Seven Men in Neckties: History of the Micros, Volume 1, by The Microscopic Septet

Seven Men in Neckties: History of the Micros, Volume 1

by The Microscopic Septet

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The Execrable Bede Thanks to the fine folks at Cuneiform, i not only get to groove along with the Micros, but all of the proceeds from the sale went to benefit the ACLU to help immigrants, refugees and other human beings in desperate need of aid. The collection, which contains the Micros' first 2 LPs along with rarities, is absolutely incredible, to boot... Favorite track: Let's Flip!.

Nick Bradey Superb set of material previously difficult to obtain . Great precision with intriguing
arrangements .
I recommend all releases from this septet .

	/

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1.	Chinese Twilight Zone 06:42
2.	Wishful Thinking 03:23
3.	Take the Z Train 07:24
4.	Mr. Bradley Mr. Martin 02:57
5.	Kelly Grows Up 05:05
6.	Pack the Ermines, Mary 03:52
7.	I Didn't Do It 08:45
8.	A Strange Thought Entered My Head 05:07
9.	Party at PJ's 06:30
10.	Bee Beep 08:02
11.	True 08:29
12.	Fresh Air Theme (Evil Twin) 00:57
13.	The Lobster Parade 05:56
14.	Second Avenue 05:50	buy track
15.	Why Not? 03:39
16.	Let's Flip! 05:43
17.	Lazlo's Lament 06:58
18.	Boo Boo Coming 05:34
19.	Johnny Come Lately 07:07
20.	The Mirror 07:04
21.	Hoftstra's Dilemma 05:53
22.	Women in Slow Motion 07:51
23.	Hey Wayne 04:07

about

Active for a dozen years, the Microscopic Septet were widely recognized as "New York's Most Famous Unknown Band." The group started with a basic reeds-and-rhythm texture (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone sax, piano, bass and drums) that was sonically similar to the sound of the Swing Era. However, they employed these textures to address a widely eclectic range of styles, from free-form music to R&B, rhumbas and ragtime. The result was a brilliant blend of fresh-sounding orchestration and inspired soloing. Beloved in New York, where they generally drew capacity crowds, "The Micros" were one of the most celebrated of the many cutting-edge units associated with experimental music's best-known venue, the Knitting Factory, during the peak years of the "Downtown" music movement in the mid 1980s onward. This beautifully packaged and annotated set includes new cover artwork by Pulitzer-prize winning illustrator Art Spiegelman, new notes by leader Phillip Johnston, lots of great photographs and newly remastered versions of the first two albums by the band: "Take The Z Train" and "Let's Flip!", as well as quite a lot of never-before released material, including the well-known theme to the NPR show Fresh Air. The majority of this set has never appeared on CD and all of it has been unavailable for a number of years.

"A truly distinctive sound that pumps Basie boogies, zestfully shifts from tangoed unison to Dixieland discordance with Mingus precision and sax solos that reach Eric Dolphy free and Earl Bostic blue within the same tune; this is one band that can afford to be seriously original and share a playful humor"
- Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide

"Posterity is going to remember the Microscopic Septet as one of the best bands of the 1980s."
– The Philadelphia Inquirer

“...at once capriciously whimsical and deadly serious.”
– New York Sun

credits

released October 10, 2006

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Microscopic Septet albums available on Bandcamp:

- cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/friday-the-13th-the-micros-play-monk-2

- cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lobster-leaps-in

- cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/seven-men-in-neckties-history-of-the-micros-volume-1

- cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/surrealistic-swing-history-of-the-micros-volume-2

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Cuneiform Records Washington, D.C.

Cuneiform Records is an independent record label releasing adventurous, boundary-bursting music by artists from around the world.

Founded in 1984.
Based in Washington D.C.

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