stillness throughout. Already The Wire has said that Open "(displays The Necks') astute handling of pacing and momentum, finely honed collective sense of timing, (and) their shared ability to balance at length a group equilibrium".

Bassist Lloyd Swanton elaborates: "Mindset reached some pretty intense levels at times, and though we never overtly discussed it, I think that on Open by contrast, all three of us were taken by the idea of working in an area of great stillness. After a couple of days' recording, it was clear that the music was leading us in this direction."

From the opening tones of Tony Buck's monochord, it is immediately clear that this Necks album is something special.As it unfolds, ethereal arco harmonics, minimalist funk, mesmeric piano riffs, subliminal pulses, twittering electronics, even an arco bass choir are inducted into the process.

Open will be the first of The Necks' albums released in North America on Northern Spy. "They're a great label; energetic and imaginative, with some really impressive artists" says Chris Abrahams, "so we're flattered that they sought us out, and delighted to be working together on growing our music across North America, because the response to our tours there thus far has been incredible." "-Northern Spy


Artist Biographies

"Chris Abrahams was born in Oamaru, New Zealand but grew up in Sydney, Australia.

He became very active in the Sydney jazz scene in the early eighties playing with modern jazz groups including Mark Simmonds' Freeboppers and The Keys Music Orchestra. With Lloyd Swanton he formed the 60's modern jazz-influenced The Benders in 1982. During its day, the band released three albums - E, False Laughter and Distance.

In 1984 Chris recorded and released his first solo piano album - Piano, followed in 1986 by Walk.

In 1985 Chris became a founding member of the Sydney indie rock band The Sparklers. As a result of this, Chris began working regularly with the singer and songwriter Melanie Oxley. Chris collaborated with Melanie, writing songs and producing albums, throughout the nineties. There are five releases with her: Resisting Calm (1990), Welcome to Violet (1992), Coal (1994), Jerusalem Bay (1998) and Blood Oranges (2003).

Chris released a third solo piano album, Glow, in 2001. This was followed in 2003 by Streaming, and then Thrown (2004), Play Scar (2010) and Memory Night (2013).

Chris has collaborated, in both recording and performance, with many contemporary improvising musicians including Burkhard Beins, Mike Cooper and Anthony Pateras. He performs regularly in the improvising music scenes both in Australia and Europe."

-The Necks Website (http://www.thenecks.com/bio)
3/25/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Born in Sydney in 1962, Tony is regarded as one of Australia's most creative and adventurous exports, with vast experience across the globe. He has been involved in a highly diverse array of projects. Apart from The Necks, he is probably best known as leader of hardcore/impro band PERIL.

Early in his musical life, after having graduated from the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, he became very involved in the jazz scene in Australia, often touring with visiting international artists such as Vincent Herring, Clifford Jordan, Mickey Tucker, Branford Marsalis and Ernie Watts, as well as Australians Mark Simmonds, Paul Grabowsky, The catholics, Sandy Evans and Dale Barlow.

Following time spent in Japan, where he formed PERIL with Otomo Yoshihide and Kato Hideki, Tony moved to Europe, and has involved himself in many projects there, including the development of new "virtual" MIDI controllers at STEIM in Amsterdam.

Tony has played, toured or recorded with, among others, Jon Rose, Nicolas Collins, Tenko, John Zorn, Tom Cora, Phil Minton, Haino, Switchbox, The Machine for Making Sense, Ne Zhdall, The EX, Peter Brotzmann, Hans Reichel, The Little Red Spiders, Subrito Roy Chowdury, Clifford Jordan, Kletka Red, Han Bennink, Shelley Hirsch, Wayne Horvitz, Palinckx, and Ground Zero."

-The Necks Website (http://www.thenecks.com/bio)
3/25/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Described by Billboard Magazine as "an outstanding and imaginative Australian bassist and composer", Lloyd Swanton was born into a large and musical family in Sydney in 1960.

His long-running group, The catholics, has released eight albums, all produced and predominantly composed by him, with three receiving ARIA Award nominations. Their album Simple was nominated for the German Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award.

His 12-part suite Ambon, drawing from his uncle Stuart's secret diary kept whilst a prisoner of war in World War II, had its premiere in 2015, and is now released as a double CD.

Overseas exposure in nearly 40 countries with numerous groups includes countless performances throughout Europe, Canada, the USA, Mexico, India, Cuba, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan.

For fourteen years, Lloyd Swanton hosted Mixed Marriage, a very popular radio program which examined crossings of jazz with other musical styles, on Eastside Radio in Sydney.

In his spare time, Lloyd is an avid follower of Australian Football, and a keen collector of Australian Aboriginal art, ice crushers, modernist ceramics, and books on Fellini. He is also gathering historical information on his distant ancestor Theodore Deck, a leading name in 19th Century French ceramics."

-The Necks Website (http://www.thenecks.com/bio)
3/25/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Open 1:08:05

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
Trio Recordings
The Necks
Trio Recordings
Trio Recordings
Australian Improvisers, Composers and Experimenters
Australian Improvisers, Composers and Experimenters
Piano Trio (Piano Bass Drums)

Search for other titles on the label:
Northern Spy.


Recommended & Related Releases:
Other Recommended Releases:
Abrahams, Chris / Clare Cooper
Germ Studies For Guzheng & DX7
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The Australian duo of pianist Chris Abrahams (Necks) & Berlin harpist Clare Cooper in a series of 198 short improvisations performed on Yamaha DX7 and the 14th century Guzheng harp, presented with 198 illustrations in an unusual and obsessively rewarding project.
Necks, The
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The trio of Chris Abrahams, Lloyd Swanton & Tony Buck in their first release in 4 years, named for an industrial suburb, a bleak and beautifully building affair in The Necks tradition.
Necks, The
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(Recommended Records)



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