Published
Tue, Dec 13, 2016, 03:17
- The 1974 piece will be collated with other rare recordings into a double-vinyl pack that's due out in February.
Audika Records, the label devoted to releasing archival music from the late US avant-garde composer and disco producer Arthur Russell, is preparing a new reissue of Russell's 1974 work Instrumentals.
Russell, who passed away in 1992, was inspired by the photography of his Buddhist teacher when writing Instrumentals, a ten-part piece that would ultimately be performed only in excerpts. It's widely considered today to be one of Russell's masterpieces. The upcoming reissue, drawing from a 2006 Audika compilation, First Thought Best Thought, which unearthed some of this music and which now fetches collectors' prices, puts to wax remastered recordings of "Instrumentals Vol. 1" and "Instrumentals Vol. 2," along with two of what the label calls Russell's "most elusive compositions"—"Sketch For 'Face Of Helen'" and "Reach One."
Also included in the double-vinyl pack will be a 12-page booklet with liner notes from Russell, former bandmate Ernie Brooks and London writer and journalist Tim Lawrence.
Listen to "Reach One."
Tracklist
01. Instrumentals Vol. 1
02. Instrumentals Vol. 2
03. Sketch For "Face Of Helen"
04. Reach One
Audika Records will reissue Instrumentals on February 24th, 2017.