Imaginary Choreography

Previously unreleased guitar-and-synth musical jewel from Italy circa 1984, available on CD with one bonus track following a 2015 LP release (ATN 018LP). An until-now-unknown collaboration between a guitar maestro who composed contemporary dance scores and a gifted electronic music composer. Melodic complexity and rhythmic sonic beauty create a unique and timeless classic that has already achieved cult status among the few who have heard it. Obvious comparisons can be made between Imaginary Choreography and the softer ambient side of vintage German electronic music - Gottsching, Schnitzler, Cluster, etc., but that would be too easy, as this recording stands alone with it's uniquely Italian atmosphere of sophisticated and complex simplicity. This session was recorded by two Venetians: Paki Zennaro (then working with composer Rene Aubry for choreographer Carolyn Carlson) and Gianni Visnadi (an experimental composer), who met one evening over a glass of wine and decided to work together for the first time with the intention of recording contemporary music to be used by dance schools for study and exercise. The duo recorded on reel-to-reel tape using electronic equipment (Sequential Circuits Pro One and Prophet 5; Roland TR-808 and guitar synth) with an acoustic 12-string guitar. When finished and mixed, a few BASF LH extra cassette copies (maybe as few as six or eight) were sent out to a few friends with a homemade photocopy insert, complete with handwritten track names and production details. This now-famous BASF tape was found one lucky morning by Johanna Heather Anselmo (filmmaker, photographer, musician), while she was searching for musical surprises in a box of tapes that had probably been at that same flea market for 20 years or more. Anselmo is used to rummaging in boxes of dusty tapes, being the girlfriend of Antinote artist Iueke, who has the unusual habit of hiding tapes all over their flat. Iueke found contact information for Zennaro and Visnadi, who were happy to oblige with the release of this almost-forgotten 1984 session. Master tapes were sent to Paris for immediate transfer and mastering, while the Check Morris graphic design team worked with it's usual class on adapting and reworking the cassette tape artwork.