Possible Musics
Encyclopedia
Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics is an album by Brian Eno
and Jon Hassell
, released in 1980.
Hassell had studied Indian classical music
with singer Pandit Pran Nath
, and later applied the vocal techniques to his trumpet playing. Together with Eno, he melded the sounds from his instrument with digital delay, echo, and electronic effects to produce a unique blend of ambient
and world music
.
Hassell's trumpet is the dominant instrument on the whole album, yet, it almost never sounds like one. In "Chemistry" it possesses the quality of a flute; very soft and breathy. At the same time it has an electronic, "treated" edge and "warbles" on the higher notes. A simple, slide bass motif backed by low congas forms the background. "Delta Rain Dream" is similar, minus the bass, and the congas have a more Burundi feel to them, albeit slow and dreamy.
Handclaps are used as percussion in "Griot", which was recorded live at the Art Gallery of Ontario
. The trumpet sounds like a broken recording of a wounded animal and also plays a light, high drone in the background, providing a sense of literal ambience. The same trumpet-sound dominates "Ba-Benzélé", which features the return of the congas, and a synth background.
"Rising Thermal" repeats a 4-note, tape-looped trumpet with a heavily treated trumpet over the top that sounds like an eerie human voice. "Charm", which took up the whole second side of the original LP release, is based on some of the longer pieces of Hassell's 1977 album "Vernal Equinox" (1). The voice, this time, sounds like an animal, backed by congas and ghatan and light synths in a drone; the composition is merely a repetition of parts. The trumpets feature a reverse echo.
A live version of "Ba-Benzélé", recorded at the Ontario College of Art
on November 14, 1981, later appeared on the compilation album "Music and Rhythm" (WEA K 68045). Eno was playing in the band. (Link).
The album's cover photo is a Landsat photo of the area south of Khartoum
in Sudan
. The map coordinates in "Rising Thermal" ("14°16'N, 32°28'E") translate to the area shown in the photo. The river is the White Nile
, which is also the name of a Sudanese state
.
Eno took what he learned from making this album and put it to use in his collaboration with David Byrne
, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
. Hassell apparently considered that album too "commercial", and castigated Eno in Andy Warhol
's Interview
magazine for his methods and "lack of musical pedigree". Eventually, they were reconciled.
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
and Jon Hassell
Jon Hassell
Jon Hassell is an American trumpet player and composer. He is known for his influence in the world music scene and his unusual electronic manipulation of the trumpet sound.-Life and career:...
, released in 1980.
Overview
"Fourth World" is a term used by trumpeter Jon Hassell to describe a style of music employing modern technological treatments and influenced by various cultures and eras. He wanted the music in this album to be "future primitive", or "a coffee-coloured classical music".Hassell had studied Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
with singer Pandit Pran Nath
Pandit Pran Nath
Pandit Pran Nath was a Hindustani classical singer and teacher of the Kirana gharana , with a successful American career.-Early life:...
, and later applied the vocal techniques to his trumpet playing. Together with Eno, he melded the sounds from his instrument with digital delay, echo, and electronic effects to produce a unique blend of ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
.
Hassell's trumpet is the dominant instrument on the whole album, yet, it almost never sounds like one. In "Chemistry" it possesses the quality of a flute; very soft and breathy. At the same time it has an electronic, "treated" edge and "warbles" on the higher notes. A simple, slide bass motif backed by low congas forms the background. "Delta Rain Dream" is similar, minus the bass, and the congas have a more Burundi feel to them, albeit slow and dreamy.
Handclaps are used as percussion in "Griot", which was recorded live at the Art Gallery of Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario
Under the direction of its CEO Matthew Teitelbaum, the AGO embarked on a $254 million redevelopment plan by architect Frank Gehry in 2004, called Transformation AGO. The new addition would require demolition of the 1992 Post-Modernist wing by Barton Myers and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg...
. The trumpet sounds like a broken recording of a wounded animal and also plays a light, high drone in the background, providing a sense of literal ambience. The same trumpet-sound dominates "Ba-Benzélé", which features the return of the congas, and a synth background.
"Rising Thermal" repeats a 4-note, tape-looped trumpet with a heavily treated trumpet over the top that sounds like an eerie human voice. "Charm", which took up the whole second side of the original LP release, is based on some of the longer pieces of Hassell's 1977 album "Vernal Equinox" (1). The voice, this time, sounds like an animal, backed by congas and ghatan and light synths in a drone; the composition is merely a repetition of parts. The trumpets feature a reverse echo.
A live version of "Ba-Benzélé", recorded at the Ontario College of Art
Ontario College of Art & Design
OCAD University is Canada's largest and oldest educational institution for art and design. It is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on McCaul Street beside the Art Gallery of Ontario...
on November 14, 1981, later appeared on the compilation album "Music and Rhythm" (WEA K 68045). Eno was playing in the band. (Link).
The album's cover photo is a Landsat photo of the area south of Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. The map coordinates in "Rising Thermal" ("14°16'N, 32°28'E") translate to the area shown in the photo. The river is the White Nile
White Nile
The White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
, which is also the name of a Sudanese state
White Nile (state)
White Nile is one of the 15 wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 30,411 km2 and an estimated population of approximately 1,188,707 . Since 1994 Rabak is the capital of the state; other important cities include Kosti and Ed Dueim....
.
Eno took what he learned from making this album and put it to use in his collaboration with David Byrne
David Byrne (musician)
David Byrne is a musician and artist, best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography,...
, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (album)
The album was recorded entirely with analogue technology, before the advent of digital sequencing and MIDI. The sampled voices were synchronized with the instrumental tracks via trial and error, a practice that was often frustrating, but which also produced several happy accidents.Also according to...
. Hassell apparently considered that album too "commercial", and castigated Eno in Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's Interview
Interview (magazine)
Interview is an American magazine which has the nickname The Crystal Ball Of Pop. It was founded in late 1969 by artist Andy Warhol. The magazine features intimate conversations between some of the world's biggest celebrities, artists, musicians, and creative thinkers...
magazine for his methods and "lack of musical pedigree". Eventually, they were reconciled.
Side one
- "Chemistry" (Jon HassellJon HassellJon Hassell is an American trumpet player and composer. He is known for his influence in the world music scene and his unusual electronic manipulation of the trumpet sound.-Life and career:...
, Brian EnoBrian EnoBrian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
) – 6:50 - "Delta Rain Dream" (Hassell, Eno) – 3:26
- "Griot (Over 'Contagious Magic')" (Hassell) – 4:00
- "Ba-Benzélé" (Hassell) – 6:15
- "Rising Thermal 14° 16' N; 32° 28' E" (Hassell, Eno) – 3:05
Versions
| Country | Label | Cat. No. | Media | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Editions EG | EGED 7 | LP | Apr 1980 |
| US | Editions EG | EGS 107 | LP | Apr 1980 |
| France | Polydor | 2335 207 | LP | 1980 |
| US | Caroline | 1537-2 | LP | 1980 |
| US | Editions EG | EEGCD 7 | CD | 1992 |
| US | Plan 9/Caroline | 107 | CD | 1992 |
Personnel
- Jon HassellJon HassellJon Hassell is an American trumpet player and composer. He is known for his influence in the world music scene and his unusual electronic manipulation of the trumpet sound.-Life and career:...
– trumpet, Prophet 5 touches on "Delta Rain Dream", "Aular" loop on "Rising Thermal", Arp loops on "Charm" - Brian EnoBrian EnoBrian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
– background cloud guitars on "Delta Rain Dream", Prophet 5 "Starlight" background on "Ba-Benzélé", high altitude Prophet on "Rising Thermal", rare MiniMoog & treatments on "Charm" - Percy JonesPercy Jones (musician)Percy Jones is a Welsh bass guitarist, and was a member of jazz fusion band Brand X, from 1974 to 1980, and a reformed version which lasted from 1992 to 1997...
– bass on "Chemistry" - Naná VasconçelosNaná VasconcelosNaná Vasconcelos is a Brazilian Latin jazz percussionist, vocalist and berimbau player, most notable for his works with Pat Metheny, Don Cherry, Egberto Gismonti, and Gato Barbieri....
– ghatamGhatamThe ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....
, congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s, loop drum - Aïyb DiengAïyb DiengAïyb Dieng is a Senegalese drummer and percussionist specializing in hand drums. He has recorded one solo album , and has worked with a wide range of musicians but is perhaps best known for his long-term association with prolific bassist/producer Bill Laswell.-Biography:He was born and raised in...
– ghatam, congas - Michael BrookMichael BrookMichael Brook is a Canadian guitarist, inventor, producer, and film music composer. He plays in many genres, including rock, electronica, world music, minimalism and film scores....
– bass on "Griot" - Paul Fitzgerald – electronics on "Griot"
- Gordon Philips – handclaps on "Griot"
- Andrew Tomar – handclaps on "Griot"
- Tina Pearson – handclaps on "Griot"
- Jerome Harris – bass on "Ba-Benzélé"
- Night Creatures of Altamira – on "Rising Thermal"
Additional personnel
- Michael Jay – engineer
- Pete Sobol – assistant engineer
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- Cream – cover
- William CouponWilliam CouponWilliam Coupon is an American photographer, born in New York City, known principally for his formal painterly backdrop portraits of tribal people, politicians and celebrities....
– Hassell photo - Roberta Bayley – Eno photo
See also
- Fourth World, Vol. 2: Dream Theory in MalayaDream Theory in MalayaDream Theory in Malaya : Fourth World Volume Two is a World music album by Jon Hassell, released in 1981. It is the "sequel" to his collaboration with Brian Eno, Fourth World Vol...
- Ambient 1/Music for AirportsMusic for AirportsAmbient 1: Music for Airports is an ambient album by Brian Eno released in 1978.-Overview:Music for Airports was the first of four albums released in Eno's "Ambient" series, a term which he coined to differentiate his minimalistic approach to the album's material and "the products of the various...
- Ambient 2/The Plateaux of MirrorThe Plateaux of MirrorAmbient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror is a 1980 album by ambient musicians Harold Budd and Brian Eno. This is the second installment of Eno's Ambient series which began in 1978 with Music for Airports, identifiable by its similar cover art which looks like it depicts rural terrain on a...
- Ambient 3/Day of RadianceDay of RadianceAmbient 3: Day of Radiance is an album by the American ambient musician Laraaji which was produced by Brian Eno.-Overview:...
- Ambient 4/On LandOn LandAmbient 4: On Land is an album by the British ambient musician Brian Eno. It was the final edition in Eno’s ambient series, which began in 1978 with Music for Airports.-Track listing:...
External links
- Eno, Sound On Sound, Vol 4 Issue 4, Feb 1989
- Hassell, Sound On Sound, 1991
- Hassell, Perfect Sound Forever, 1997
- Hassell's homepage album entry
- ConnolyCo review
- ProgArchives review