John Hassell’s *Music Is Invisible* is the third and final installment of the “Pentimento Trilogy” and a special recording of the last live performance he gave during his lifetime. Jeff Rona meticulously edited and mixed the trio performance—featuring Rick Cox and John von Segern—which took place on May 23, 2015, at St. John at Hackney Church in London, transforming it into a sonic work that transcends the boundaries of a mere live album.

Following 2018’s *Listening To Pictures* and 2020’s *Seeing Through Sound*, this album features themes, motifs, and riffs from those two works emerging within semi-improvised performances. “Pentimento” refers to the phenomenon in which past images or brushstrokes, painted over in a painting, become visible. Hassel applies this concept to music, layering new performances over recordings from past live shows and rehearsals, or transforming them into different songs through loops and editing. This approach is strongly influenced by the “version” culture of Jamaican dub and Theo Macero’s bold tape editing for Miles Davis.

*Music Is Invisible* also blurs the line between live and studio performance by utilizing past recordings as a soundscape and applying editing, sampling, and overdubbing. The album title was one of the options Hassel had in mind while producing *Seeing Through Sound*, and the liner notes include his own essay, “On The Invisibility Of Music.”

The album artwork features the 1976 painting *Leh C'est Beau* by his close friend Matti Krawine. Completed with the collaboration of Rick Cox, John von Seegel, and his longtime engineer Arnaud Mercier, this work is a quiet yet magnificent final statement that carries on Hassel’s philosophy of “invisible music.”

John Hassel

John Hassel passed away on June 26, 2021, at the age of 84. He left behind a legacy of immense influence in music and art, built throughout his lifetime.

A trumpeter, composer, and explorer of musical concepts, he was a chameleon-like figure who bridged an extremely wide range of fields in 20th-century art and music.

He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, after World War II, frequenting juke joints and blues parties. He studied under Stockhausen and developed close ties with Holger Schuyka and Irmin Schmidt, who would later become members of Can.
He became friends with Terry Riley and participated in the historic recording “In C.”
He became a member of “Theatre of Eternal Music” by La Monte Young and Marian Zazira.
He received instruction in raga from Pandit Pran Nath.
In his early works, he performed alongside David Rosenboom and Nana Vasconcelos.
His collaboration with Brian Eno.
His contribution to Talking Heads’ *Remain in Light*.
His lifelong friendship with artist Matti Klaren.
Recordings with numerous artists, including Farahina, Ry Cooder, Leslie Winner, Van Atkins, Moritz von Oswald, Peter Gabriel, David Sylvian, and Björk.

Furthermore, his scope of activity extends endlessly to include film scores, theater productions, opera, and even children’s books (!). And it is only in recent years that the full extent of his achievements has begun to be truly recognized.

〈Ndeya〉 is a label founded by John Hassell himself in collaboration with 〈Warp Records〉 as a platform for releasing his own music.

To date, Ndeya has released two works in the Pentimento series: *Listening To Pictures* (2018) and *Seeing Through Sound* (2020). These are magnificent compilations by a true auteur (an artist with a distinct artistic vision).

In addition, the long-awaited reissue of his debut album *Vernal Equinox*, remastered from the original tapes, and the limited-edition collection *Atmospherics*, a compilation of his writings on his own music, have also been released.

Even now, after Jon’s passing, *Ndeya* is collaborating with Hassell’s family on multiple archival projects to preserve his musical legacy for the future.

As one traces his body of work, his trumpet transforms into a visionary presence. It transcends language. Though never heard before, it feels strangely familiar.

It is the canopy of trees teeming with tropical birds; it is a woman’s lament sung in an exotic language; it is the fluttering of insect wings; it is a Bedouin’s horn echoing from beyond the sand dunes; it is a train whistle heard from afar; it is Chet Baker on Venus.
- Resident Advisor



He is the most influential composer of the past 50 years. - Brian Eno

In my view, the joy of so-called “deep listening” lies in surrendering oneself to an inner soundscape that cannot be fully expressed in words. It is a world of sound that, like a kaleidoscope or a prism, refracts and reflects everything that has ever stirred my heart. — John Hassell (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)