Steve Reich - Music For 18 Musicians

Steve Reich - Music For 18 Musicians - 1. Pulses


This is a recording from Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" during 1974-1976. After The triumph of "Music for 18...", Reich's life was never quite the same again. In his own words:

"this was the crossover piece par excellence, unintended, malgre lui. When the peice was released, Bob Hurwitz said, "Why don't you play this at the Bottom Line? We'll arrange it." So I did. In the first year, 18 sold 100,000 copies. In terms of press, the fact that David Bowie went to the opening at the Bottom Line was a big deal - so yes, it was definitley the piece that changed my life."

This was also Riechs first piece of music to be labeled, minimalism. He never liked being labeled a minimalist composer and even today, twenty years later, minimalism is still used to corner his music. His most recent work falls under the label 'post-minimalism'.

Here's to David Bowie and his good taste in music. This is a recording from his 1972 album Hunky Dory titled, "Queen Bitch".

David Bowie - Queen Bitch