RIP Jon Hassell

[purlieu]

Avant-garde trumpet player and creator of "fourth-world music", Jon Hassell, has died aged 84. He passed on 26th June.

His album with Brian Eno - which Eno produced, and Hassell was somewhat disappointed at being credited as a co-creator of, given that it was originally intended as an album in its own right - has rightfully become a classic. His second and third albums in the Fourth World series, Dream Theory in Malaya and Power Spot I tend to prefer, both being superb blends of avant-garde jazz, African traditional music and ambient sound design. The latter is an enjoyable meeting of two worlds for me, being the only time Brian Eno contributed to an album released on ECM.

Hassell's 2009 album Last Night the Moon Came Dropping its Clothes in the Street is absolutely incredible and, if anything good could come from his death, it would be ECM reissuing this unfairly obscure out of print album.

Hassell memories and favourites please, people.

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

nahhhh mate nahhhh

a proper diamond jon. always amazed at how prolific and consistently fab he was

[Famous Mortimer]

Yeah, he was brilliant. RIP.

[Midas]

:(

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Delta Rain Dream is a favourite of mine.

[BlodwynPig]

That was on the virgin Ambient collection. Amazing artist but i havent really dug deep. Will check out that 2009 effort. RIP

[willbo]

Not heard of him till now, but I like Eno and ambient music, so I'll definitely be exploring his music now.

[Smeraldina Rima]

I like the song "Brilliant Trees" which is one of the ones he co-wrote for the David Sylvian album and an album that he contributed to called La nouvelle serenité.

[buttgammon]

Sad to hear this. That trumpet sound on Fourth World is amazing, and I really like Vernal Equinox and Power Spot too.

[lankyguy95]

I've been meaning to go back to the two Pentimento volumes. Haven't delved into his back catalogue too deeply otherwise but evidently I need to.

[Absorb the anus burn]

Yeah, RIP... [nb]Maybe the "fourth world" concept was a bit lame, but he left behind some great music and his work on Remain In Light for Talking Heads will stand the test of time.[/nb]

Another shout out for "Dream Theory In Malaya" (effing sublime) and "Vernal Equinox" which is a grower.

[phantom_power]

He also had some part to play in My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, though what that part was is in dispute.

[WhoMe]

Very sad, although it seems he was in ill health for quite a while. Listening to Pictures was my introduction to him, found it utterly fascinating so worked backwards from there. Fourth world/possible music is such a cool concept, and he stayed true to it right to the end.
If anyone has some lesser known favourites from his back catalogue do share, I've not heard half of it yet.