N.O.R.M.A. + Chris Cutler - L'Arpa E L'Asino (The Harp And The Donkey)

Stefano Zorzanello: soprano sax/flute/piccolo
Massimo Semprini: soprano, alto, tenor saxes
Gerhard Antonio Coatti: trombone
Giorgio Fabbri Casadei: electric guitar
Vincenzo Vasi: electric bass/voice
Tiziano Popoli: keyboards, sampler, out of tune piano
Massimo Simonini: records/CDs/tapes/objects/keyboard/sampler
Chris Cutler: drums/objects/electronics
Phil Minton: voice
Ricardo Pittau: trumpet

Bologna based experimental music octet N.O.R.M.A. make their exciting ReR debut with L'ARPA E L'ASINO (THE HARP AND THE ASS), a record that showcases the band's diversity, humour and playing skills. For those unsure of what goes on at a N.O.R.M.A. concert, the following review extract may come in useful. "The eight musicians joyfully help themselves from the vast storage of music's history. They complement music by Satie with folk songs. Minimal music. Scratching. Pieces out of a classical repetoire, a free jazz trombone, a funky bass, a night-club saxophone. The synthesizer gurgles and hums. Applause gets blended in. They build fantastic collages from spheres of styles. Every twenty seconds there is something new." On this new record N.O.R.M.A. are joined by vocalist PHIL MINTON, trumpet player RICARDO PITTAU and drummer CHRIS CUTLER whose presence manages to push the rest of the band in a direction that takes in free jazz, minimalism and even Plunderphonics. A giddy mixture which is always surprising, exciting and wildly entertaining. "Greetings from Frank Zappa, but with todays sound.

source: RéR promotional onesheet