Jon Hassell

Jon Hassell (March 22, 1937 – June 26, 2021) was an American trumpet player and composer. He was best known for developing the concept of "Fourth World" music, which describes a "unified primitive/futurist sound" combining elements of various world ethnic traditions with modern electronic techniques.

In 1980, he collaborated with Brian Eno on the album Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics and appeared on the Eno-produced Talking Heads album Remain in Light. The same year Hassell also performed solo at the Mudd Club. Plans had been made with Eno and David Byrne for the three of them to team up for what became "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts," but the plan fell through when Hassell didn't agree with the direction the tracks were taking. His 1981 release, Dream Theory in Malaya, led to a performance at the first World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) Festival, organized by Peter Gabriel. He performed and co-wrote tracks on David Sylvian's first solo album Brilliant Trees, and its instrumental EP follow-up Words with the Shaman. In the late 1980s, Hassell contributed to Gabriel's Passion, the soundtrack album for Martin Scorsese's film, The Last Temptation of Christ. Hassell and Pete Scaturro composed the electronic theme music for the television show The Practice. In 1989, Hassell contributed to the Tears for Fears album The Seeds of Love.

Hassell died from natural causes on June 26, 2021, at the age of 84. He had had health issues over the course of the previous year.

Style

Hassell coined the term "Fourth World" to describe his work on "a unified primitive/futuristic sound combining features of world ethnic styles with advanced electronic techniques." Both on record and during live performances, Hassell made use of western instruments—keyboards, bass, electric guitar, and percussion—to create modal, hypnotic grooves, over which he often played microtonally-inflected trumpet phrases in the style of Nath's Kiranic vocals. His use of circular breathing on the instrument enabled him to create long, seamless, and mesmerizing melodic lines.

Discography As leader or co-leader Vernal Equinox (Lovely Music, 1977) Earthquake Island (Tomato 1978) Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics (Editions EG, 1980), with Brian Eno Dream Theory in Malaya: Fourth World Volume Two (Editions EG, 1981) Aka/Darbari/Java: Magic Realism (Editions EG, 1983) Power Spot (ECM, 1986) The Surgeon of the Nightsky Restores Dead Things by the Power of Sound (Intuition, 1987), live recordings Flash of the Spirit (Intuition/EMI Electrola, 1988), with Farafina City: Works of Fiction (Opal/Warner Bros., 1990; expanded edition on All Saints, 2014) Dressing for Pleasure (Warner, 1994), with Bluescreen Sulla Strada (Materiali Sonori, 1995), with I Magazzini The Vertical Collection (Sketches) (Earshot, 1997), with Peter Freeman as Bluescreen Project Fascinoma (Water Lily Acoustics, 1999) Hollow Bamboo (Water Lily Acoustics, 2000), with Ry Cooder, Ronu Majumdar and Abhijit Banerjee Maarifa Street: Magic Realism Volume Two (Label Bleu, 2005) Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street (ECM, 2009) Listening to Pictures (Pentimento Volume One) (Ndeya, 2018) Seeing Through Sound (Pentimento Volume Two) (Ndeya, 2020)

Single tracks on compilations and remixes "Map of Dusk" on compilation Myths 3: La nouvelle serenité (Sub Rosa, 1987), recorded in 1985 with J.A. Deane "Pygmy Dance" on compilation Ai Confini / Interzone (New Tone, 1993), recorded live in Italy 1988 "Streetfaxx" and remixes by 808 State on EP Voiceprint (Blind from the Facts) (Opal, 1990; reissued on All Saints, 1993 and 2006) Personals, maxi-single with remixes of "Personals" and "G-Spot" by MC 900 Ft Jesus and Organized Konfusion (Warner, 1994) "Then and Now (Berchidda)" on compilation Then and Now (Time in Jazz 1998 | 2007) (Tàjrà It., 2008), live recording from 2001 in Italy with John Beasley, Rick Cox

As sideman and guest appearances On almost all recordings Jon Hassell played trumpet (sometimes merely 'used' as sound color). In cases where he plays keyboards or electronics it is mentioned in the last column; the same applies to the credits as composer (or producer). Film soundtracks are labeled "O.S.T." (original sound track) preceding the film title. Artists and labels are linked by first appearance only.

Date Leading artist or band Album title Label Track titles and notes 1968 Terry Riley In C Columbia ensemble member 1974 Francesco Guccini Stanze di vita quotidiana Columbia ensemble member 1974 La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela Dream House 78′ 17″ Shandar ensemble member (quartet) on one of two extensive tracks 1980 Talking Heads Remain in Light Sire on "Houses in Motion" 1982 Brian Eno Ambient 4: On Land Editions EG on "Shadow" 1984 David Sylvian Brilliant Trees Virgin on "Weathered Wall" and "Brilliant Trees", co-composer 1985 David Sylvian Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities Virgin on "Words with the Shaman Part 1–3", co-composer; also released as EP 1985 Peter Gabriel O.S.T. Birdy Virgin/Charisma ensemble member 1987 Lloyd Cole and the Commotions Mainstream Polydor on "Big Snake" 1989 Alice Il sole nella pioggia EMI on "Il sole nella pioggia" and "Le baccanti", pre-sampled trumpet sounds activated by keyboard on "Visioni" 1989 Peter Gabriel O.S.T. Passion (Music for The Last Temptation of Christ) Real World/Geffen/Virgin on "Passion" 1989 Tears for Fears The Seeds of Love Fontana on "Standing on the Corner of the Third World" and "Famous Last Words" 1991 Marc Beacco The Crocodile Smile Polydor/Nova on "Funeral for a Flower", co-composer 1991 Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses avec Hector Zazou Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses avec Hector Zazou Philips/Phonogram on "Anima", "In la piazza" and "Notte", co-composer 1993 Ry Cooder O.S.T. Trespass Sire/Warner ensemble with Jim Keltner 1994 Stina Nordenstam And She Closed Her Eyes Telegram/East West on "Crime" and "I See You Again" 1995 Techno Animal Re-Entry Virgin on "Flight of the Hermaphrodite" and "Needle Park", co-composer 1996 David Toop Pink Noir Virgin on "Slow Loris Versus Poison Snail", co-composer 1997 Jackson Browne The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne Elektra on "The Next Voice You Hear" produced by T-Bone Burnett 1997 k.d. lang Drag Warner on "Hain't It Funny?" 1997 Holly Cole Dark Dear Heart Alert on "All the Pretty Little Horses" 1997 Ry Cooder O.S.T. The End of Violence Outpost featured trumpet soloist 1998 Ry Cooder O.S.T. Primary Colors Outpost on "Wide Sky", co-composer 1998 The Insects & Richard Grassby-Lewis featuring Jon Hassell O.S.T. Love and Death on Long Island OceanDeep featured soloist 1998 Mandalay Empathy V2 on "It's Enough Now", "This Time Last Year" and "Beautiful" 1998 Ani DiFranco Little Plastic Castle Righteous Babe on (probably one track) 1999 Guy Sigsworth O.S.T. G:MT – Greenwich Mean Time Island on "Who Would You Have Me Love" with Hinda Hicks 1999 David Toop Hot Pants Idol Barooni (Nl) on "Wing Beats", trumpet and harmonizer, co-composer 2000 Hal Willner O.S.T. The Million Dollar Hotel: Music from the Motion Picture Interscope on "Never Let Me Go" and "Amsterdam Blue (Cortege)", co-composer and track production 2000 k.d. lang Invincible Summer Warner on "Simple" 2000 Mandalay Instinct V2 on "Not Seventeen", "Don't Invent Me" and "It's Enough Now" 2000 Nick Wood Sound Virus Victor (Jp) on "Confined to Ice" 2001 Ani DiFranco Revelling/Reckoning Righteous Babe on "Revelling" 2001 Howie B. Folk. Polydor on "Tap Dancer", co-composer 2001 Rick Cox Maria Falling Away Cold Blue on "Long Distance", composer 2002 Frou Frou Details Island on "Flicks", "The Dumbing Down of Love" and "Old Piano" 2003 Ibrahim Ferrer Buenos Hermanos World Circuit/Nonesuch on "Fuiste Cruel" and "Boliviana"; album produced by Ry Cooder 2004 Lightwave (with Paul Haslinger) Bleue comme une orange Signature on "Huang/Hong" and "Deep Steel Dubh" 2004 Alexkid Mint PIAS on "Mint", co-composer 2005 Paul Haslinger O.S.T. Sleeper Cell (TV series) Rhythmbank on "Memento Mori" with Sussan Deyhim, co-composer 2005 Ry Cooder Chávez Ravine Nonesuch/Perro Verde on "Don't Call Me Red" 2006 Hadouk Trio Utopies Naïve on last three tracks, co-composer 2007 Paul Haslinger O.S.T. Sleeper Cell: American Terror Lakeshore (not specified) 2007 Ry Cooder My Name Is Buddy Nonesuch/Perro Verde on "One Cat, One Vote, One Beer" 2007 Harry Gregson-Williams O.S.T. The Number 23 New Line featured as soloist 2007 Michael Fahres The Tubes Cold Blue on "The Tubes (1994/2003)" with Mark Atkins 2008 Jan Bang and Erik Honoré as Punkt Live Remixes Vol. 1 Jazzland on tracks "III" and "VI", co-composer 2008 Ani DiFranco Red Letter Year Righteous Babe on "Star Matter" 2008 k.d. lang Watershed Nonesuch on "Upstream" 2008 Ry Cooder I, Flathead Nonesuch/Perro Verde on "Flathead One More Time" 2009 Jon Balke & Amina Alaoui Siwan ECM ensemble member, trumpet and electronics 2010 Jan Bang …And Poppies from Kandahar Samadhisound on "Exile from Paradise", co-composer (also for another track, due to trumpet samples) 2011 Paul Haslinger O.S.T Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Lakeshore featured musician 2015 Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba Ba Power Glitterbeat (G) on "Ayé Sira Bla = Make Way" 2015 Duncan Sheik Legerdemain Kobalt on "Brutalized" and "No Happy End" 2016 Genre Peak (Martin Birke) Your Sleekest Engine Gonzo on "Metanoia", trumpet samples and/or sampler