Charlemagne Palestine, Rhys Chatham

Youuu + Mee = Weee is the first recorded collaboration between Charlemagne Palestine and Rhys Chatham. And it's precious. Following the musical meetings with Z'ev (Rubhitbangklanghear Rubhitbangklangear, SR340CD/LP), and with Tony Conrad, these new Sub Rosa sessions create a sort of trilogy. Rhys Chatham began his musical career as a piano tuner for avant-garde pioneer La Monte Young, also working as a harpsichord tuner for Gustav Leonhardt, Rosalyn Tureck, and Glenn Gould. He soon studied under electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick became a member of Young's group, The Theater of Eternal Music, during the early '70s. Chatham also played with Tony Conrad in an early version of Conrad's group, The Dream Syndicate. In 1971, while still in his teens, Chatham became the first music director at the experimental art space The Kitchen in lower Manhattan. His early works, such as Two Gongs (1971), owed a significant debt to Young and other minimalists. His concert productions included experimenters Maryanne Amacher, Robert Ashley, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, Pauline Oliveros, Steve Reich, and early alternative rockers such as Fred Frith, Robert Fripp, Arto Lindsay, and John Lurie. He has worked closely with visual artist and musician Robert Longo, particularly in the 1980s, and with visual artist Joseph Nechvatal on an experimental opera called XS: The Opera Opus (1984-6). By 1977, Chatham's music had become heavily influenced by punk rock after an experience at an early Ramones concert. He was particularly influential upon the group of artists music critics would label "no wave" in 1978. Members of the New York City noise rock group Band of Susans began their careers in Chatham's ensembles; they later performed a cover of Chatham's "Guitar Trio" on their 1991 album, The Word and the Flesh. Chatham began playing trumpet in 1983, and his more recent works explore improvisatory trumpet solos employing amplification and effects. Youuu + Mee = Weee is 166 minutes of Charlemagne Palestine on Bösendorfer piano, Yamaha organ, and voice and Rhys Chatham on trumpet, loop pedal, and electric guitar.