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Violinist
North Carolina's Henry Flynt (1940), who is also a highly-productive (and unpublished) philosopher
launched an ambitious project to found a "new american ethnic music" that
should fuse avantgarde music (particularly the hypnotic aspects of minimalism and
free-jazz) and hillbilly/country music.
It's as if John Fahey had fallen in love with LaMonte Young (and his alumnus
Terry Riley) instead of the ragas.
Flynt stopped playing music in 1984, despite the fact that most of his music
has been released "after" he stopped playing.
You Are My Everlovin'/ Celestial Power (Recorded, 2001) is an anthology of 1980-81 performances, some of his most primal.
Spindizzy (Locust, 2002), the second volume, contains one of his masterpieces, Jive Deceleration (1976).
Hillbilly Tape Music (Recorded, 2003), the third volume, collects
material recorded between 1971 and 1978, including the S&M Delerium.
Graduation and Other New Country and Blues Music (Ampersand, 2001)
contains his masterpiece Celestial Power (1980).
C Tune (Locust, 2002) documents a 1980 live improvisation with Cathrine Christer Hennix on tamboura and Flynt on electric violin.
Raga Electric: Experimental Music 1963-1971 (Locust, 2002) is another
anthology, including Raga Electric (1966) and Free Alto (1964).
Back Porch Hillbilly Blues - Volume 1 (Locust, 2003), with
Acoustic Hillbilly Jive and
Blue Sky Highway and Tyme,
and Back Porch Hillbilly Blues Volume 2 (Locust)
add more rarities.
Both are collected on Back Porch Hillbilly Blues, Volumes 1 & 2 (Bo Weevil, 2004).
I Don't Wanna (Locust Music, 2004) documents a garage-punk band,
the Insurrections, that Flynt led in 1966.
Purified by the Fire (Locust, 2005), recorded in december 1981, repeats the format of C Tune: Cathrine Christer Hennix on tamboura and Flynt on electric violin. The 41-minute raga is dominated by the languid phrases of the
violin, that test the border between melodic fragments and distorted tones.
The "Indian" element is the background of hypnotic tamboura drones, but Flynt's
improvisation at the violin betrays the influence of jazz music.
Like in the case of C Tune, there isn't enough variation or development
to justify the lengthy of the piece. After a few minutes, one wishes that Flynt
had listened to more ragas before venturing into a raga of his own.
It is only towards the end (the last ten minutes, basically), that
the violin, perhaps due to physical exhaustion, loses some of its fluency
and becomes less smooth. This turns out to be beneficial, as this rougher
and eventually frantic ending is far more engaging that the previous lulling
30 minutes.
Ascent To The Sun (Recorded, 2007) contains a 40-minute piece for overdubbed electric violin recorded in december 2004.
Henry Flynt & Nova'Billy (Locust, 2007) collects material recorded
between 1974 and 1975 by the
punkabilly band Nova'Billy.
Dharma / Warriors (Locust, 2008) documents a 1983 collaboration with C.C. Hennix on drums.
Glissando No 1 (2012) contains the 28-minute Glissando No 1 (composed in 1979) and the 27-minute Stereo Piano (composed in 1978).
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