Search - Bill Nelson :: Chamber of Dreams

The "black box" era

Anthony D Ravenscroft | Santa Fe, NM United States | 11/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're big on atmospherics & ambient, you will probably like this CD. If you like Nelson's rock, you're at the opposite side of the auditorium.All of 44:25, it's one of those "endless introductions" albums -- which is, of course, perfect for interpolative & background music that's not really meant to be examined closely.Most enjoyable track: 5. Listening to lizards. A little electro that predates the style by more than a decade.Liner note:"In 1981 and 1983, I organised a series of live performances under the general title of The Invisibility Exhibition. This event toured throughout Great Britain and included contributions frm the Yorkshire Actors Company, Richard Jobson, Frank Chickens and David Claridge as well as myself and Ian Nelson."Besides theatre, poetry, mime, and musical performances, there were eight TV screens and one large movie screen on which were shown films my Jean Cocteau and Man Ray. My own musical contribution included live improvisation of guitar, percussion and synthesiser over pre-recorded tapes from the archives of the Echo Observatory. Chamber of Dreams presents two facets of this event."Tracks 1-9 is a selection of the 'backing tapes' which were used as a basis for my own performance. They are presented here in their virgin state without any live improvisation. Musicians owning this album might enjoy sketching their own ideas over these tracks in the privacy of their own home."Tracks 10-18 represents a selection of the interval music which was played between the various performances during the Exhibition itself. These are complete and were not intended as part of the improvisational work."For those who attended the performances, this record is intended as a souvenir for the ear. For those who missed the Invisibility Exhibition perhaps Chamber of Dreams will make you curious enough to attend the next one."W. Nelson
"1984"track list
1. The blazing memory of innuendo
2. Into the luminous future
3. A dip in the swimming pool reactor
4. Tomorrowland (the threshold of 1947)
5. Listening to lizards
6. Endless torsion
7. My sublime perversion
8. Eros in autumn
9. Sleeplessness
10. The latest skyline
11. Train of thought
12. Parks and fountains, clouds and trees
13. The golden bough
14. Forever Orpheus
15. In Arcadia
16. Sentimental
17. Autumn fires
18. Wild blue Yonder"