On the 137th Big Note we talk about just a few (as there as soooo many) pushers at the edge of the envelope of music & composition. Great eclectic music is played to accompany this discussion along the way.
Harry Partch, Ben Johnson, Allois Hába, Ezra Sims and composers like them were dissatisfied with the established harmonic structures (or we could say strictures) of the modern western musical establishment. They definitely weren’t the only ones however and in reality were simply traveling along a similar path all artistic expression has gone time immemorial. That is one of looking to push the edges of the established envelope of whatever field they were in. In some cases they may not necessarily have been exploring the future, because some aspects of the aforementioned envelope edges pushing had roots deep in the past, as traditional instruments & tuning from many cultures bears witness to.

137 Playlist:


* Princess Leia was Robbed - Tuckshop Ladies [19-05-26]
* Greater Good - Jen Mine & the Rough N’ Tumble [14-04-26]
* Like Gold - Vulpes Argenteus  [04-05-26]
* Wildflower Girl - Sunset Egos [12-12-25] Distrokid
* Motorsports - Roller One from “Fate Done Nice” (digital - May 22, vinyl - June 12) CHEERSQUAD RECORDS & TAPES
* Soul Sequencer - Trees Speak from “Ohms” [2020]
* Williams Mix (1951–1953) - John Cage, Earle Brown & David Tudor from “Cage: The 25-Year Retrospective Concert Of The Music Of John Cage” [1960]
* String Quartet No. 10: Brisk, Intent - Kepler Quartet from “Ben Johnston: String Quartets Nos. 1, 5 & 10” [2016]
* Gymnopédie No 1 - Café del Mar from “Café del Mar Classics” [2002]
* Kumatendera - Mbira DzeNharira from “Tales of the Mbira - Modern and Ancient” [2003]
* Taqsîm Maqâm Nahâwând, Pt. 1 - Omar Bashir from “Taqâsîm (Luth arabe - Arab Lute)” [2012]
* The Man-Machine - Kraftwerk from “The Man-Machine “ [1978]
* As Time Remained Suspended - Hand Clap from “EMP019 Upon Reflection” [14-05-26]