Flotation Device celebrates the 80th birthday of iconoclastic British composer Frank Denyer with a pair of recordings—one new, one rare—that reveal his penchant for uncompromising musical exploration, including an emphasis on unexpected instruments like shakuhachis and ocarinas. We also pay our respects to the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, sample the nostalgic Bulgarian-inflected music of Alexandra Karastoyanova-Hermentin (for her 55th birthday), and survey new albums from Ingrid Laubrock, Alex Paxton, Dai Fujikura, Matt Mitchell and the Knuffke/McPhee Quartet. A fixed-media piece from South African musician Mntana.WeXhwele that combines electronics with indigenous instruments rounds out the playlist.
Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world, with host Michael Schell, originally aired April 9, 2023 on KBCS-FM Bellevue/Seattle/Tacoma.
