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A Rainbow in Curved Air

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259: 254: 249: 244: 239: 513:. The piece moves through several sections; following the opening theme and introduction of "placid chords," Riley introduces "an explosion, a procession of right-hand lines that flutter and pirouette over the pulsing rhythmic patterns." The calmer second half of the recording features shorter, high-register keyboard lines which syncopate with the music's 193: 29: 549:
The original LP jacket includes a idealistic poem on the back cover, written by Riley, which depicts a world in which the Pentagon is "turned on its side and painted purple, yellow & green within a plainly psychedelic environment" and "the concept of work was forgotten."
541:. The titular Phantom Band refers to Riley's tape delay accompaniment. A note on the album explains that "The spatially separated mirror images were adapted for studio recording by Glen Kolotkin and resemble the sound Terry gets in his all-night concerts." 532:
and jump cuts. The piece is a version of the performances given at Riley's "All-Night Flight" concerts in the late 1960s. It employs overdubbing, with Riley again playing all instruments (including saxophone inspired by the playing of
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recorder. The largely improvisational nature of the work, based on modal scales, owes much to Riley's background in
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Some of the music on this album was used as the background accompaniment of The Guide in the original
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from four years earlier. Riley would intensify this overdubbing approach with added instrumentation.
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running into one another). Riley had previously used this tape loop approach for productions such as
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Riley's record deal with CBS was part of "Music of Our Time," a short-lived album series on American
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In 2009 the track "Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band" was featured in the BBC documentary
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Using overdubbing, Riley plays all the instruments on the title track: electric organ, 2
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opined positively that the "title side of this has to be a fair approximation of the
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The B-side of the original LP is titled "Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band." It is a
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It was sampled/copied as the sound effects for the 1980 arcade game Moon Cresta.
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and edits, drawing on Riley's all-night improvisatory performances in the 1960s.
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scene titled "Music of Our Time," which would eventually include recordings by
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improvisations on several keyboard and percussion instruments, including
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as accompaniment for his saxophone playing (achieved via the use of two
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Records Ruin the Landscape: John Cage, the Sixties, and Sound Recording
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1990 CD release cover, based on elements from the LP back cover.
436:. The first of Riley's releases on CBS was a 1968 recording of 1327: 410: 310: 36: 1405: 689:
The album's title track is also featured in the video game
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has also had a significant impact on the developments of
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Prog Rock Britannia: An Observation in Three Movements
344:. The B-side "Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band" is a 610:. It has also inspired progressive, jazz fusion band 682:
On April 26, 2007, Riley gave a live performance of
886:Unlimited Replays Video Games and Classical Music 824: 716:All composition and performances by Terry Riley. 405:in his New York apartment, witnessing his use of 1497: 723:"Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band" – 21:38 1256:: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( 606:," the latter named in tribute to Riley and to 472:, one of Riley's piano "heroes", had utilized 1343: 981:Silver, Conrad (7 February 1970). "Records". 910: 614:'s instrumental piece "Out-bloody-rageous". 236: 916: 1350: 1336: 1307:"Listen to samples of Terry Riley's music" 851: 849: 847: 191: 27: 1000: 553:The album received a favorable review in 1209: 1207: 1205: 1104: 1102: 820: 818: 816: 814: 777:John Berg - artwork, front cover montage 1215:"Terry Riley – A Rainbow In Curved Air" 1045: 1043: 996: 994: 976: 974: 883: 844: 827:"Terry Riley - A Rainbow in Curved Air" 825:Seth Colter Walls (September 4, 2016). 812: 810: 808: 806: 804: 802: 800: 798: 796: 794: 1498: 1194:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ( 1031: 980: 720:"A Rainbow in Curved Air" – 18:39 324:. The title track consists of Riley's 1331: 1202: 1099: 919:"The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time" 544: 401:imprint as an editor when he visited 217: 1108: 1040: 991: 971: 791: 771:Glen Kolotkin - engineer, technician 669:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 16:1969 studio album by Terry Riley 1036:. Duke University Press. p. 7. 951: 940:... a tour de force in psychedelia. 684:A Rainbow in Curved Air (Revisited) 13: 855: 732:Credits adapted from liner notes. 14: 1532: 238: 1521:Albums produced by David Behrman 1243:The Who: The Ultimate Collection 711: 257: 252: 247: 242: 237: 1413:Chanting the Light of Foresight 1357: 1299: 1275: 1264: 1234: 1163: 1128: 1070: 884:Gibbons, William James (2018). 654:named itself after this album. 1087:. February 2004. pp. 3–10 1025: 945: 892: 877: 695:on the in-game radio station " 657: 464:improvisation and interest in 1: 784: 498:electric harpsichord & a 384: 1136:"Microsoft Word - 80558.doc" 917:Paste Staff (June 3, 2024). 727: 389:In the late 1960s, composer 7: 10: 1537: 1452:Cadenza on the Night Plain 1271:Third_(Soft_Machine_album) 780:Virginia Team - back cover 466:Hindustani classical music 456:to utilize a professional 452:was an early recording at 1484: 1468: 1436: 1397: 1381:Persian Surgery Dervishes 1365: 1051:"Terry Riley - Interview" 954:"A Rainbow in Curved Air" 479:Conversations with Myself 225: 222: 206: 202: 190: 186: 181: 177: 140: 132: 120: 108: 92: 64: 56: 48: 35: 26: 21: 485: 1459:Salome Dances for Peace 1374:A Rainbow in Curved Air 1283:"Curved Air: Biography" 938:A Rainbow In Curved Air 616:A Rainbow in Curved Air 450:A Rainbow in Curved Air 444:A Rainbow in Curved Air 363:helmed by CBS employee 306:A Rainbow in Curved Air 156:A Rainbow in Curved Air 22:A Rainbow in Curved Air 1056:Red Bull Music Academy 1032:Grubbs, David (2014). 952:Tyranny, "Blue" Gene. 600:Won't Get Fooled Again 442:; the second would be 320:, released in 1969 on 1427:At the Royal Majestic 1085:21st-centurymusic.com 888:. Oxford. p. 69. 492:electric harpsichords 476:on his classic album 1078:"21st Century Music" 1006:"Consumer Guide (9)" 774:Roy Segal - engineer 745:electric harpsichord 571:music of the spheres 334:electric harpsichord 213:Professional ratings 1252:cite AV media notes 1143:Newworldrecords.org 904:International Piano 692:Grand Theft Auto IV 576:The album inspired 214: 1516:Terry Riley albums 1511:CBS Records albums 1004:(April 23, 1970). 545:Release and legacy 422:experimental music 418:Music for The Gift 361:experimental music 212: 1493: 1492: 1445:Church of Anthrax 1115:North Texas Daily 1011:The Village Voice 1002:Christgau, Robert 936:His 1969 record, 638:, and subsequent 562:The Village Voice 302: 301: 293:The Village Voice 210: 209: 173: 172: 165:Church of Anthrax 1528: 1469:Related articles 1352: 1345: 1338: 1329: 1328: 1322: 1321: 1319: 1317: 1311:Mikailgraham.com 1303: 1297: 1296: 1294: 1293: 1279: 1273: 1268: 1262: 1261: 1255: 1247: 1238: 1232: 1231: 1229: 1227: 1211: 1200: 1199: 1193: 1185: 1183: 1182: 1173:. Archived from 1167: 1161: 1160: 1158: 1157: 1151: 1145:. 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Writing for 546: 543: 487: 484: 414:tape recorders 386: 383: 330:electric organ 300: 299: 296: 288: 287: 284: 276: 275: 272: 264: 263: 234: 228: 227: 224: 220: 219: 208: 207: 204: 203: 200: 199: 196: 188: 187: 184: 183: 179: 178: 175: 174: 171: 170: 161: 152: 138: 137: 130: 129: 124: 118: 117: 112: 106: 105: 94: 90: 89: 87: 86: 81: 76: 70: 68: 62: 61: 58: 54: 53: 50: 46: 45: 40: 33: 32: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1533: 1522: 1519: 1517: 1514: 1512: 1509: 1507: 1504: 1503: 1501: 1488: 1483: 1477: 1476:Minimal music 1474: 1473: 1471: 1467: 1461: 1460: 1456: 1454: 1453: 1449: 1447: 1446: 1442: 1441: 1439: 1435: 1429: 1428: 1424: 1422: 1421: 1417: 1415: 1414: 1410: 1408: 1407: 1403: 1402: 1400: 1396: 1390: 1389: 1385: 1383: 1382: 1378: 1376: 1375: 1371: 1370: 1368: 1364: 1360: 1353: 1348: 1346: 1341: 1339: 1334: 1333: 1330: 1312: 1308: 1302: 1288: 1284: 1278: 1272: 1267: 1259: 1253: 1245: 1244: 1237: 1222: 1221: 1216: 1210: 1208: 1206: 1197: 1191: 1177:on 2011-10-09 1176: 1172: 1166: 1152:on 2012-04-15 1148: 1144: 1137: 1131: 1116: 1112: 1105: 1103: 1086: 1079: 1073: 1058: 1057: 1052: 1046: 1044: 1035: 1028: 1013: 1012: 1007: 1003: 997: 995: 986: 985: 984:Rolling Stone 977: 975: 959: 955: 948: 941: 939: 926: 925: 920: 913: 905: 901: 895: 887: 880: 865: 864: 859: 852: 850: 848: 832: 828: 821: 819: 817: 815: 813: 811: 809: 807: 805: 803: 801: 799: 797: 795: 790: 779: 776: 773: 770: 767: 766:David Behrman 764: 762: 758: 754: 750: 746: 742: 738: 735: 734: 733: 722: 719: 718: 717: 712:Track listing 709: 707: 706: 700: 698: 694: 693: 687: 685: 680: 677: 675: 674:Douglas Adams 671: 670: 665: 655: 653: 649: 645: 641: 637: 633: 632:new-age music 629: 625: 624:ambient music 621: 617: 613: 609: 605: 601: 597: 593: 589: 585: 584: 583:Tubular Bells 579: 578:Mike Oldfield 574: 572: 568: 564: 563: 558: 557: 556:Rolling Stone 551: 542: 540: 536: 535:John Coltrane 531: 527: 523: 518: 516: 512: 508: 504: 503:Rock-Si-Chord 501: 497: 493: 483: 481: 480: 475: 471: 467: 463: 459: 455: 451: 447: 445: 441: 440: 435: 431: 427: 423: 419: 415: 412: 408: 404: 400: 396: 392: 391:David Behrman 382: 381:productions. 380: 376: 372: 371: 366: 365:David Behrman 362: 357: 355: 351: 347: 343: 339: 335: 331: 327: 323: 319: 316: 312: 309:is the third 308: 307: 297: 295: 294: 290: 289: 285: 283: 282: 281:Rolling Stone 278: 277: 273: 271: 270: 266: 265: 235: 233: 230: 229: 221: 218:Review scores 216: 205: 201: 194: 189: 185: 182:Reissue cover 180: 176: 167: 166: 162: 158: 157: 153: 149: 148: 144: 143: 139: 135: 131: 128: 127:David Behrman 125: 123: 119: 116: 113: 111: 107: 95: 91: 85: 82: 80: 77: 75: 72: 71: 69: 67: 63: 59: 55: 51: 47: 43: 38: 34: 30: 25: 20: 1457: 1450: 1443: 1425: 1418: 1411: 1404: 1386: 1379: 1373: 1372: 1314:. 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Index


Studio album
Terry Riley
Genre
Minimalism
electronic
psychedelia
Label
CBS Records
Producer
David Behrman
Terry Riley
In C
Church of Anthrax

AllMusic
Pitchfork
Rolling Stone
The Village Voice
album
composer
Terry Riley
CBS Records
overdubbed
electric organ
electric harpsichord
dumbec
tambourine
saxophone
drone

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