From Britton James Sent Wed, May 27th 1998, 16:00
Speaking of CRI discs, two that are readily available are "The McLean Mix & The Golden Age Of Electronic Music" by Barton and Priscilla McLean, and Alwin Nikolais' "Electronic Dance Music". The McLeans disc is comprised of analogue pieces from 1972 - 1982 using Synthi 100s, Arp 2600s, and an ElectroComp 101. This is choice work that also uses tape manipulation and other sound effects. It is quirky and sometimes abstract, but that's the way I like it. An essential disc. The Alwin Nikolais disc is a fascinating collection of twenty one pieces for dance, many of which he composed using the first synthesizer ever sold by Bob Moog. I quote from the liner notes, "...insisted that Nik visit the electronic fair currently being held in NY. Nik did so and met Bob Moog. He was completely taken by the new machine and after making some suggestions to Moog, which Moog made (sic), Nik bought the inventors first machine, through the aid of a Guggenheim Fellowship." "This machine was later acquired by the Museum Of Musical Instruments at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor as the first Moog synthesizer." This is a truly great disc, and very eclectic. The relative brevity of the pieces and the dance orientation makes them lively and contemporary sounding. This CD is a must. Both these are in print on CD and readily available through CRI: Alwin Nikolais - Electronic Dance Music - CRI CD 651 The McLean Mix & The Golden Age Of Electronic Music CRI CD 764 If you order either of these, tell them Charlie James from Little Rock sent you. Charlie James