BLOODCOUNT Tim Berne Style

When I graduated High School I told myself that I would set out by getting my degree and meeting new people and also listening to something new once a month. I was getting sick of the music I was listening to and I really wanted to explore new stuff. I started getting into some really unusual stuff. As I mentioned in some of my early blogs I was a frequent visitor of the Borders in the next town over from me. In their infancy they had very creative control of what was out there for the wondering eye like myself. The music department was filled with smart people who I became friends with and they would lead me in all kinds of musical genres and spectrum of what to listen to. From the 60's unknown Psychedelic music that I listen to more then ever now to 20th Century Classical. I had all types of music in my hand. There was a person who told me about Fela Kuti, to a person who explained the importance of Tori Takemitsu.

With this knowledge my music collection grew with it as well. There was a unwritten rule when I was there that I would get a discount on something that one of the music staff recommended to me. This discount always came in handy. When I came to the store (which was three times a week) There was always something on hold for me to listen to. If it was a promotional CD It was for me to keep. Once in a blue moon I would get that. I would come in and one of my friend would hand me a CD and tell me to listen to this. I would look down and scratch my head. I would agree to and really take the time to explore what they were telling me to hear.



One day I saw someone in their who had the same music that I had in my hand go up to the register and buy it. They would know his name and they would mention how both were familiar with that person's work and were excited to hear the new release. This happened way to much for me. One day I approached that person while looking at CD's. He told me that he worked at the record store across town and I should come visit. I asked the stupid question about all the stuff they were recommending was actually worth listening to. He laughed and told me that I had a lot to learn and that this is more than an education.

Over the course of the years we became friends. Beside Borders, I would go to his store. He mostly had common stuff, but once in a while he would have something different. He also had a used section and a cheap bin. This is where I got all my King Crimson and ECM tapes. I also found some great used CD's. 1996 he and I went to New York City for a Jazz Festival. This was the Jazz Festival sponsored by my new favorite venue at the time, The Knitting Factory. Over the course of the week were there we could see all the live music we wanted. The price was cheap, the hotel was not. We made a list of music we wanted to see. One that struck my eye was a free show at a place called Biblo's Tim Berne Bloodcount it said on the booklet of the festival My friend told me about how they are great and he never saw them live. We did a late night 10pm performance of them. It was one of the best shows I have ever seen. It was the Jazz I have never heard before.





The lineup was not to unique, but what they did with it was more then what I expected. Even the songs were very long by jazz standards. Some songs were twenty minutes others were twelve or more. The show was about two hours, but it was wonderful stuff. At the end of the show he told the crowd that he was a poor Jazz musician and wanted people to buy his stuff. I went to the table and picked up a shirt (which I still own) and a CD. That whole week was an education on what to listen to and what I should pick up next time I do my music shopping.

When I got back home my friend I went with handed me three CD's of Bloodcount. He told me he asked the record label to send him some stuff and they handed him two copies of Tim Berne's Bloodcount: The Paris Concert. These were all three volumes of of this Paris Concert from May of 1994. He told me what I will hear is almost the same stuff that I heard that night. It was really great stuff too. When I looked at the tracks I noticed that the songs were even longer then I heard. I mean there is one song that lasts over fifty minutes. The Jazz is not your typical Jazz, its a bit Avant-Garde., but trust me it's great stuff.



The music of Tim Berne is quite unique, but it is really worth some listen. You can get these as separate discs but who would want that. All three of these parts are great and really show what a wonderful Jazz ensemble can do. Don't take my word for it try these and I am sure you will understand why my passion of music is so strong. Enjoy and I am sure you will be thanking me later. Rock on!!!