Trans Museq 4 - Velocities (1975) (NWW List)

This is seriously good stuff, and a must for all fans of free improv!

Transmuseq was mainly a duo comprised of LaDonna Smith (viola, violin, voice) and Davey Williams (guitar). These two took improvisation where it had never went before, applying automatic writing and other surrealist techniques to their music, using extended techniques, and other forms of experimentation. They were the ones who put out the periodical The Improvisor and have played with John Zorn, Ron Pates (of the NWW List), Andrea Centazzo (who plays percussion on this album), Jaap Blonk and others in the past. Mostly very rough, schizophrenic, and occasionally electronic, all of their records have a bit of Dadaist humor to them as well (with an occasional reference to Tristan Tzara or other dada artists).

If you like it, then go support these guys - they occasionally re-release older LP's in limited quantities, and they're still making new music, though not together. (LaDonna Smith recently put out a solo album for voice and viola improv titled Eye of the Storm, which is worth hearing.)

No promises, but if I ever get the proper equipment back together, I'll put up the rest of their discography (8+ LP's) sometime in the future.

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