fountainavm

A raid on the values of oriental jazz master and pioneering ethnomusicologist Lloyd Miller. As we’ve said before on the rare encounters we’ve had with Miller’s work, he’s quite a unique figure within the worlds of jazz, traditional Middle-Eastern folk and musicology. Few in history seem to be so heavily embedded within local music scenes and have been capable of absorbing so much from their surroundings. His original works (almost all self-released) are extremely hard to find and are pretty much out of reach for most. This double LP ‘Orientations’ is really what we’ve been longing for though. With unrestricted access to Dr Miller’s archives, local Utah label FOUNTAINavm have combed through previously unreleased recordings from the early 60’s to the early 00’s, capturing the breadth and scale of this unique artist. The cultural clash between east and west underpins each piece, where Miller’s astonishing dexterity on at least 15 different non-western instruments is infused with European Jazz standards. Like listening back in time, the fragrant humid air of the old orient hangs heavy in the atmosphere, capturing a time of great change in the area where the osmosis of culture between East and West would really take off, not without its problems. But these are recordings we keep coming back to, like the lilting romance of piano piece ‘Shahin’ recorded in early 70’s Tehran, or the hypnotic South Indian inspired Carnatic Clarinet from 1960’s. Miller’s work exists at an interesting historical intersection where jazz, folk, spiritual and documentary aspects of music all overlap. (Mint / New - heavy 2LP gatefold). This double LP album is sourced from Lloyd Miller’s personal archives of masters and personal recordings. Archival, Curation, and Tape Transfers by Adam Michael Terry.

Doc Lloyd Miller returns with his signature and timeless Spiritual Jazz and World/Cultural Music trademarks, as well as inviting a few contemporary sensibilities contributed by himself and collaborators Ian Camp and producer Adam Michael Terry. Expanding upon Miller's distinctive Academic, Persian and Far-Eastern Jazz Fusion into territories of New Age, Minimalism, Modern Classical, Ambient, and even hints of Psychedelic Folk with the opening song "The Summoning". Proudly extending Lloyd's already unique and massive music pallet that has been documented on his esoteric 60's records and self-released CDs over the decades, we anticipate his fans around the world will be pleased to hear familiar stylings as well as some evolved ideas.

Recorded late summer 2019 down in Lloyd Miller's basement, "At the Ends of the World" is a prophetic expression of the social and cerebral atmospheres that Miller personally predicted for the pestilence of 2020. The album reflects a moody dichotomy between the increasingly doomed world and the musician's attempts to heal with divine music and cultural beauty
credits
releases November 6, 2020