A documentary about Music Unlimited Festival 2009 in Austria, featuring Lotte Anker, Martin Blume, Arnold de Boer, Tony Buck, Sylvie Courvoisier, Chris Cutler, Peter Evans, Phil Minton, Andy Moor, &c. &c.
1. John Zorn's Cobra Ð Wels Operations 1-3 Cello Ð Arnold Haberl, Okkyung Lee Conductor [Prompter] Ð Koichi Makigami* Written-By Ð John Zorn Guitar Ð David Watson, Fred Frith, Uchihashi Kazuhisa Percussion Ð Shayna Dunkelman Computer Ð Ikue Mori Voice, Electronics Ð Maja S. K. Ratkje Drums Ð Chris Cutler, Tony Buck Harp [Electric], Electronics Ð Zeena Parkins Piano Ð Sylvie Courvoisier
2. Speak Easy Ð Outer Limits Mixed By, Synthesizer [Analogue] Ð Thomas Lehn Drums, Percussion Ð Martin Blume Voice, Whistle Ð Ute Wassermann Voice Ð Phil Minton Written-By Ð Martin Blume, Phil Minton, Thomas Lehn, Ute Wassermann
3. Spunk Ð Welsmusic Written-By Ð Hild Sofie Tafjord, Kristin Andersen, Lene Grenager, Maja S. K. Ratkje French Horn, Electronics Ð Hild Sofie Tafjord Trumpet, Flute Ð Kristin Andersen Cello Ð Lene Grenager Voice, Electronics Ð Maja S. K. Ratkje
4. KTL Ð Forest Floor 4 Electronics [Oscs, Apps, Drives] Ð Peter Rehberg Written-By Ð Peter Rehberg, Stephen O'Malley Strings, Electronics [Fx, Amps] Ð Stephen O'Malley
5. Phil Minton and Dieb13 Ð Voice And Turntables II Turntables, Recorded By, Mixed By Ð Dieb13 Voice Ð Phil Minton Written-By Ð Dieb13, Phil Minton
6. Pamelia Kurstin Ð Live In Wels 2009 Recorded By Ð Pavel Borodin Theremin, Written-By Ð Pamelia Kurstin
7. Agra Dharma Ð Improvisation For Pundaroka #1 Voice, Theremin Ð Koichi Makigami* Piano Ð Sylvie Courvoisier Computer Ð Ikue Mori Written-By Ð Ikue Mori, Koichi Makigami*, Sylvie Courvoisier
8. Lotte Anker, Lindha Kallerdahl and Okkyung Lee Ð Strange Sisters Voice Ð Lindha Kallerdahl Saxophone Ð Lotte Anker Cello Ð Okkyung Lee Written-By Ð Lindha Kallerdahl, Lotte Anker, Okkyung Lee
9. Phantom Orchard Orchestra Ð Inquisitive Fingers French Horn, Electronics Ð Hild Sofie Tafjord Written-By Ð Zeena Parkins Percussion Ð Shayna Dunkelman Computer Ð Ikue Mori Voice, Electronics Ð Maja S. K. Ratkje Cello Ð Margaret Parkins Violin Ð Sara Parkins Harp [Acoustic] Ð Zeena Parkins
10. Fred Frith and Chris Cutler Ð Unlimited 2009 Extract Written-By Ð Chris Cutler, Fred Frith Drums, Performer [Electricity, Jetsam] Ð Chris Cutler Guitar, Performer [Electricity, Flotsam] Ð Fred Frith
11. Saw Sun Here Ð Saw Sun Here Recorded By Ð Pavel Borodin Synthesizer Ð Zeena Parkins Written-By Ð Zeena Parkins Cello Ð Margaret Parkins Violin Ð Sara Parkins
12. Ipcress Theater Ð Good Vs. Evil Recorded By Ð Pavel Borodin Written-By Ð Ikue Mori Percussion Ð Mark Nauseef Computer Ð Ikue Mori Voice Ð Koichi Makigami* Guitar, Idiophone [Daxophone] Ð Uchihashi Kazuhisa
13. Lotte Anker, Sylvie Courvoisier and Mark Nauseef Ð Film 3 Drums, Percussion Ð Mark Nauseef Piano Ð Sylvie Courvoisier Saxophone Ð Lotte Anker Written-By Ð Lotte Anker, Mark Nauseef, Sylvie Courvoisier
14. Peter Evans (2) and Okkyung Lee Ð Muje Trumpet Ð Peter Evans (2) Cello Ð Okkyung Lee Written-By Ð Okkyung Lee, Peter Evans (2)
15. David Watson, DJ Olive and Tony Buck Ð The Rain Check Bagpipes Ð David Watson Written-By Ð DJ Olive, David Watson, Tony Buck Turntables, Electronics Ð DJ Olive Drums, Percussion Ð Tony Buck
16. Ex, The Ð Double Order Guitar Ð Andy Moor (2), Terrie Hessels Voice, Guitar Ð Arnold de Boer Drums Ð Katherina Bornefeld Written-By Ð Terrie Hessels
17. Ex, The Ð Song For Electricity Guitar Ð Andy Moor (2), Terrie Hessels Drums Ð Katherina Bornefeld Voice, Guitar, Sampler, Written-By Ð Arnold de Boer
descriptions, reviews, &c.
"Cologne-based Pavel Borodin is the man thanks to which a larger segment of population can enjoy exciting sets happening along the German/Austrian axis (and not only). Unlimited 23 follows Borodin's excellent features on Elliott Sharp and the Speak Easy quartet. It's a fine documentary about the 2009 edition of one of the most important European new music festivals - unfolding over three days in Wels, Austria - combining refined artistry, the ever-splendid spontaneity of top-rank instant creativity and a general sense of contentment, the latter shared by the interviewed participants in the spoken interludes interspersing the extracts from the strictly musical activities.
As always with the productions of this passionately unprejudiced director, the film's structure is intelligently essential yet inclusive of every necessary detail, not a painless task given the multitude of persons involved both in terms of exhibition and coordination. The 2009 installment was curated by Ikue Mori and, besides the enormous efforts made by the chief organizers Wolfgang Wasserbauer and Peter Neuhauser, its success depended in large part to the indefatigable work of 100 volunteers, the whole under the executive banner of Kulturverein Waschaecht Wels. This is the way in which Music Unlimited manages not only to resist in times of worldwide crisis, but to be still able to showcase a wide-ranging gamut of different projects and personalities, some of them "popular" (the Frith/Cutler duo, John Zorn's Cobra, Phil Minton, Mark Nauseef, KTL), the less known equally valuable, and occasionally even more involving. I myself rejoiced in discovering artists, never met before, who positively surprised. Two examples: Swedish vocalist Lindha Kallerdahl - noticeably pregnant at the time of her concert with saxophonist Lotte Anker and cellist Okkyung Lee - and Theremin player Pamelia Kurstin.
The female component was indeed very strong in the festival. Maja S.K. Ratkje, Sylvie Courvoisier, the Parkins sisters (Zeena, Maggie and Sara), Ute Wassermann, the above mentioned Mori, Lee and Anker, an Ex-plosive Katherina Bornefeld. These and other ladies' engrossing performances symbolized the impressive level of intelligence, sensitivity and also muscularity that a woman usually brings to an improvisational table. The focused nimbleness and overall determination shown by Lee during dynamic exchanges with trumpet maestro Peter Evans are just spectacular. Contrariwise, a classy delicateness is predominant in the all-women Phantom Orchard Orchestra's "Inquisitive Fingers", a partially scored piece fusing elements of freedom and discipline commendably. Not to mention the sweet purity introduced by guitarist Kazuhisa Uchihashi's little daughter Kanon, who warmly greets (with excited jumping) the powerful hotchpotch generated by David Watson, DJ Olive and Tony Buck in a bagpipe/turntable/drum trio, and is invited to dance on stage - which she does without flinching - by The Ex in "Song For Electricity", the movie's final track. The young girl is definitely growing up in an ideal environment.
Additional flashes to remember: Frith silently chuckling as Koichi Makigami gives instructions for Cobra's "Wels Operations"; a marvellous duet of whispers between Minton and Dieb 13's vinyls; Anker's transparent smile in conversation; Watson's concentration as he pumps air in the bagpipes; Wassermann's impenetrable mask throughout an extraordinary "birdtalking" act. However, no description of mine could give an idea of how quickly the 123 minutes of this superb DVD fly, and the pleasure felt by watching these great musicians in action. As soon as the disc has stopped spinning, you're going to reach for the menu button and start replaying your favourite chapters. Guaranteed."-Massimo Ricci, Touching Extremes
NTSC; Aspect Ratio 16:9; Region free; Dolby Digital Audio 2.0 and 5.1. Running Time123 minutes. English subtitles for non-English parts.