Freedom in Fragments: Difference between revisions

Freedom in Fragments
Freedom in Fragments
Studio album by Fred Frith
Released	2002
Recorded	Feb 1999 – Jan 2000
Studio	Mr. Toad's, San Francisco
Genre	Avant-garde jazz; Improvisation;
Length	48:21
Label	Tzadik (US)
Fred Frith chronology

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Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Pitchfork Media	8.3/10^[2]

Freedom in Fragments is a studio album by English guitarist, composer and improvisor Fred Frith. It was composed by Frith in 1993 as "a suite of 23 pieces for saxophone quartet",^[3] and was performed by the Rova Saxophone Quartet between February 1999 and January 2000 in San Francisco. The album was released on Tzadik Records' Composer Series in 2002. Frith does not perform on this album.

The Freedom in Fragments suite was also recorded in January 2008 by the ARTE Quartett, and released by Intakt Records (Switzerland) in January 2009 on a CD entitled The Big Picture by Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett.^[4] One of the tracks from the suite, "Freedom Is Your Friends II" was performed by the Fred Frith Guitar Quartet on their 1997 album Ayaya Moses.

Background

Freedom in Fragments was commissioned by the San Francisco-based Rova Saxophone Quartet and was composed by Frith specifically for them while he was living at Big Sur, California. He wrote it as a suite of 23 short pieces, or "stories", that can be played as a whole, or in part, and in any given sequence. Frith wanted a composition "which could reach their narrative potential by a force of accumulation ... small stories that, when heard together, become big stories."^[5]

Frith also composed the suite in a way that the music could be improvised: "The determining factor was the understanding that Rova wanted material which they could transform through improvisation. Most of the stories, therefore, involve some question about what might constitute musical freedom."^[5] One reviewer of the album stated that "[t]he suite's greatest strength is the way it lets Rova crawl around their instruments, from the melodic ballads to noisy skronk."^[2]

The "story" sequence performed here by Rova was created by Frith, although it is just one configuration of the work, and only 16 of the 23 pieces appear on the album. The entire work was dedicated to the memory of Charles Mingus, with certain pieces inspired by Frank Zappa, Jimmy Giuffre and Ikue Mori.

Track listing

All tracks written by Fred Frith.

"Freedom Is Your Friends" / "Some Assembly Required" – 3:42
"Advertising" – 0:17
"Song and Dance" – 4:05
"Void Where Prohibited" / "The Up and Up" – 4:50
"Boyan's Problem" – 3:26
"Ikue's Song" – 1:00
"T Square Park Lark (for Frank Zappa)" – 9:15
"Significant Restrictions Apply" – 1:17
"Hey René" – 0:17
"Chained to the Skyway" – 5:51
"Batteries Not Included" / " Nostalgia" – 3:16
"Water Under the Bridge (for Jimmy Giuffre)" – 5:05
"Freedom Is Your Friends II" – 6:00

Personnel

Rova Saxophone Quartet
- Bruce Ackley – soprano saxophone
- Steve Adams – alto saxophone
- Jon Raskin – baritone saxophone
- Larry Ochs – tenor saxophone, sopranino saxophone

Sound and artwork

Recorded at Mr. Toad's, San Francisco, February 1999 – January 2000
Mixed by Jeff Byrd and Larry Ochs
Cover artwork by Heike Liss

References

^ "Freedom in Fragments". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
^ ^a ^b Dahlen, Chris. "Fred Frith, Freedom in Fragments". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
^ Frith, Fred. "Fred Frith compositions". Fred Frith homepage. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2007.
^ "Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett". Intakt Records. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
^ ^a ^b Frith, Fred. Freedom in Fragments (Tzadik Records, 2002). CD booklet.

[amg-1] "Freedom in Fragments". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 20 June 2011.

[pitchfork-2] Dahlen, Chris. "Fred Frith, Freedom in Fragments". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 December 2019.

[3] Frith, Fred. "Fred Frith compositions". Fred Frith homepage. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2007.

[4] "Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett". Intakt Records. Retrieved 4 February 2009.

[CD-5] Frith, Fred. Freedom in Fragments (Tzadik Records, 2002). CD booklet.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
 {{Infobox album
-| Name        = Freedom in Fragments
+| name        = Freedom in Fragments
-| Type        = studio
+| type        = studio
-| Artist      = [[Fred Frith]]
+| artist      = [[Fred Frith]]
-| Cover       = FredFrith AlbumCover FreedomFragments.jpg
+| cover       = FredFrith AlbumCover FreedomFragments.jpg
+| released    = {{Start date|2002}}
-| Background  = orange
-| Released    = {{Start date|2002}}
+| recorded    = Feb 1999 – Jan 2000
-| Recorded    = Feb 1999 – Jan 2000
+| studio      = Mr. Toad's, San Francisco
-| Genre       = {{Flatlist|
+| genre       = {{Flatlist|
 *[[Avant-garde jazz]]
 *[[Free improvisation|Improvisation]]
 }}
-| Length      = {{Duration|m=48|s=21}}
+| length      = {{Duration|m=48|s=21}}
-| Label       = [[Tzadik Records|Tzadik]] (US)
+| label       = [[Tzadik Records|Tzadik]] (US)
-| Producer    =
+| producer    =
-| Last album  = ''[[Clearing (album)|Clearing]]''<br/>(2001)
+| prev_title  = [[Clearing (Fred Frith album)|Clearing]]
+| prev_year   = 2001
-| This album  = '''''Freedom in Fragments'''''<br/>(2002)
-| Next album  = ''[[Accidental (album)|Accidental]]''<br/>(2002)
+| next_title  = [[Accidental (album)|Accidental]]
+| next_year   = 2002
 }}
 {{Album ratings
 | rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
-| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="amg">{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r571795|pure_url=yes}} |title=Freedom in Fragments |work=AllMusic.com |accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref>
+| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="amg">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=freedom-in-fragments-mw0000212718|pure_url=yes}} |title=Freedom in Fragments |work=AllMusic.com |access-date=2011-06-20}}</ref>
 | rev3 = [[Pitchfork Media]]
 | rev3Score = 8.3/10<ref name=pitchfork/>
+| noprose = yes
 }}
-'''''Freedom in Fragments''''' is a [[studio album]] by English [[guitarist]], [[composer]] and [[Improvisation|improvisor]] [[Fred Frith]]. It was composed by Frith in 1993 as "a suite of 23 pieces for saxophone quartet",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fredfrith.com/notes.htm |title=Fred Frith compositions |work=Fred Frith homepage |first=Fred |last=Frith |accessdate=2007-02-26}}</ref> and was performed by the [[Rova Saxophone Quartet]] between February 1999 and January 2000 in [[San Francisco]]. The album was released on [[Tzadik Records]]' Composer Series in 2002. Frith does not perform on this album.
+'''''Freedom in Fragments''''' is a [[studio album]] by English [[guitarist]], [[composer]] and [[Improvisation|improvisor]] [[Fred Frith]]. It was composed by Frith in 1993 as "a suite of 23 pieces for saxophone quartet",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fredfrith.com/notes.htm |title=Fred Frith compositions |work=Fred Frith homepage |first=Fred |last=Frith |access-date=2007-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312075159/http://www.fredfrith.com/notes.htm |archive-date=2011-03-12 }}</ref> and was performed by the [[Rova Saxophone Quartet]] between February 1999 and January 2000 in [[San Francisco]]. The album was released on [[Tzadik Records]]' Composer Series in 2002. Frith does not perform on this album.
-The ''Freedom in Fragments'' suite was also recorded in January 2008 by the [[ARTE Quartett]], and released by Intakt Records (Switzerland) in January 2009 on a CD entitled ''The Big Picture'' by Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intaktrec.ch/155-a.htm|title=Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett|work=Intakt Records|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>
+The ''Freedom in Fragments'' suite was also recorded in January 2008 by the [[ARTE Quartett]], and released by [[Intakt Records]] (Switzerland) in January 2009 on a CD entitled ''[[The Big Picture (Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett album)|The Big Picture]]'' by Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intaktrec.ch/155-a.htm|title=Fred Frith and ARTE Quartett|publisher=[[Intakt Records]]|access-date=2009-02-04}}</ref> One of the tracks from the suite, "Freedom Is Your Friends II" was performed by the [[Fred Frith Guitar Quartet]] on their 1997 album ''[[Ayaya Moses]]''.
 ==Background==
-''Freedom in Fragments'' was commissioned by the [[San Francisco]]-based [[Rova Saxophone Quartet]] and was composed by Frith specifically for them while he was living at [[Big Sur]], [[California]]. He wrote it as a suite of 23 short pieces, or "stories", that can be played as a whole, or in part, and in any given sequence. Frith wanted a composition "which could reach their narrative potential by a force of accumulation ... small stories that, when heard together, become big stories." <ref name=CD>Frith, Fred. ''Freedom in Fragments'' (Tzadik Records, 2002). CD booklet.</ref>
+''Freedom in Fragments'' was commissioned by the [[San Francisco]]-based [[Rova Saxophone Quartet]] and was composed by Frith specifically for them while he was living at [[Big Sur]], [[California]]. He wrote it as a suite of 23 short pieces, or "stories", that can be played as a whole, or in part, and in any given sequence. Frith wanted a composition "which could reach their narrative potential by a force of accumulation ... small stories that, when heard together, become big stories."<ref name=CD>Frith, Fred. ''Freedom in Fragments'' (Tzadik Records, 2002). CD booklet.</ref>
-Frith also composed the suite in a way that the music could be [[Musical improvisation|improvised]]: "The determining factor was the understanding that Rova wanted material which they could transform through improvisation. Most of the stories, therefore, involve some question about what might constitute musical freedom." <ref name=CD /> One reviewer of the album stated that "[t]he suite's greatest strength is the way it lets Rova crawl around their instruments, from the melodic ballads to noisy skronk." <ref name=pitchfork>{{cite web |url=http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/17868/Fred_Frith_Freedom_in_Fragments |title=Fred Frith, Freedom in Fragments |work=Pitchfork |first=Chris |last=Dahlen |accessdate=2007-02-26}}</ref>
+Frith also composed the suite in a way that the music could be [[Musical improvisation|improvised]]: "The determining factor was the understanding that Rova wanted material which they could transform through improvisation. Most of the stories, therefore, involve some question about what might constitute musical freedom."<ref name=CD /> One reviewer of the album stated that "[t]he suite's greatest strength is the way it lets Rova crawl around their instruments, from the melodic ballads to noisy skronk."<ref name=pitchfork>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3210-freedom-in-fragments/ |title=Fred Frith, Freedom in Fragments |work=Pitchfork |first=Chris |last=Dahlen |access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref>
 The "story" sequence performed here by Rova was created by Frith, although it is just one configuration of the work, and only 16 of the 23 pieces appear on the album. The entire work was dedicated to the memory of [[Charles Mingus]], with certain pieces inspired by [[Frank Zappa]], [[Jimmy Giuffre]] and [[Ikue Mori]].
 ==Track listing==
+All tracks written by [[Fred Frith]].
-#"Freedom is Your Friends" / "Some Assembly Required" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 3:42
+#"Freedom Is Your Friends" / "Some Assembly Required" – 3:42
-#"Advertising" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 0:17
+#"Advertising" – 0:17
-#"Song and Dance" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 4:05
+#"Song and Dance" – 4:05
-#"Void Where Prohibited" / "The Up and Up" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 4:50
+#"Void Where Prohibited" / "The Up and Up" – 4:50
-#"Boyan's Problem" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 3:26
-#"Ikue's Song" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 1:00
+#"Boyan's Problem" – 3:26
+#"Ikue's Song" – 1:00
-#"T Square Park Lark (for Frank Zappa)" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 9:15
-#"Significant Restrictions Apply" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 1:17
+#"T Square Park Lark (for Frank Zappa)" – 9:15
+#"Significant Restrictions Apply" – 1:17
-#"Hey René" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 0:17
+#"Hey René" – 0:17
-#"Chained to the Skyway" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 5:51
+#"Chained to the Skyway" – 5:51
-#"Batteries Not Included" / " Nostalgia" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 3:16
+#"Batteries Not Included" / " Nostalgia" – 3:16
-#"Water Under the Bridge (for Jimmy Giuffre)" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 5:05
-#"Freedom is Your Friends II" ([[Fred Frith|Frith]]) – 6:00
+#"Water Under the Bridge (for Jimmy Giuffre)" – 5:05
+#"Freedom Is Your Friends II" – 6:00
 ==Personnel==
@@ Line 65: / Line 69: @@
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
-==External links==
-*{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r571795|label=Freedom in Fragments}}
-*[http://nyds-discographies.com/frith.htm Fred Frith discography]
 {{Fred Frith}}
+{{Rova Saxophone Quartet}}
+{{Authority control}}
 [[Category:2002 albums]]
 [[Category:Fred Frith albums]]
+[[Category:Rova Saxophone Quartet albums]]
+[[Category:Avant-garde jazz albums]]
+[[Category:Free improvisation albums]]
 [[Category:Tzadik Records albums]]
-[[Category:Rova Saxophone Quartet albums]]

v t e Rova Saxophone Quartet
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise. Jon Raskin Larry Ochs Bruce Ackley Steve Adams Andrew Voight
Studio albums	Favorite Street (1983) The Crowd (1985) Beat Kennel (1987) Bingo (1996) Totally Spinning (1996 & 2000) Freedom in Fragments (2000) The Celestial Septet (with the Nels Cline Singers, 2008)
Live albums	The Aggregate (with Anthony Braxton, 1986 & 1988) Electric Ascension (2003)