U.S. Highball

by Harry Partch

U.S. Highball cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1958
  • Label: Gate 5
  • Country: United States
  • Community rating: 4.05/5 from 4 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Documenting a harrowing hobo journey across America during the Great Depression, the visionary composer utilizes an orchestra of custom-built, microtonal instruments to construct a radically unique sonic landscape. The spoken-word narrative and specialized intonation scales completely reject Western classical conventions in favor of a raw, deeply personal avant-garde realism. It stands as an absolute masterpiece of American musical experimentalism.

Genres

Descriptors: microtonal, gay, avant-garde, experimental, narrative, conceptual, traditional, spoken-word, ensemble, storytelling, theatrical, idiosyncratic

Tracklist

  1. San Francisco To Sparks
  2. Sparks To Moleen
  3. Moleen To Rock Springs
  4. Rock Springs To Little America
  5. Little America To North Platte
  6. North Platte To Chicago

Credits

  • Harry Partch - primary artist, performer
  • Gate 5 Ensemble - primary artist
  • Jack McKenzie - conductor
  • Danlee Mitchell - performer
  • David Reid - performer
  • Dick Borden - performer
  • Elizabeth Gentry - performer
  • Melvin Britton - performer

More from Harry Partch: full discography