Arthur Russell - Instrumentals, 2x Vinyl LP
Arthur Russell - Instrumentals, 2x Vinyl LP
Before disco, and before the transcendent echoes, Arthur wanted to be a composer.
Traversing the popular and the serious, Arthur composed "Instrumentals" in 1974, inspired by the photography of his Buddhist teacher, Yuko Nonomura, as Arthur described, "I was awakened, or re-awakened to the bright-sound and magical qualities of the bubblegum and easy-listening currents in American popular music".
Initially intended to be performed in one 48 hour cycle, "Instrumentals" was in fact only performed in excerpts a handful of times as a work in progress, captured in legendary live performances around New York City. Americana touching on Copeland, Ives, and maybe even Brian Wilson, Pitchfork lauded "Instrumentals" Vol. 1 as a masterpiece and one of Arthur’s "greatest achievements".
