''p53'' is a 1996

live album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

group p53. It was their debut album and was recorded at the 25th Frankfurt Jazz Festival in Germany on 1994. It was released in 1996 in the United Kingdom by Recommended Records. p53 was a

musical improvisation Musical improvisation (also known as musical extemporization) is the creative activity of immediate ("in the moment") musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous ...

al project that involved two classical grand pianists, a

percussionist A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...

, a homemade guitarist and turntablist, and a real-time

sampler Sampler may refer to: * Sampler (signal), a digital signal processing device that converts a continuous signal to a discrete signal * Sampler (needlework), a handstitched piece of embroidery used to demonstrate skill in needlework * Sampler (surna ...

/processor.

Music

The instrumentation of the p53 project consisted of two grand pianos, amplified turntables, a homemade electric guitar, percussion, electronics and real time processing. Cutler's interest in sampling and turntablism began when it became possible to "play" them as instruments, and not just "run them in". This led to the idea of "real-time montaging", which formed the basis of p53. Cutler established p53 as a free improvisation project within a predetermined structure to investigate the notion of making "improvisation a compositional endeavour". Cutler wanted it to question the nature of music and how listening to music has changed. He wanted to "pit acoustic sounds and the classical music tradition", two grand pianos, against "electronic timbres and the contemporary sound world", amplified turntables, electric guitar, computer generated sounds and real-time processing. He also wanted to contrast the difference between "early 20th century concert listening and the channel-hopping aesthetic of the ''fin de siecle'' '90's". The pianists were instructed to play "a few small sections from the classical repertoire", in any way and at any tempo, while the other musicians were free to, according to Rick Anderson of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, "romp around them wreaking gleeful havoc". Glandien periodically played back amplified and distorted live samples of the pianists, making them, in effect, human samplers, providing raw material for him to manipulate.

Reception

Peter L. Herb of '' Wired'' magazine described ''p53'' as a "surrealist adventure that must have been stunning to witness". He added that "the disc's transitions from sonic tranquillity to chaos and back are unpredictable and delightfully abrupt. It's comforting that someone somewhere is still ignoring musical orthodoxy." Rick Anderson of

said while ''p53'' is not the "stuff for everyone", "for those with ears to hear, tis one of the most enjoyable albums to come from the avant-garde scene in years."

Track listing

#"p53" ( Cutler, Goyette,

Krauze Krauze is the Polish language, Polish form of the German surname Krause. Notable people with the surname include: * Zygmunt Krauze (born 1938), Polish composer * Andrzej Krauze (born 1947), Polish-born British cartoonist and illustrator * Enrique ...

, Glandien,

Yoshihide Yoshihide is a masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings Yoshihide can be written using many different combinations of kanji characters. Here are some examples: *義英, "justice, hero" *義秀, "justice, excellence" *義日出, "justice, ...

) – 44:08

Personnel

* Chris Cutler – drums, objects, low grade electronics *

Marie Goyette Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in T ...

– grand piano *

Zygmunt Krauze Zygmunt Krauze (born September 19, 1938) is a Polish composer of contemporary classical music, educator, and pianist. Biography Zygmunt Krauze is an important artist of his generation: a respected composer, valued pianist, educator, organiser of ...

– grand piano * Otomo Yoshihide – turntables, homebuilt guitar *

Lutz Glandien Lutz Glandien (born 1954) is a Berlin-based German avant garde composer and musician. He has composed a number of classical and electroacoustic pieces, released four solo albums, and collaborated with English percussionist Chris Cutler to r ...

– computer, samples, real-time processing

Production and artwork

*Recorded at the 25th Frankfurt Jazz Festival, Germany on 16 September 1994 *Edited by Chris Cutler and Dominique Brethes at Wolf Studios, London *Mastered by Chris Cutler and

at Elsenstudio, Berlin *Cover artwork by Peter Blegvad *Graphic design by Jonathan Crossland *Liner notes by Chris Cutler

References

External links

*. {{Authority control 1996 live albums 1996 debut albums Live experimental music albums Live free improvisation albums Recommended Records live albums