Glenn Kenny of Trouser Press wrote:
"Around the turn of the decade (1980), Mars leader Sumner Crane corralled a bunch of cohorts (Mark Cunningham, Sumner Crane, & China Burg of Mars along with Ikue Mori & Arto Lindsay of DNA - NØ) and recorded John Gavanti, a no wave adaptation of — get this — Don Giovanni. Some have called this the most unlistenable record ever made, and that's a fine invitation indeed."
Mark Cunningham wrote about the project on his personal website:
"John Gavanti was, in a sense, a band, as we spent over a year developing and rehearsing the work. It consisted of Sumner Crane, the author of the libretto and songs, Don Burg, alter ego of China Burg, and myself as well as Ikue Mori from DNA. In the recording sessions we also used Arto Lindsay and his brother Duncan on garbage lid percussion for a samba takeoff. Sumner played guitar and piano, Don bass clarinet and I managed to get in trumpet, trombone, baritone horn and tuba. Ikue played the viola and cello. Neither she nor Lucy had ever touched those instruments before. Sumner called the shots generally but the arrangements were collective improvs. We recorded it in NY at Sear Sound, an all vacuum tube studio later popularized by Sonic Youth. It was released on my own label Hyrax in 1980, and sold over the years almost all the 3000 vinyl copies printed. It's now been reissued as a CD on Atavistic."
John Gavanti (Mars & DNA) - John Gavanti, Hyrax Records HY-101, 1980.
decryption code in comments
Side 1 -
Overture
I Awake
Down to the Ocean
On Board Ship
Gavanti Samba
Lo! La!
OhAncient Ocean
New York Blues
Side 2 -
Higher & Higher
Africa
Mirror Mirror
Venice / Locus Solus
Gavanti’s Lament
Homeward Bound
Joyeux Brumalia,
NØ
Overture
I Awake
Down to the Ocean
On Board Ship
Gavanti Samba
Lo! La!
OhAncient Ocean
New York Blues
Side 2 -
Higher & Higher
Africa
Mirror Mirror
Venice / Locus Solus
Gavanti’s Lament
Homeward Bound
Joyeux Brumalia,
NØ
