"The Levis are accomplished masters of the warp-speed sound bite: 26 of them here, set out like a board of weird sushi. Though most clock in at between 30 seconds and pop-single length, there are two more substantial tracks in the middle of the set- the combative "All Against All" and "Lady Ms Girl Shine"- which confirm that this isn't just a comic put on." - Penguin Guide to Jazz
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Bob Stagner / percussion, fiddle, zither, cymbal, rototoms, drum machine, violin, cowbell
Dennis Palmer / synthesizers, drum machine, effects
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Tracklisting:
1. The Popcorn Gomer - 1:24
2. Rev Jim's Belly - 1:20
3. Quarrelsome Brother Love - 0:32
4. Sunday School Breakfast - 1:57
5. Green Eyed Lovely Chimp - 1:44
6. Big For My Size - 2:03
7. Humming Devil - 2:09
8. Bullet Proof Cross - 5:40
9. Dob On Ah Stob - 1:29
10. All Sweet Like Babies - 1:43
11. Vampires Like To Bite - 1:57
12. Tiny Tarkus - 1:43
13. Magic Pulpit Ride - 1:08
14. All Against All - 7:48
15. Lady Ms. Girl Shine - 4:03
16. Heart Beam - 2:04
17. Sissy Gladiators - 1:39
18. Hip Oh Critter - 2:16
19. Two Cycle Hell Harp - 0:47
20. Jumping Devil "Seven Examples" - 1:55
21. Merry Dang Soul - 1:32
22. Astral Peeper - 1:09
23. Where's The Bible? - 1:55
24. Catbird Technique - 2:13
25. Lil' Hellbender - 1:59
26. Corpse O' Earth - 2:43
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Produced by Ray Norwood. Tracks 1 to 11 were recorded mixed and engineered at the Sound Lab, Chattanooga, Tennessee, January-April 1992. Tracks 12 to 26 were recorded in Palmer's basement in June 1992.
Available as a 320k MP3 or 16bit FLAC download.
The Shaking Ray Levis is an ongoing collaboration of musicians with a common interest in free improvisation. The project was conceived and led by the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based team of Dennis Palmer and Bob Stagner. They use storytelling, synthesizers, samplers and percussion to achieve their distinctive sound. They are the first American group to have recorded for Incus Records, the record label of British free improvisational guitarist Derek Bailey. Additionally, they have performed and recorded with Borbetomagus, John Zorn, David Greenberger, Killick Erik Hinds, Fred Frith, Min Tanaka, Amy Denio, and Derek Bailey, as well as with many other critically acclaimed artists.
