Fred Frith – Prints (Snapshots, Postcards, Messages And Miniatures 1987-2001)

Some of the songs on this record are from compilations to which i have contributed over the years, Stones, Fingerprints, Trocosi, Levity, I Want It To Be Over, and In The Winter Of '64 were recorded for a WDR radio production. The aim of the program was to explore the nature of improvisation. I was supposed to create pieces spontaneously, using my choices from a long list of sampled fragments which i heard only after arriving in the studio. The texts were derived from whatever was in the newspaper on the day of the recording. All these songs were composed and constructed directly onto tape without preparation. Reduce Me was recorded four years later, using the same basic principle. Spot is a live guitar improvisation.

Trains & Boats & Planes recorded 1996; From Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach (Tzadik Records)
Stones recorded January 1997; Text: IHT 27/01/97 Palestinian independence celebrations in Hebron; Sample: Ligueyou Ndeye Realworld CDRW 43
Fingerprints recorded January 1997
Life Of A Detective recorded 1990 at Triple Helix, Denver, CO; From Place Of General Happiness (Lyrics By Ernest Noyes Brookings Vol. 2) © Modern Variety Music (BMI)
The Ballad Of Melody Nelson recorded 1997; From Great Jewish Music: Serge Gainsbourg (Tzadik Records)
Tracosi recorded January 1997; Text: IHT 28/01/97 Enslavement of women in Ghana; Sample: Where Do You Want Go Sound Aspects SAS CD 040
Reduce Me recorded 2001; Text: Guardian July 2001 Afghan woman returns home after ten years of exile
Levity Recorded January 1997; Samples: Kattajait from Inuit Games and Songs Unesco Collection D 8032; applause for Helmut Kohl speech, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
True Love recorded 1987 at Noise, New York; from The 20th Anniversary of the Summer of Love (Shimmydisc)
I Want It To Be Over recorded January 1997; Text: IHT 27/01/97 Bill Clinton interviewed about Monica Lewinsky; Samples: Escher-loop, broken glass
Spot recorded July 2001
In The Winter Of '64 recorded January 1997

Re-mixed, re-constructed and compiled at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen in July 2001.

Thanks to Alexander, David Greenberger, Ilana Kotin, Kramer, John Zorn, and all the participating musicians.

Distributed by ReR Megacorp
Made in USA
Distributed in USA by Cuneiform
Distributed in Japan by Locus Solus

℗ & © Fred Frith/Anthill Music (GEMA) 1987-2002

Digipak packaging with display strip (has notes & barcode).