Julius Eastman

An absolute marvel, from Week-End Records comes the first ever vinyl release of two of Julius Eastman's most important works, 1973’s “Stay on It” and 1981’s “The Holy Presence of Joan D‘Arc.” Whether regarded as a pairing - the first being among his earliest performed compositions, and the second among his last - or viewed on their own, these works illuminate the vast scope and distance traveled across Eastman's musical quest for freedom. Recorded by two stellar ensembles under the composer's direction, now pressed in a limited edition of 500 vinyl copies, rarely have we heard such perfect balance of the composer's rage and joy.
By Bradford Bialey, 25 February 2022

Time and circumstance weren’t always kind to Julius Eastman. A celebrated figure within the New York experimental music scene during the 1970s and '80s, over the years following his untimely death in 1990 he and his work were lost from the collective consciousness. Thanks to the efforts of a small number of friends and devoted believers and a slow trickle of archival releases, it’s been incredible to witness his ascending star over the last decade and half. Retrospectively, he has become regarded as one of most important voices of his generation. Since the issue of “Unjust Malaise” by New World Records in 2005 - the first release dedicated to his work - roughly a dozen album’s featuring Eastman’s compositions have appeared. Surprisingly, with the exception of Blume Editions’ 2018 pressing of the “N**ger Series”, his efforts remain sinfully unavailable on vinyl. Thankfully, Week-End Records is pushing against the tide with “Stay on It”, comprising two of the composer’s most important works - 1973’s “Stay on It” and 1981’s “The Holy Presence of Joan D‘Arc”. Both recorded by the composer with all-star ensembles, together they bookend Eastman’s short career, illuminating where he came from, where he had been, and were his work came to an end. Issued in a limited edition of 500 copies, it’s a much-needed entry in the Eastman’s catalog, helping to upend long-standing perceptions of post-minimal music, as well as the activities of the '70s and '80s New York avant-garde.