I purchased a while ago a solo album from David Torn, Only Sky on ECM records, which is becoming one of my favorite album of all times.



I'm a huge fan of his works, especially with David Sylvian and Brufford Levin Upper Extremities, but this solo album, very ambient, and sometimes "chaotic", is its most impressive work IMO.



If you dig Greg Howard's Ether Ore, you might love this album.

Thanks...I'll need to check this out. I'm a big fan of the Levin, Torn, White recording from around 2011-12.

As a side note, (former/semi)-Stickist Tom Cram has branched out and started his own line of effect pedals: Spiral Electric FX - https://www.spiralelectricfx.com/ . I think these are mostly fuzz-type pedals. Anyway, David Torn is one of his major users. Although, I don't know if Torn is an official endorser.

Don't forget about the amazing David Torn album 'Cloud About Mercury' featuring Tony Levin on Stick, Bill Bruford on Simmons drums, and Mark Isham on trumpet.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=O ... xZleEPHviE

I was really into David Torn, as they say "back in the day", especially the 'Cloud About Mercury' album. At the time guitar synth was the emerging technology for, well, guitarist's . John
McLaughlin with his 'Synclavier' guitar was like wise, mind bending and I was lucky enough to catch those shows.

https://www.joness.com/gr300/John_McLau ... lavier.htm

But "Cloud About Mercury" and David Torn was a very hyped album among the Yes and King Crimson, (cool cat) musician crowd and I bought the vinyl the first chance I had. Those new to this album will notice the 'petulant' use of the guitar synth by DT.

When the album came out I was already "deeply listening" to an artist named Steve Tibbetts: Multi-instrumentalist, technology pioneer and visual artist, ST was IMO the guy who
was really on the cutting edge of the ECM music that we were all listening to.

https://stevetibbetts.com/

I could not help noticing a really strong Steve Tibbitts influence on the Cloud about Mercury
album. Nothing wrong with that as you cannot listen to instrumental hip-hop for example, without knowing
about Grand Master Flash or Grap Luva or can you? That being said music is better than
politics ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM7DqAs-jpQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=561R0nM ... qGP-7JtWOV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy2XsbfH19c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHIsNQ3eh2g


jRj
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As far as I know, David Torn has never used a guitar synth, it's all distortion and a modified lexicon pcm 42 and volume pedal. He's heavily influenced by Jon Hassell and Terry Riley.

Not meaning to be argumentative.

I've never been a fan of guitar synths, but am a longtime fan of David Torn, back to Everyman Band days.

Interesting comparison to Steve Tibbetts, but I suspect they developed in parallel, kind of like Newton and Leibnitz (sp?) both discovering/developing calculus.

My 2 cents, FWIW

I love that album! It's also one of my favorites of all time. David Torn really crosses the boundary from "great musician" to "great artist." The "Tripping Over God" album is equally wonderful. There's a couple of bootlegs floating around from 2016 in Amityville, NY that are solo shows and take the material on "Only Sky" to another level. They're both FM broadcasts so the sound is pristine. Definitely worth hunting down.

I'd never really heard of him before - pretty interesting stuff, thanks for introducing me to itQ

Paradox, I think you are right. I was so convinced that I was on the side of right that I looked it up on the internet , you know, that thing and sure enough "David Torn electric and acoustic guitars"...
Mark Isham apparently adding the synthesizer sounds. But, take a little time and listen
to this live version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZM3vHVjYzQ

David Torn was pushing some guitar boundaries for sure and on a Steinberger. Knowing where the synth begins and the guitars end is a little tricky and in all honesty I like this live version better than the album though quite a bit of time has passed under the bridge since I pulled that vinyl
off the shelf.

Jon Hassell is one of my favorite musicians. There is an old saying about Miles Davis that he
was the "Picasso of jazz" that originated with Duke Ellington. Before I knew that I thought that
I came up with the comparison . Okay, I get it, "we walked on the moon, you be polite",
but if Miles was Picasso then John Coltrane was Jackson Pollock, right? So who is Jon
Hassell's artist doppelgänger?... Paul Klee.

jRj
*j*
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Yeah, that's a great concert, thanks for reminding me of it! As I recall it's a point of pride for Torn that he doesn't use synths - I seem to remember that from his Painting with Guitar videos. I'll have to watch them again, it's been awhile.

I would have guessed Pollock as Cecil Taylor's doppelgänger, but I get the Coltrane connection, too. This could be be a long and interesting conversation...

thanks, David

Grozeil!

Thanks so much for that vid. I just let it rattle tonight, listening out while I clean up the place.
What a legend and such a unique voice.

I'll keep coming back to this thread, seems like you all have very considered and wide ranging views on this.