Sunday, March 6, 2011

ALONZO LEVISTER-MANHATTAN MONODRAMA 1956





FROM WIKIPEDIA-THE DEFINITION OF MONODRAMA:"a drama acted or designed to be acted by a single person. The term may also refer to a dramatic representation of what passes in an individual mind, as well as to a musical drama for a solo performer. Everything one witnesses on stage is portrayed from the mental state of the given protagonist."

THE WIKIPEDIA ENTRY FOR ALONZO LEVISTER:"Alonzo Levister (born November 1, 1925 in Greenwich, Connecticut) was a Third Stream composer and pianist. He is most known for his debut album Manhattan Melodrama (sic), which came out in 1956.[1] It included Louis Mucci, John LaPorta, and Teddy Charles"

THIS IS THE RAREST LP ON MINGUS' LABEL-DEBUT RECORDS-AND ONE OF THE MOST TRANSCENDENT ALBUMS I'VE EVER HEARD.I'M NOT INCLINED TO SPEAK ON IT IN FANCY MUSICAL TERMS.I HATE THAT SHIT.BUT AFTER COUNTLESS HOURS OF LISTENING TO MUSIC WHEN YOU HEAR SOMETHING UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU'VE COME ACROSS BEFORE.WELL,THAT'S A SPECIAL RECORD.THIS IS A JAZZ OPERA,A MONODRAMATIC BALLET OF LEVISTER'S MENTAL STATE AT THE TIME OF COMPOSITION AND RECORDING.I WOULD'VE GIVEN ANYTHING TO HAVE SEEN THIS PERFORMED LIVE.IF IT EVER WAS...IT DOESN'T HAVE SONGS SO MUCH AS MOVEMENTS-LIKE A CLASSICAL PIECE-AND THE INSTRUMENTATION ISN'T REALLY WHAT WAS TYPICAL OF JAZZ IN THAT ERA AT ALL.I REALLY HAVE A HARD TIME COMPARING IT TO ANYTHING.BUT IT DOES FEEL A LITTLE LIKE "THE BLACK SAINT AND THE SINNER LADY"...SORT OF...BUT NOT REALLY...YOU SHOULD TAKE A MINUTE AND LISTEN TO THIS.YOU'LL PROBABLY NEVER FIND A COPY OF IT,IT NEVER WAS PRESSED ON CD,I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER BEEN ON EBAY AND INFORMATION ABOUT IT ONLINE IS PRETTY MUCH NON-EXISTANT.I DON'T EVEN THINK IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE DEBUT RECORDS BOX SET....


http://rapidshare.com/files/451168609/ALONZO_LEVISTER.zip


http://rapidshare.com/files/451353268/ALONZO_LEVISTER_2.zip
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12 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 6, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    you are right...it sounds like nothing of that era...wow!!!!! thank you so much for sharing such a seminal record...

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  2. HollyMarch 6, 2011 at 12:45 PM

    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recording. Most appreciated!

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  3. PubliusMarch 6, 2011 at 9:32 PM

    Was coincidentally just listening to this album again today and thought I'd see if anyone has shared it, and here it is! Pity you didn't share side 2, as it's just as interesting.

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  4. hspussyMarch 7, 2011 at 4:24 AM

    i meant to post the whole record initially,but left off the last track,which happens to be the entire second side of the record,by mistake.

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  5. HollyMarch 7, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    If you ever have time to post the last track, I'd love to hear it, also :-)

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  6. hspussyMarch 7, 2011 at 1:43 PM

    i did.the entire record is now up.side 1-top link side 2-bottom link

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  7. HollyMarch 7, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    Many, many thanks.

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  8. AnonymousOctober 19, 2011 at 5:17 AM

    coped a copy of this for 100$. wasn't hard though

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  9. ninetyninecentdreamsJanuary 23, 2012 at 9:59 PM

    Thanks for this. It's always nice to hear music with intent. I appreciate your taste and candor as well. Peace.

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  10. PeterOctober 28, 2012 at 7:38 AM

    Thx hs & Baron - I'll be giving this one a listen fo sho!

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    Replies
    1. neilOctober 30, 2012 at 6:24 AM

      Thank you for keeping this out there; one of the first albums I bought back in 1963 was 'Black Saint and the Sinner Lady', so looking forward to hearing how this compares...

      Delete
  11. jazzfan1December 5, 2013 at 1:50 PM

    RE-up this whenever yu can, please.

    ReplyDelete

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