Its A Mystery - Bob Downes CD

Bob Downes was a name you saw everywhere in the late 60s and early 70s - always up to his neck in something interesting and experimental. Last year a composition of his was tracked down for Alphorns to use in the Probes series and a few months later an unreleased recording of his 1970 Dream Journey - a piece originally composed for the Ballet Rambert which is not only great in its own right but speaks volumes about the general musical climate of the time. Asked if there were more where that came from and this compilation was the result. Something like finding a great lost recording everyone had forgotten about. It covers a lot of ground - from solo fragments to a 65-piece wind band; recording experiments to library music; 1970 to 2004 - and of course Alphorns. Several of the tracks feature the legendary John Stevens and classical percussionist Derek Hogg, as well as bassist Daryl Runswick. Translucent, inventive and easy to listen to, it also offers a fascinating glimpse onto a more optimistic time, and a more innocent aesthetic, that didnt survive the great freedoms and improvements of the last three a half decades. Bob paid his dues working with (amongst others) The John Barry 7, Chris Andrews, Manfred Manns Earth Band, Elkie Brooks, Alex Harvey and Julie Driscoll. In 1968 he formed Open Music, a trio which, at different times, included Barry Guy, Barre Phillips, Jeff Clyne, Daryl Runswick, Paul Bridge, Denis Smith and Harry Miller. He played and recorded with Ray Russells Rock Workshop, Barry Guys London Jazz Composers Orchestra and the Mike Westbrook and Keith Tippett Bands. Otherwise he has composed and performed for a great deal of contemporary dance, including: The Royal Ballet, The London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Ballet Rambert, Dance Theatre of Harlem (N.Y.), The Royal Canadian Ballet, Australian Dance Company, Miami World Ballet, Komische Oper Berlin, Staatstheater Stuttgart and Hong Kong Ballet. Then theres work for theatre, television - and at international poetry festivals. He moved to Germany in the late 1980s, where he is still very active.Additional Info: Personnel: Bob Downes (flute, alto flute, contrabass flute, tenor saxophone, drums, cowbells, guiro, shaker, percussion, wind chime); James Gregory (flute); Bj?rn Peterich (saxophone, trumpet, alphorn); Hagen Novottny, Eckhardt Novottny (saxophone, trumpet); Derek Hogg (vibraphone, finger cymbals, tamtam, timpani); John Stevens (drums).

Specifics

• Album: Its A Mystery
• Artist: Bob Downes
• Label: ReR Megacorp
• Genre: Jazz, Classical
• MPN: ReR BDOM

1. It's A Mystery
Gong [Wind Gong], Cymbal [Turkish], Wind Chimes, Other [Hanging Bamboo Sticks] - Bob Downes
Gong [Wind Gong], Cymbal [Turkish], Wind Chimes, Other [Hanging Bamboo Sticks] - Bob Downes
2. Dream Journey
Contrabass - Daryl Runswick
Drums [Small Kit] - John Stevens (2)
Drums, Wind Chimes - Denis Smith*
Flute - Jim Gregory*
Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Sounds [Vocal Sounds] - Bob Downes
Timpani, Vibraphone, Finger Cymbals, Tam-tam [Large] - Derek Hogg
Trumpet, Saxophone - Players Unknown*
Contrabass - Daryl Runswick
Drums [Small Kit] - John Stevens (2)
Drums, Wind Chimes - Denis Smith*
Flute - Jim Gregory*
Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Sounds [Vocal Sounds] - Bob Downes
Timpani, Vibraphone, Finger Cymbals, Tam-tam [Large] - Derek Hogg
Trumpet, Saxophone - Players Unknown*
3. Imminent Danger
Brass [65 Piece Amateur Wind Band] - Unknown Artist
Flute - Bob Downes
Brass [65 Piece Amateur Wind Band] - Unknown Artist
Flute - Bob Downes
4. Predator
Flute [Contrabass] - Bob Downes
Flute [Contrabass] - Bob Downes
5. Floating Shapes
Drums - Denis Smith*
Drums, Sounds [Voice Sounds] - John Stevens (2)
Flute [Pads] - Bob Downes
Timpani - Derek Hogg
Drums - Denis Smith*
Drums, Sounds [Voice Sounds] - John Stevens (2)
Flute [Pads] - Bob Downes
Timpani - Derek Hogg
6. Night Fear
Alphorn - Björn Peterich, Eckhardt Novottny, Hagen Novottny
Alphorn - Björn Peterich, Eckhardt Novottny, Hagen Novottny
7. You Leave Me Breathless
Flute [Pads], Sounds [Breath Sounds] - Bob Downes
Flute [Pads], Sounds [Breath Sounds] - Bob Downes
8. Barker
Flute, Alto Flute, Gong [Wind Gong], Cymbal [Chinese], Body Percussion [Foot Stamping], Sounds [Sound Poetry] - Bob Downes
Flute, Alto Flute, Gong [Wind Gong], Cymbal [Chinese], Body Percussion [Foot Stamping], Sounds [Sound Poetry] - Bob Downes
9. Coming Together
Cymbal [Chinese And Turkish] - Bob Downes
Cymbal [Chinese And Turkish] - Bob Downes
10. Spaced Out
Alto Flute, Other [Egg Slicer] - Bob Downes
Alto Flute, Other [Egg Slicer] - Bob Downes
11. Surprise Encounters
Cello - Timothy Kramer*
Flute - Bob Downes
Cello - Timothy Kramer*
Flute - Bob Downes
12. Voodoo Man
Guiro, Shaker, Drum, Cowbell - Bob Downes
Guiro, Shaker, Drum, Cowbell - Bob Downes

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