Sergio Armaroli - vibraphone

Elliott Sharp - guitar, soprano saxophone

Steve Piccolo - speech and electronic devices

John Edwards - double bass

Mark Sanders - drums

"Time-traveling Sergio Armaroli takes advantage of this openness. He has previously worked with Downtown legend Elliott Sharp and Steve Piccolo of Lounge Lizards fame. This session also adds two giants of the UK free improvisation scene, bassist John Edwards and drummer Mark Sanders... Like Patchen’s script for “The Voice” in The City Wears a Slouch Hat, Piccolo’s utterances describe people, objects, places, and actions such as “iron scaffolding shaking in the wind,” “chewing on crackers,” and “scraping frosted windshield.” Piccolo’s verses which are the counterpart to Armaroli’s Figure(s), could just as easily have been uttered in Chicago 1942. Both cue the assembled musicians to illustrate the pages of this phantasmagorical graphic novel for the listener." - Mark Corroto

released January 17, 2025

- Bonus: If you buy the full digital album, you get the booklet (PDF, 4 pages) including the complete liner notes. In some countries Bandcamp has to add local taxes (VAT, MWSt) to the above price.

- Recorded at Blackstar Recording Studio, Milan, Italy, on September 15-16, 2023 by Raffaele Stefani; Mixing and PRE-mastering by Elliott Sharp; Final mastering by Michael Brändli, Hardstudios AG; Cover photo by Hans Hagen Stockhausen; Liner notes by Mark Corroto; graphic concept by fuhrer vienna; Associate producer: Christian C. Dalucas; Executive producer: Werner X. Uehlinger.

 www.hathut.com

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VIDEO TRAILER | by Fabio Selvafiorita

DOCU-FILM | by Fabio Selvafiorita

Reviews | Recensioni

SERGIO ARMAROLI QUINTET with ELLIOTT SHARP / STEVE PICCOLO / JOHN EDWARDS / MARK SANDERS - Introducing a Very Heavy Person - First Visit (Hat Ezz-Thetics 114; Switzerland) Featuring Sergio Armaroli on vibes, Elliott Sharp on guitar & soprano sax, Steve Piccolo on speech & electronics, John Edwards on contrabass and Mark Sanders on drums. Italian vibesman & percussionist, Sergio Armaroli has been recording since 2012 and has some forty plus releases out (most on the Dodicilune label) playing with Fritz Hauser, Giancarlo Schiaffini and Harri Sjöström. More recently Mr. Armaroli has two trio discs with Elliott Sharp and Steve Piccolo (original member of the Lounge Lizards), both on the now defunkt Leo Records label. Although Steve Piccolo was the first bassist for the Lounge Lizards, he has since been working as a vocalist & playing electronics, moving to Italy many years back. For this session, that trio is joined by the great British rhythm section of John Edwards and Mark Sanders, both of whom have worked with Evan Parker and Paul Dunmall.

The session here was inspired by a radio play conceived by beat poet Kenneth Patchen and composer John Cage. Things begin sparsely with Piccolo’s calm voice and skeletal bass & vibes underneath. Although the spoken words are used minimally, they still paint a picture or set a scene to consider in our imaginations. The rest of the quintet often erupt with Mr. Armaroli’s vibes fueling whatever direction they go. It’s nice to hear E# playing some soprano sax, an instrument he plays on rare occasions. The band takes off on “Rubber Boots” with the soprano sax & vibes playing some intense interaction as the rhythm team also soars together. Mr. Piccolo just recites one line (with subtle eerie electronics in the distance) which sets the stage for the vibe of the piece, rather like a voice from a detective novel. On “Iron Scaffolding”, the group slows down to a sparse, suspense-filled space. “20 Scratchin Pencils” actually swings with a good groove led by the vibes and a spirited noisy guitar solo by E#. Each of the dozen pieces here evoke a different vibe or mood as the quintet explore different combinations of free form improv which seems to be directed at times. There is an unlikely combination of musicians from different scenes or backgrounds but it does work well. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG