360 records from 2000: 37. Various Artists: Soupsongs live. The music of Robert Wyatt

Country: UK
Artist: Tribute to male solo artist
Career: recording solo since 1971
Language: English
Genre: Art rock

Further proof that you can hear any music from any period in 2000 if you look hard enough. A great concert from the 10th of October, 1999, recorded beautifully –you can hear every detail as played by the tentet-, and released on a double album in 2000. The presence of Robert Wyatt is everywhere on these tracks. His humour, his sentimental streak, his optimism and his great humanist spirit. Except he’s nowhere near the stage (technically he probably was in the audience not far from the stage, but you get the drift).

As I understand, Wyatt handpicked these players (Julie Tippetts and Ian Maidman on vocals, Phil Manzanera on guitar, Annie Whitehead, Didier Malherbe, George Khan and Harry Beckett on brass and woodwinds amongst others, the rhythm section and piano playing is also great, but I don’t recognize their names), organized the arrangements and let them take it to the stage. It’s pretty high up on my list, because I love it obviously, but I can’t quite put it into words. I love Wyatt’s own albums, because they radiate his personality, beyond the music and through the music you feel you’re getting to know him and he’s a very deep and wise and human person (I know, pretty vague, hm). And even though you can’t hear him on this album, it’s still there, but now I’m getting to know him through the recollections and stories of his friends. A different perspective that puts new light even on those other records he made himself. Just like knowing the old versions of these songs makes me appreciate these versions more, the reverse is also true. These interpretations by others, as guided by the artist, make me hear the old records in a richer way as well.

‘Ruth is stranger than Richard’ is the backbone of this album. All but one of its tracks are interpreted (Side Richard played in its entirety and back to back is particularly beautiful on the new version). There are four tracks from ‘Rock bottom’ (‘Alifib’ and ‘Alife’ in a medley) and four from his then latest album ‘Shleep’. Then there are eight more tracks from diverse sources, most of which I’m unfamiliar with. It’s a long program (generously over 2 hours). I dip into it at different places and it’s always wonderful. They know better than to try and recreate Robert Wyatt’s idiosyncratic approach to his own songs, so they focus on the melodies of his songs, bringing them to life like the standards they could be. Of course the hardest parts are the vocals. Both Julie Tippetts and Ian Maidman do a very good job, but they also know that the best way to get near the original vocals is to replicate them in four part brass. I never would have guessed that. Just one of the ways it has gotten me closer to the essence of Robert Wyatt.

I can't find anything from this record on YouTube.

At its best: Sonia, P.L.A., the whole ‘Richard’ suite from ‘Ruth is stranger than Richard’, Free will and testament, Vandalusia, Sight of the wind