Germany

I’m in Germany. I’m posting Prog.

This release is a collaboration between Eroc, drummer of German prog band Grobschnitt 

& guitarist, instrument builder & inventor Hans Reichel, creator of the daxophone. 

The daxophone is a experimental musical instrument in the friction idiophones category. It consists of a thin wooden blade fixed in a wooden block (often attached to a tripod) that holds one or more contact microphones. Normally, it is played by bowing the free end, but it can also be struck or plucked. This creates vibrations in the similar way as a ruler halfway off a table thrummed vibrates.  These vibrations then continue to the wooden-block base, which in turn is amplified by the contact microphone(s). A wide range of voice-like timbres can be produced, depending on the shape of the instrument, the type of wood, where it is bowed, or where along its length it is stopped with a separate block of wood (fretted on one side) called the "dax."

 This is some strange music, even for Germany, even for prog, even for Reichel. Yet it contains some the most straightforward playing you'll ever get from the man. There are lots of poly-rhythms with plenty of guitar/daxophone, also some violin & accordion overdubs. It was originally released in 1986 under the title Kino. Here it is reworked a bit, renamed & two songs are added. 

Eroc (Joachim Heinz Ehrig) started his solo career in 1975 while he was currently the drummer of Grobschnitt. His self titled album can be considered as a cross between Gorbschnitt's typical symphonic music & electronic/synthscapes. Though he was originally a drummer, here Eroc is the programmer, creating the synthesizer experimentations & electronic collages. 

Hans Reichel & Eroc – The Return of Onkel Boskopp, 

Repertoire Records – REP 4688-WY, 1997. 

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Tracklist –

Old Bones

Grey Brother

Sari’s Waltz

Onkel Boskopp

Hallo Heinz

Hattnatten

The Knödler Show

Little Waltz

Fancy Blue

Enjoy,

NØ