OUT THERE

(2001)

Duration 70:53   BEL CD 008 (CD only) £12

(post & packing extra in the UK - £1.75 First Class Recorded Delivery)

OWEN DAVIS

WITH

POOL OF SOUND

AND

FRANK PERRY

    A CD featuring the poetry of Owen Davis read by himself accompanied by Pool of Sound and Frank Perry. Pool of Sound were Cathy Stevens on viola and violin plus Chas Dickie on Cello and keyboards.

    The CD features the following poems, instrumental pieces and unaccompanied poems.

Crying in a Beautiful Place. (for Robert Nathan)

To listen to all of the above track (3) please click HERE

All The Long Way Home.

Winter Solstice. (Pool of Sound - instrumental)

What’s It Like Being Grown-up? (Dedicated to Adam. Owen Davis - unaccompanied)

The Breath Within the Breath. (Frank Perry - instrumental)

Let Them Move. (Owen & Frank)

Autumn Trees. (Owen Davis - unaccompanied)

A Quivering Leaf Announces the Breeze. (Cathy, Chas & Frank - instrumental)

A Spring Peace. (Owen Davis - unaccompanied)

          Pictured in 1987 left to right - Owen, Cathy and Chas.

OWEN DAVIS has been called "one of England's best lyric poets" and "a distinctive poet with an established reputation". Appearing with him on this CD were the London duo POOL OF SOUND and well known percussionist FRANK PERRY. Their blend of poetry and original music has been called "deeply moving" and "stunningly compelling".

  In a recent article, Poet Craft (Vigil, 1987), Owen Davis writes: "Poetry is music, word music, syllable music. The beginning of it, and perhaps the end of it, too, is the sound a poem makes. In the poet's hand, the pen is a musical instrument. Everything I write is written to be read aloud, written for the tongue. That's why, when I read in public, I like to read with music".

  In order to realise his vision of unity between poetry and music, he has gathered together three musicians of great intuitive ability: CATHY STEVENS (viola & violin), CHARLES DICKIE (‘cello and synthesizer) and FRANK PERRY, a percussionist with an international reputation, who, instead of conventional drum-kit, plays Tibetan ‘singing bowls', bells and gongs. He is probably the country's foremost exponent of 'harmonic singing'. "All four of us", says Owen Davies, "are aware of a sacred element in the creative impulse, and we seek to do more than entertain – there is a meditative intention behind our presentation, but we let the listener picke up on it, or not, as she or he will".

  ". . . The combination of words and music (produced by violin, viola, ‘cello, synthesizer, drums, bells and gongs) will draw you into an atmospheric, evocative experience you would be the poorer for missing".

                        Choice Words, 2^nd Dorset Literature Festival

  "Owen Davies has that rare talent: you feel better for having read him. . . . It is a living voice that breathes as it talks and talks beautifully. . . This cassette collaboration. . is. . a breakthrough in bringing poetry and music together: the music, with its haunting evocations. . is composed from the poetry itself, organically, and without imposition or sacrifice. . . . Essential reading? Try some essential listening".

Jay Ramsay, City Limits.    

Review of the cassette “Into Another world” 

(with Pool of Sound & Frank Perry)

            OWEN DAVIS has published thirteen collections of poetry. His work has appeared in many magazines, here and abroad. Two cassettes of his poetry with music are available – TRAVELLER (1985) and INTO ANOTHER WORLD (1987). From 1978 to 1981, he edited one of England’s foremost literary magazines, SOUTH WEST REVIEW, and is co-editor, with poet Jeremy Hilton, of Chicken Sigh/Dollar of Soul Press.

            "My influences? Thomas Traherne, John Bull and Orlando Gibbons, the horse chestnut tree, the little wren, Robert Nathan, the 1937 Lincoln Zephyr, Kenneth Patchen, Jamaican ska music of the mid-’60s, the seagull, Eric Dolphy (of course), Tommy Dorsey, the water-lily pond. Paul Matthews, and Annie herself."                                                        Owen Davis

            POOL OF SOUND began as a 5 piece rock band in 1979 but by 1982 featured Chas Dickie on Cello & Keyboards with Cathy Stevens on Viola & Violin and disbanded in 1991. As this duo they appeared on albums with The Lilac Time & Startled Insects. Chas Dickie played with Van der Graaf ‘77-’78 and in 1994 formed Polygenes (CD nine 9 stones) - www.polygenes.co.uk. Polygenes are Chas Dickie: Cello, Keyboards & Laughter, Robbie McIntosh: Guitars, Piano, Chris Lonergan: Basses, Chris Page: Drums & Percussion.

            CATHY STEVENS daughter of the composer Bernard Stevens, received her musical education from her parents, the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Royal Academy of Music and the late Peter Schidlof - of the Amadeus String Quartet. In 1975 she became a professional viola player, working with most of the leading London Orchestras & contemporary music groups, including the London Sinfonietta and Fires of London.  In 1982 she qualified to teach the Alexander Technique and in 1983 she met Chas Dickie who introduced her to the world of free improvisation. Between '83 and '90 Chas & Cathy collaborated on many writing and improvisation projects as "Pool of Sound" of which the work with Frank and Owen was some of the most inspiring. 

            In 1989 Cathy started teaching Alexander Technique for Robert Fripp's "Guitar Craft" courses and in 1991 formed "The Annexe" with Udo Dzierzanowski on guitar, which later became the "Europa String Choir" (www.europastringchoir.com) in which she plays a "Violectra" 6-string viola. She now lives with Udo in Dorset and as well as playing, she teaches Alexander Technique, violin, viola and does education work for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                CHARLES DICKIE has been involved with new and improvised music since the late 60's playing with 'cello and/or keyboards in the Chas Saxe-Coburg Blues band 1967-8, Ghost of a Flea 1973-5, Warm Rain 1975-77, Van der Graaf 1977-8, Attacca 1978-84 (harpsichord, guitar & 'cello), Pool of Sound 1979-90. Owen Davis (Poet), Frank Perry (Percussion), Cathy Stevens (Viola) 1987-90, Startled Insects (Album 1987), Ovary Lodge 1988 (guest with Cathy Stevens) and the Seedbed Jazz Orchestra. Pool of Sound was a multifaceted group which he founded in 1978 which has contained up to 30 performers. He is also a music educator holding improvisation workshops and teaching 'cello.

            FRANK PERRY began his musical career in 1964 - working with the Black Cat Bones for 18 months (till Feb 1968) with the late great Paul Kossoff (FREE) on lead guitar.  He has appeared on 60 album releases to date. In 1968 he began his long career as an improvising percussionist specialising in his own uniquely meditative composing style (played mostly upon Far Eastern sacred percussion instruments, voice & flutes) and worked with many leading figures in the avant garde jazz field e.g.: Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Mongezi Feza and he also co-founded the improvising groups Ovary Lodge (with Keith Tippett & Roy Babbington) and Balance (with electric guitarist Ian Brighton) which went on to include Phil Wachsman (electric violin), Radu Malfatti (Trombone) & Colin Wood (Cello). Besides his work as composer/performer, he has also worked as a lecturer, workshop leader, sound-healer - specialising in Tibetan Singing Bowls, and is also a spiritual healer and spiritual astrologer (since various originating times during the 1970s).

            Owen had been working with the duo Pool of Sound, however, whilst performing at "Annie's Place" in 1987 (a cafe in Wareham) the owner recommended that he also consider working with Frank Perry alongside Pool of Sound. After a brief ‘phone call Owen and Frank met and chose to begin working together in May of 1987. The first fruits of this collaboration was the cassette: INTO ANOTHER WORLD. After a fruitful period, Owen came up with some further poems and Chas Dickie put several tunes to these and a recording session was booked. Whilst everybody was absolutely delighted with the results, for a variety of reasons - not the least of which was the recording engineer Mike Trim (of the now defunct ISIS Records and Wytherstone Studios) losing the Master Tape!!! - it has taken over 10 years until, reconstituted, it has manifested as this, Owen’s first CD release.

© Frank Perry, 2001. Addition of sound-bite 2007. All of these articles are copyright. They may individually be copied and shared with others in a spirit of knowledge-sharing and fair play, but they may not be sold, printed or reproduced in quantity or changed in form without the permission of the copyright holder. None of this material may be reproduced in workshops or lectures of any kind unless quotes are credited or properly attributed.  

Magazine and other editors may e-mail me for permission to reprint. E-mail:

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