Dinosaur L
"#5 (Go Bang)"
"#7 (Recorded Live at the Kitchen, 1979)"
Not that it takes much, but the trailer for the upcoming
Arthur Russell documentary got me onto an AR kick the other day, and I headed for Dinosaur L's
24-24 Music.
24-24 is thought by some to be the gem of Russell's dancier material, and it'll hopefully be reissued soon. The Francois K remix of its masterstroke "#5 (Go Bang)" kicks off 2004's
The World of Arthur Russell compilation, but I actually prefer
the 24-24 original (MP3). When I first heard
24-24, though, the standout for me was far more fleeting. The two-minute
"#7 (Recorded Live at the Kitchen, 1979)" (MP3) is a tantalizingly short slice of a session I hope is sitting in full in a vault somewhere. Russell's cello anchors a percussive horn-guitar groove that quickly recalls (or, I should say, previews) !!! and others. And, like much of Russell's music, I love it not only for its sound but also for the era of NYC it instantly evokes.
- rajeev, 12.14.06
