“Some of it sounds so pure and clear and I am picturing him huddled around all that gear, simply magical. In my memory he didn’t play ‘for’ the audience but was rather trying to perfect these various permutations of sound within himself...and a few of us happened to be present.” – Tom Lee

Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come in And Out & Sketches For World of Echo offers two intimate unedited Arthur Russell solo live performances recorded at Phil Niblock's Experimental Intermedia Foundation in Downtown NYC on 12/20/85 and 06/25/84.

Phill curated and produced with Arthur both concerts at EI that would become part of the foundation for the World of Echo album. Arthur titled the performances “Sketches for World of Echo” (released on cassette/DL in 2020) and “Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come in and Out”. These extraordinary performances were recorded 18 months apart between 1984/85 by Steve Cellum and overseen by Phill and Arthur. Arthur would later edit sections from both concerts merging it with studio material recorded at Battery Sound to finalize the World of Echo album released in 1986.

The double vinyl LP includes the complete nineteen minute plus version of Tower of Meaning/Rabbit’s Ear/Home Away along with the previously unreleased songs That’s The Very Reason, and Too Early to Tell.

Side four includes two instrumental performances from the 06/25/84 Sketches for World of Echo performance, “Changing Forest” and “Sunlit Water” along with a full color insert and liner notes from Audika Records and Arthur Russell archivist Steve Knutson.

Arthur Russell – Open Vocal Phrases Where Songs Come In And Out (Live 12/20/85)