Fittingly enough, the first sound heard on Kip Hanrahan's premier release is that of the conga and the first word sung is "sex," two leitmotifs that would appear consistently in his ensuing work. Coup de Tete burst on the scene in the early '80s as an entirely fresh, invigorating amalgam of Cuban percussion (much of it Santeria-based), free jazz, funk, and intimate, confrontational lyrics. Hanrahan had worked at New Music Distribution Service, a project run by Carla Bley and Michael Mantler (both of whom appear on this album), and had established contacts with numerous musicians from varied fields who he threw together in a glorious New York City melting pot. With the percussion and electric bass laying down thick and delicious grooves, the cream of the younger avant saxophonists in New York at the time wail over the top, accompanying some of the most brutally uncomfortable lyrics ever put to wax. The relationships Hanrahan details are turbulent to say the least, often intertwined with economic concerns as well as a general sense of the impossibility of understanding one's mate. After asking him for abuse and being refused, his lover (sung wonderfully by Lisa Herman) taunts, "When you could only sulk/I had more contempt for you than I ever thought I could have." Interspersed among the bitter love harangues and ecstatic percussion-driven numbers are two stunningly lovely pieces, Marguerite Duras' "India Song" and Teo Macero's "Heart on My Sleeve," both aching with romanticism. Coup de Tete is a superb record, an impressive debut, and, arguably, one of the finest moments in Hanrahan's career along with the following release, Desire Develops an Edge. Highly recommended. - by Brian Olewnick, AMG
Artist: Kip Hanrahan
Album: Coup de Tete
Year: 1979-81
Label: American Clavé (1981)
Total time: 44:43
Tracks:
1. Whatever I Want (Kip Hanrahan) 5:44
2. At The Moment Of The Serve (Kip Hanrahan) 5:24
3. This Night Comes Out Of Both Of Us (Kip Hanrahan) 5:42
4. India Song (Marguerite Duras/Carlos d'Alessio) 4:16
5. A Lover Divides Time (To Hear How It Sounds) (Kip Hanrahan) 3:16
6. No One Gets To Transcend Anything (No One Except Oil Company Executives) (Kip Hanrahan) 3:43
7. Shadow To Shadow (Kip Hanrahan) 7:07
8. Sketch From Two Cubas (Kip Hanrahan) 4:08
9. Heart On My Sleeve (Teo Macero) 5:19
Personnel:
Kip Hanrahan (Voice and Percussion, Quinto) - 1-3,5-9
Jerry Gonzalez (Congas and Percussion) - 1-3,5-8
Arto Lindsay (Electric Guitar) - 1-3,5-8
Anton Fier (Trap Drums) - 1-3,5-8
Daniel Ponce (Congas and Iya) - 1-3,5,7
Chico Freeman (Tenor Saxophone and Clarinet) - 1,2,4,9
Carlos Ward (Alto Saxophone) - 2,4,7,9
Bill Laswell (Bass Guitar) - 1,3,4,7
Lisa Herman (Voice) - 3,5,7
George Cartwright (Alto Saxophone, Flute and Piccolo) - 1,3,4
Ignacio Berroa (Trap Drums) - 2,5,6
Jamaaladen Tacuma (Electric Bass) - 2,5,6
Nicky Marrero (Bongos and Okonkolo) - 1,3
Byard Lancaster (Tenor Saxophone, Flute) - 1,3
George Naha (Electric Guitar) - 2,3
Orlando Digirolamo (Accordion) - 4,9
Gene Golden (Chekere and Congas) - 6,8
Carla Bley (Piano and Voice) - 4
Billy Bang (Violin) - 4
John Clark (French Horn) - 4
Angel Perez (Congas) - 6
John Stubblefield (Tenor Saxophone) - 6
Bern Nix (Electric Guitar) - 6
Dom Um Romao (Surdo Grande and Agogo) - 7
Fred Firth (Electric Guitar) - 7
Carlos Mestre (Congas) - 8
Michael Mantler (Trumpet) - 8
Cecil McBee (Double Bass) - 9
Teo Macero (Tenor Saxophone) - 9
David Liebman (Soprano Saxophone) - 9
Victor Lewis (Drums) - 9