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The Complete 15th August 2001

by Derek Bailey & Simon H. Fell

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    2013 Confront CD release; CDR in a metal box.
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    ● N.B. this edition was published by Confront using CDR discs, and this is the format available here.

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  • Full Digital Discography

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Seven Compositions (Limoges), Virtual Company, Reconstructed Fragments, Arcaics II, Harmonic 2011, Limoges, Trois Jeux (Pour Daniel), 323[1], and 58 more. , and , .

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1.
Pre-Tea 1 14:07

about

This is the full recording - freshly remastered - of the 2001 duo gig, an excerpt from which appeared in 2002 on a long-deleted Sound 323 mini-CD.

Here at last is the full performance in all its exhilarating acoustic power; an unplugged (but very intense) set from a hot and summery Wednesday afternoon, recorded in the basement of Sound 323 in London by Tim Fletcher.

credits

released September 25, 2013

Derek Bailey: acoustic guitar
Simon H. Fell: double bass

Confront CCS 22
2001 (60 mins.) in metal box
© Confront 2013

full track listing:
1. Pre-Tea 1 [14:07]
2. Pre-Tea 2 [12:31]
3. Post-Tea 1 [20:48]
4. Post-Tea 2 [12:57]

---------- press quotes ----------

« Qui est Simon H Fell ? Un contrebassiste d’exception, un improvisateur de première, un compositeur chef d’orchestre génial et un des plus importants activistes de la musique improvisée en Grand Bretagne, émigré depuis quelques années dans le Limousin. Derek Bailey, vous connaissez sans doute, hein le Godfather de l’improvisation libre et un guitariste unique etc… Ou vous croyez le connaître ou le reconnaître. Dans un vrai lieu londonien bourré d’auditeurs qui ont très souvent une extraordinaire expérience d’écoute de cette musique, Derek joue ici de la guitare acoustique dans son style caractéristique (harmoniques, larges intervalles post dodécaphoniques, cordes à vide et stoppées successivement) et s’échauffe : Pre-Tea 1 avant de s’éclater. Post-Tea 1 : il se livre à une remise en question de son savoir (clichés) pour chercher l‘improbable : on a droit à une véritable foire d’empoigne, moulinets dingues et harmoniques placées avec une finesse rarement entendues ailleurs. Il faut entendre Simon H. Fell suivre ou précéder les moindres pensées du guitariste, le pousser hors des sillons prévisibles. Ses doigtés qui font le grand écart ne sont jamais pris en défaut, les idées viennent toutes seules. Derek Bailey a enregistré une dizaine de duos aussi fascinants que différents et qui sortent de l’ordinaire. Ses collègues expriment une grande admiration pour sa capacité à renouveler son jeu dans de multiples circonstances et cela s’exprime avec la plus belle évidence dans ces duos (Evan Parker, Han Bennink, Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton, Tristan Honsinger, Andrea Centazzo, Jamie Muir, Christine Jeffrey, Tony Coe, John Stevens). Ce concert du 15 août 2001 est sans doute le dernier de ces grands duos. Il y a le méthodique, l’introspectif, le déchaîné, le synthétique, l’exploratoire, le logique, le loufoque, le rageur, le pastoral, l’imprévu, le dingue et le loufdingue. Tous les climats, suspendus au-dessus du vide ou à un train d’enfer…. Fumant !! »
Jean Michel Van Schouwburg ORYNX

“Jag är eld och lågor. The Complete 15th August 2001 är det bästa jag har hört på mycket länge. Otroligt bra. Den här skivan är ett helt enkelt ett måste. Så är det. Derek Bailey. En legend. Han behöver väl knappast någon närmare presentation, men så här mycket kan man säga: Derek Bailey spelade gitarr. Som ingen annan, varken före eller efter. Simon H. Fell är också en väl etablerad brittisk musiker, med en fot i den fria improvisationen och den andra i den komponerade musiken. Han har ett digert CV och jag skäms inte för att kalla honom en virtuos basist. Fell har ett jädra tryck i fingrarna och spelar robust med stråken. Han tvekar inte, utan köttar på för drottning och fosterland. Och det är en fröjd att höra Bailey just på den akustiska gitarren; det är rått men samtidigt skört. Det knäpper, sjunger och skrapar och Bailey spelar med själ och hjärta och inte ett enda ljud är överflödigt. Musiken på The Complete 15th August 2001 är mycket kraftfull. Levande. Organisk. Man kan känna naturen och dess urkrafter, dess intensitet. Det låter som århundradets storm, något ohyggligt och ostoppbart som drar fram och sliter upp, river ner allt som kommer i dess väg. Jag tänker på skogen. Mörka träd som svajar i vinden, en djupgrön massa som sluter sig runt mig. De två herrarna skapar ett enormt ljudlandskap som suger in och hotar att kväva lyssnaren. Det är stundtals nästan otäckt. Förstörelse, skövlande av en gammal granskog, kanske soundtracket till apokalypsen. Men ok, finns det då inte redan massor av bra inspelningar med herr Bailey? Förvisso. Varför ska man då skaffa den här skivan? Behöver vi den? Behöver vi mer Derek Bailey? Svaret är naturligtvis JA! Ja ja ja ja ja, vi behöver Derek Bailey. Alltid. Speciellt nu, i en tid då musik massproduceras, objektifieras, kommersialiseras och fördummas, är det viktigt att minnas denne man som med ett ständigt buttert ansiktsuttryck stenhårt höll på sina principer och vägrade ge efter för några som helst strömningar. Derek Bailey har alltid låtit som Derek Bailey, och det råder ingen tvekan om att han är en av tidernas viktigaste musiker. Punkt slut. The Complete 15th August 2001 är musik i sin råaste, renaste form. Den skakar om och påminner om hur mycket musik kan vara. Eller inte vara. Efter det andra spåret, efter två mycket seriösa och fokuserade stycken med otrolig intensitet, hör man herrarna lugnt diskutera, ”Ska vi ta oss en kopp te?” ”Ja, det kan vi väl”. Detta tar ner saker och ting på jorden igen och kontrasten är fantastisk. Musik kan betyda så mycket. Eller så lite.”
Joacim Nyberg SOUNDOFMUSIC

“Bailey is in his usual voluble form here, slashing out shards of steely guitar imbued with his incomparable sense of skewed phrasing and time. It is particularly intriguing to hear Fell in this setting. Fell has always moved seamlessly around a panoply of settings, working in micro-detail and then jumping readily into caustic intensity with groups like his pummeling trio with Alan Wilkinson and Paul Hession or the full-on blast of the group Descension. In company with Bailey, he entertains a parallel linearity that complements his partner’s attack. But he is also willing to pull back a bit and provide some space to the proceedings. The intimate recording effectively captures the acoustic sound of Bailey’s fingers and plectrum scrabbling away against the resonant strings in concert with Fell’s low-end rumbles, string scrapes, craggy percussive pops, and muscular arco. After a break for tea, the two dig in to the 21-minute Post Tea 1 which bucks and bristles with particularly spirited attack, restlessly moving across sections of agitated activity, and then diving back into the fray, and opening up, particularly during the final third of the improvisation. The final piece is one of the strongest, finding the two settled in and opening up the densities a bit more. Here, in particular, there is a sense of considered pacing by both partners that holds things together. Previously unissued recordings by Bailey have been slow to surface and this one, with such an able and fitting partner is particularly welcome.”
Michael Rosenstein POINT OF DEPARTURE

“For most fans of either musician, this release is clearly a must-have. Well recorded, vigorous playing, strong attacks; it'll satisfy the appetites of the great majority.”
Brian Olewnick JUST OUTSIDE

"Both Bailey and Fell are master musicians who improvise together at an intense and challenging level. This set bristles with focused energy. Both instruments sound closely mic'd so that we can hear each scrape, pluck and bow. At times, it seems as if Mr. Bailey is on the verge of exploding and then things calm do a bit only to flare up again. Mr. Fell sounds as if he is using a peg or wooden object on his bass at times and coaxing brittle percussive sounds. I found this set to be quite exciting, that edge-of-your-seat dynamic! Over seventy minutes long and pretty incredible throughout!"
Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG

---------- press quotes for the 2002 partial release ----------

“Fell and Bailey goad each other into some of the most impassioned playing I've heard from either artist. The opening is explosive, with sonic shards and fragments flying across the sound stage, the two instruments at times indistinguishable in the sound mass. The later part of the track yields some respite, with arco bass and gentle atonal guitar lines - 'insect music' maybe - but the overall tenor is muscular and intense. The antagonists show no signs of flagging in their search for new instrumental sonorities - at one point I could have sworn there was a dog yelping in there. The result could become quite a collector's item. Aesthetically, it's a delightfully minimal little product ... it might be a good idea to get yours soon.”
Andy Hamilton THE WIRE

a Wire record of the year 2002

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Bruce's Fingers Saint Dizier Leyrenne, France

Bruce's Fingers is a record label founded in 1983 by bassist, composer & improviser Simon H. Fell.
The label's publications (which also include books and scores) are centred around free / contemporary jazz, improvised music & contemporary / experimental composition.
Initially focussed on Fell's own work, the BF project has since expanded to include many other things besides...
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