Ute Völker-Angelika Sheridan

Leuchtfische
Valve Records Valve # 6087

Esteban Algora/Alessandra Rombolá/Ingar Zach

… de las piedras

Another Timbre at09

Robert Dick-Steve Baczkowski-Ravi Padmanabha

Doh Tala

Epoch Music No #

Adventurous flute players, recorded in different configurations, unite the bands on these discs, which collectively plumb the timbres available when contrasting unusual tones from unexpected instrumental groupings. Anything but standard flute fare, each has something to offer the adventurous fripple fancier.

Dean of experimental flautists, New York’s Robert Dick is featured on Doh Tala in a first-time meeting with two younger Buffalo musicians: reedist Steve Baczkowski and percussionist Ravi Padmanabha. Doh Tala mixes a soupçon of Indian music with Free Music. In contrast, negotiating the fine line between improvised and notated New music, is Leuchtfische by the six-year-old duo of Köln-based flautist Angelika Sheridan and Wuppertal-based accordionist Ute Völker. Völker, a founder of the Partita Radicale ensemble is also one of the literally hundreds of musicians who has concretized with Dick.

Utilizing some instruments used on the other sessions, but less geographically homogenous is … de las piedras. Italian flautist Alessandra Rombolá usually plays so-called classical music, though she has recorded with the No spaghetti edition ensemble and with harpist Rhodri Davis. Madrid-based Esteban Algora, first-call accordionist for contemporary music in Spain, plays with a clutch of symphony orchestras and is part of a long-standing duo with Rombolá. Norwegian drummer Ingar Zach is in bands as dissimilar as the improv power-trio Huntsville and the large No spaghetti edition ensemble.

Transmogrifying the Carnatic influence in spite of Padmanabha’s bell-shaking, tabla vibrating and tambura drones on Doh Tala, Dick’s flute obbligato is resolutely western even while creating folkloric bansuri-like tones. The master of multi-directional glissandi, the flautist’s tone is alternately staccato and smooth, with obtuse and contrapuntal voicing there to trade licks with Baczkowski. The later, who mostly sticks to pedal-point rumblings from the baritone saxophone, at points adds higher-pitched trills from smaller reeds as well as twanging passages on a Jew’s harp approximation. The reedist’s extended techniques have conventional homologues a well, as when his thick split tones intertwine with Dick’s cross-pulsed and popped air ripples. At points bringing out his bass flute for echoing grumbles, Dick sounds more comfortable playing higher-pitched, narrower trills.

Rappelling watery lines southwards on some tracks, the flautist is also met by clock-like clangs and tambura thumps from Padmanabha. Ready at all times with gongs and other miscellaneous occidental percussion as well as his beat collection from the sub-continent, Padmanabha’s percussive smarts are often displayed with swipes, whacks, rolls and bounces – not to mention some South Asian rhythmic chanting.

Perhaps the best example of trio cooperation appears on “Qunatum”. Baczkowski’s tongue-stops and within-the-body tube timbres vibrate contrapuntally as the flautist growls out splintered multiphonics. As Dick’s wriggling lines are transformed into audacious impressionism, the saxman turns to slide-whistle intimations as Padmanabha rolls and slaps his drums, wood blocks and cymbals. Reaching a crescendo of electronic-styled crackles and distortion, the triple improvising disintegrates into silence, but not before Baczkowski achieves a split-tone climax.

Introducing a chordal instrument to the interface on Leuchtfische, in essence allows Völker to manufacture a space for Sheridan’s harsh, flute glissandi. Throughout the baker’s dozen of tracks, the two frequently also switch roles. Utilizing her instrument’s buttons and bellows, the accordionist modifies her position from one creating ostinato percussive momentum to one adding rococo coloration to the flautist’s broad breath control. Glissing from the one end to the other of her range, Sheridan moves from basso-engorged tongue stops at points to near-vocalized lyrical bites elsewhere.

Kinetic in her responses and mercurial in her improvisations, Völker’s strategies skirt lugubrious stopping with pitch-sliding abrasions, preferring to define her role with gradually swelling dynamics leavened with pin-pointed jabs. Sharp, pointillist pitch extensions or fluid rumbles from the flautist are often colored with pumping, cumulative chords. Adding bellow-driven textures from Volksmusik as well as New music, the accordionist wraps up many an improv with rubato and descriptive chords.

Adding the percussion discursiveness from Zach’s bass drum and percussion – as well as the natural reverb of Urueña’s accordion, the Madrid-based trio multiples the textures available on … de las piedras. A high percentage of the beats Padmanabha reaches for on the other session are approximated by Zach, who additionally sounds vibraharp-like strokes from carefully arranged floor tiles. As long-standing a duo as Völker-Sheridan, Algora-Rombolá brings similar invention – plus and cohesion – to their interaction.

This is shown to best advantage on “alabastro”, when ostinato accordion tones pulse while minimalist flute vibrations rebound off the location’s ceiling. Bellow-driven loops from Algora continue to fabricate the bottom as strident cymbal scrapes and flute shrilling expand the room’s spectral qualities by multiplying audible nodes and overtones. Additional polyphony arises when blurry bass flute glissandi slope across swelling accordion rumbles and the drummer highlights drags and drones.

Auxiliary kinetic textures are added to the mix on “turmalina” when Zach whacks a mixture of cymbals, tiles, ratchets and drum tops. A pedal-point accordion base gives the percussionist the freedom to configure the sounds to complement the others’ sonic flights. Eventually with an aural resemblance to a motor chugging to a halt, the piece ends.

Austere when necessary and with intimations of baroque tinctures elsewhere, this group – like the other two – redefines the chamber ensemble. None can be pigeonholed, but all can be appreciated.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Doh: 1. Lunar 2. Epoch 3. Boarding 4. Doh Tala 5. Moors 6. Qunatum 7. Tracking 8. Centripical 9. Mourn 10. Inert Puja

Personnel: Doh: Robert Dick (flutes); Steve Baczkowski (baritone saxophone and reeds) and Ravi Padmanabha (drums, tabla and other percussion)

Track Listing: Leuchtfische: 1. bathyphilum 2. nimbaria 3. taenia 4. obtusirostra 5. blackfordi 6. denudatum 7. argenteus 8. ovatus 9. elongata 10. microdon 11. pedaliota 12. corytheola 13. andriashevi

Personnel: Leuchtfische: Angelika Sheridan (flutes) and Ute Völker (accordion)

Track Listing: Piedras: 1. ámbar 2. alabastro 3. galena 4. turmalina 5. jade 6. amatista

Personnel: Piedras: Alessandra Rombolá (flutes and tiles installation); Esteban Algora (accordion) and Ingar Zach (bass drum and percussion)

April 28, 2009

Esteban Algora/Alessandra Rombolá/Ingar Zach

… de las piedras
Another Timbre at09

Robert Dick-Steve Baczkowski-Ravi Padmanabha

Doh Tala

Epoch Music No #

Ute Völker-Angelika Sheridan

Leuchtfische

Valve Records Valve # 6087

Adventurous flute players, recorded in different configurations, unite the bands on these discs, which collectively plumb the timbres available when contrasting unusual tones from unexpected instrumental groupings. Anything but standard flute fare, each has something to offer the adventurous fripple fancier.

Dean of experimental flautists, New York’s Robert Dick is featured on Doh Tala in a first-time meeting with two younger Buffalo musicians: reedist Steve Baczkowski and percussionist Ravi Padmanabha. Doh Tala mixes a soupçon of Indian music with Free Music. In contrast, negotiating the fine line between improvised and notated New music, is Leuchtfische by the six-year-old duo of Köln-based flautist Angelika Sheridan and Wuppertal-based accordionist Ute Völker. Völker, a founder of the Partita Radicale ensemble is also one of the literally hundreds of musicians who has concretized with Dick.

Utilizing some instruments used on the other sessions, but less geographically homogenous is … de las piedras. Italian flautist Alessandra Rombolá usually plays so-called classical music, though she has recorded with the No spaghetti edition ensemble and with harpist Rhodri Davis. Madrid-based Esteban Algora, first-call accordionist for contemporary music in Spain, plays with a clutch of symphony orchestras and is part of a long-standing duo with Rombolá. Norwegian drummer Ingar Zach is in bands as dissimilar as the improv power-trio Huntsville and the large No spaghetti edition ensemble.

Transmogrifying the Carnatic influence in spite of Padmanabha’s bell-shaking, tabla vibrating and tambura drones on Doh Tala, Dick’s flute obbligato is resolutely western even while creating folkloric bansuri-like tones. The master of multi-directional glissandi, the flautist’s tone is alternately staccato and smooth, with obtuse and contrapuntal voicing there to trade licks with Baczkowski. The later, who mostly sticks to pedal-point rumblings from the baritone saxophone, at points adds higher-pitched trills from smaller reeds as well as twanging passages on a Jew’s harp approximation. The reedist’s extended techniques have conventional homologues a well, as when his thick split tones intertwine with Dick’s cross-pulsed and popped air ripples. At points bringing out his bass flute for echoing grumbles, Dick sounds more comfortable playing higher-pitched, narrower trills.

Rappelling watery lines southwards on some tracks, the flautist is also met by clock-like clangs and tambura thumps from Padmanabha. Ready at all times with gongs and other miscellaneous occidental percussion as well as his beat collection from the sub-continent, Padmanabha’s percussive smarts are often displayed with swipes, whacks, rolls and bounces – not to mention some South Asian rhythmic chanting.

Perhaps the best example of trio cooperation appears on “Qunatum”. Baczkowski’s tongue-stops and within-the-body tube timbres vibrate contrapuntally as the flautist growls out splintered multiphonics. As Dick’s wriggling lines are transformed into audacious impressionism, the saxman turns to slide-whistle intimations as Padmanabha rolls and slaps his drums, wood blocks and cymbals. Reaching a crescendo of electronic-styled crackles and distortion, the triple improvising disintegrates into silence, but not before Baczkowski achieves a split-tone climax.

Introducing a chordal instrument to the interface on Leuchtfische, in essence allows Völker to manufacture a space for Sheridan’s harsh, flute glissandi. Throughout the baker’s dozen of tracks, the two frequently also switch roles. Utilizing her instrument’s buttons and bellows, the accordionist modifies her position from one creating ostinato percussive momentum to one adding rococo coloration to the flautist’s broad breath control. Glissing from the one end to the other of her range, Sheridan moves from basso-engorged tongue stops at points to near-vocalized lyrical bites elsewhere.

Kinetic in her responses and mercurial in her improvisations, Völker’s strategies skirt lugubrious stopping with pitch-sliding abrasions, preferring to define her role with gradually swelling dynamics leavened with pin-pointed jabs. Sharp, pointillist pitch extensions or fluid rumbles from the flautist are often colored with pumping, cumulative chords. Adding bellow-driven textures from Volksmusik as well as New music, the accordionist wraps up many an improv with rubato and descriptive chords.

Adding the percussion discursiveness from Zach’s bass drum and percussion – as well as the natural reverb of Urueña’s accordion, the Madrid-based trio multiples the textures available on … de las piedras. A high percentage of the beats Padmanabha reaches for on the other session are approximated by Zach, who additionally sounds vibraharp-like strokes from carefully arranged floor tiles. As long-standing a duo as Völker-Sheridan, Algora-Rombolá brings similar invention – plus and cohesion – to their interaction.

This is shown to best advantage on “alabastro”, when ostinato accordion tones pulse while minimalist flute vibrations rebound off the location’s ceiling. Bellow-driven loops from Algora continue to fabricate the bottom as strident cymbal scrapes and flute shrilling expand the room’s spectral qualities by multiplying audible nodes and overtones. Additional polyphony arises when blurry bass flute glissandi slope across swelling accordion rumbles and the drummer highlights drags and drones.

Auxiliary kinetic textures are added to the mix on “turmalina” when Zach whacks a mixture of cymbals, tiles, ratchets and drum tops. A pedal-point accordion base gives the percussionist the freedom to configure the sounds to complement the others’ sonic flights. Eventually with an aural resemblance to a motor chugging to a halt, the piece ends.

Austere when necessary and with intimations of baroque tinctures elsewhere, this group – like the other two – redefines the chamber ensemble. None can be pigeonholed, but all can be appreciated.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Doh: 1. Lunar 2. Epoch 3. Boarding 4. Doh Tala 5. Moors 6. Qunatum 7. Tracking 8. Centripical 9. Mourn 10. Inert Puja

Personnel: Doh: Robert Dick (flutes); Steve Baczkowski (baritone saxophone and reeds) and Ravi Padmanabha (drums, tabla and other percussion)

Track Listing: Leuchtfische: 1. bathyphilum 2. nimbaria 3. taenia 4. obtusirostra 5. blackfordi 6. denudatum 7. argenteus 8. ovatus 9. elongata 10. microdon 11. pedaliota 12. corytheola 13. andriashevi

Personnel: Leuchtfische: Angelika Sheridan (flutes) and Ute Völker (accordion)

Track Listing: Piedras: 1. ámbar 2. alabastro 3. galena 4. turmalina 5. jade 6. amatista

Personnel: Piedras: Alessandra Rombolá (flutes and tiles installation); Esteban Algora (accordion) and Ingar Zach (bass drum and percussion)

April 28, 2009

Robert Dick-Steve Baczkowski-Ravi Padmanabha

Doh Tala
Epoch Music No #

Ute Völker-Angelika Sheridan

Leuchtfische

Valve Records Valve # 6087

Esteban Algora/Alessandra Rombolá/Ingar Zach

… de las piedras

Another Timbre at09

Adventurous flute players, recorded in different configurations, unite the bands on these discs, which collectively plumb the timbres available when contrasting unusual tones from unexpected instrumental groupings. Anything but standard flute fare, each has something to offer the adventurous fripple fancier.

Dean of experimental flautists, New York’s Robert Dick is featured on Doh Tala in a first-time meeting with two younger Buffalo musicians: reedist Steve Baczkowski and percussionist Ravi Padmanabha. Doh Tala mixes a soupçon of Indian music with Free Music. In contrast, negotiating the fine line between improvised and notated New music, is Leuchtfische by the six-year-old duo of Köln-based flautist Angelika Sheridan and Wuppertal-based accordionist Ute Völker. Völker, a founder of the Partita Radicale ensemble is also one of the literally hundreds of musicians who has concretized with Dick.

Utilizing some instruments used on the other sessions, but less geographically homogenous is … de las piedras. Italian flautist Alessandra Rombolá usually plays so-called classical music, though she has recorded with the No spaghetti edition ensemble and with harpist Rhodri Davis. Madrid-based Esteban Algora, first-call accordionist for contemporary music in Spain, plays with a clutch of symphony orchestras and is part of a long-standing duo with Rombolá. Norwegian drummer Ingar Zach is in bands as dissimilar as the improv power-trio Huntsville and the large No spaghetti edition ensemble.

Transmogrifying the Carnatic influence in spite of Padmanabha’s bell-shaking, tabla vibrating and tambura drones on Doh Tala, Dick’s flute obbligato is resolutely western even while creating folkloric bansuri-like tones. The master of multi-directional glissandi, the flautist’s tone is alternately staccato and smooth, with obtuse and contrapuntal voicing there to trade licks with Baczkowski. The later, who mostly sticks to pedal-point rumblings from the baritone saxophone, at points adds higher-pitched trills from smaller reeds as well as twanging passages on a Jew’s harp approximation. The reedist’s extended techniques have conventional homologues a well, as when his thick split tones intertwine with Dick’s cross-pulsed and popped air ripples. At points bringing out his bass flute for echoing grumbles, Dick sounds more comfortable playing higher-pitched, narrower trills.

Rappelling watery lines southwards on some tracks, the flautist is also met by clock-like clangs and tambura thumps from Padmanabha. Ready at all times with gongs and other miscellaneous occidental percussion as well as his beat collection from the sub-continent, Padmanabha’s percussive smarts are often displayed with swipes, whacks, rolls and bounces – not to mention some South Asian rhythmic chanting.

Perhaps the best example of trio cooperation appears on “Qunatum”. Baczkowski’s tongue-stops and within-the-body tube timbres vibrate contrapuntally as the flautist growls out splintered multiphonics. As Dick’s wriggling lines are transformed into audacious impressionism, the saxman turns to slide-whistle intimations as Padmanabha rolls and slaps his drums, wood blocks and cymbals. Reaching a crescendo of electronic-styled crackles and distortion, the triple improvising disintegrates into silence, but not before Baczkowski achieves a split-tone climax.

Introducing a chordal instrument to the interface on Leuchtfische, in essence allows Völker to manufacture a space for Sheridan’s harsh, flute glissandi. Throughout the baker’s dozen of tracks, the two frequently also switch roles. Utilizing her instrument’s buttons and bellows, the accordionist modifies her position from one creating ostinato percussive momentum to one adding rococo coloration to the flautist’s broad breath control. Glissing from the one end to the other of her range, Sheridan moves from basso-engorged tongue stops at points to near-vocalized lyrical bites elsewhere.

Kinetic in her responses and mercurial in her improvisations, Völker’s strategies skirt lugubrious stopping with pitch-sliding abrasions, preferring to define her role with gradually swelling dynamics leavened with pin-pointed jabs. Sharp, pointillist pitch extensions or fluid rumbles from the flautist are often colored with pumping, cumulative chords. Adding bellow-driven textures from Volksmusik as well as New music, the accordionist wraps up many an improv with rubato and descriptive chords.

Adding the percussion discursiveness from Zach’s bass drum and percussion – as well as the natural reverb of Urueña’s accordion, the Madrid-based trio multiples the textures available on … de las piedras. A high percentage of the beats Padmanabha reaches for on the other session are approximated by Zach, who additionally sounds vibraharp-like strokes from carefully arranged floor tiles. As long-standing a duo as Völker-Sheridan, Algora-Rombolá brings similar invention – plus and cohesion – to their interaction.

This is shown to best advantage on “alabastro”, when ostinato accordion tones pulse while minimalist flute vibrations rebound off the location’s ceiling. Bellow-driven loops from Algora continue to fabricate the bottom as strident cymbal scrapes and flute shrilling expand the room’s spectral qualities by multiplying audible nodes and overtones. Additional polyphony arises when blurry bass flute glissandi slope across swelling accordion rumbles and the drummer highlights drags and drones.

Auxiliary kinetic textures are added to the mix on “turmalina” when Zach whacks a mixture of cymbals, tiles, ratchets and drum tops. A pedal-point accordion base gives the percussionist the freedom to configure the sounds to complement the others’ sonic flights. Eventually with an aural resemblance to a motor chugging to a halt, the piece ends.

Austere when necessary and with intimations of baroque tinctures elsewhere, this group – like the other two – redefines the chamber ensemble. None can be pigeonholed, but all can be appreciated.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Doh: 1. Lunar 2. Epoch 3. Boarding 4. Doh Tala 5. Moors 6. Qunatum 7. Tracking 8. Centripical 9. Mourn 10. Inert Puja

Personnel: Doh: Robert Dick (flutes); Steve Baczkowski (baritone saxophone and reeds) and Ravi Padmanabha (drums, tabla and other percussion)

Track Listing: Leuchtfische: 1. bathyphilum 2. nimbaria 3. taenia 4. obtusirostra 5. blackfordi 6. denudatum 7. argenteus 8. ovatus 9. elongata 10. microdon 11. pedaliota 12. corytheola 13. andriashevi

Personnel: Leuchtfische: Angelika Sheridan (flutes) and Ute Völker (accordion)

Track Listing: Piedras: 1. ámbar 2. alabastro 3. galena 4. turmalina 5. jade 6. amatista

Personnel: Piedras: Alessandra Rombolá (flutes and tiles installation); Esteban Algora (accordion) and Ingar Zach (bass drum and percussion)

April 28, 2009

Rhodri Davies

Over shadows
Confront 16

Rhodri Davies/Matt Davis/Samantha Rebello/Bechir Saade

Hum

Another Timbre at04

MUTA

Yesterday Night You Were Sleeping at My Place

Sofa 522

Chamber improv of a particular sort, each of these challenging discs highlights the playing of Welsh harpist Rhodri Davies: solo or as part of a trio or quartet. Although included among the instruments featured on the discs are flutes, a bass clarinet, a trumpet and percussion, a minimal number of expected timbres are heard. Full appreciation of the sessions demands a preference for dissonance as well as unconventionality.

Recorded nearly a year apart, both group improvisations still have a tenuous connection. The title and track titles of MUTA, created with Norwegian percussionist Ingar Zach and Spanish flautist Alessandra Rombolà, come from the drawings of Beirut-based trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj. A decidedly less programmatic outing, Hum links Davies’ harp and objects to the bass clarinet tones of Bechir Saade, a Lebanese improviser who often plays with Kerbaj. The other participants are British: trumpeter and electronics processor Matt Davis, who has explored microtones in a trio with cellist Mark Wastell and Davies among others; and flautist Samantha Rebello, a graduate of percussionist Eddie Prévost’s weekly improv workshops.

Providing a reductionist Euro version of near-silent Onkyo music, the seven improvisations are built up from unrelenting electronic drones from Davies and Zach, the later of whom exposes these pulsations by attaching contact mikes to his two bass drums and a gong. Meanwhile Rombolà concentrates on altissimo shrills or basso echoes from her conventional and prepared flutes.

Possibly extending his options with piezo pickups among his strings, the harpist varies his output with triggering buzzes and staccato rubs while rasping along and pulling on his string set. Throughout Davies makes common cause with Zach, whose electronic add-ons create a spinning wheel of repeated clicks, clanks and ruffs. Simultaneously and acoustically, the percussionist’s other movements produce bell peals, glass armonica-like reverberations and carefully positioned drum-top scrapes.

Between the harpist’s pitch-sliding electronic whooshes and the percussionist’s fluid friction the resulting drone undulates consistently, but with enough variation in pitch to banish sameness. Abandoning the incursion of sampled voices on one track, the sonic waves are most usually pierced by air column note clusters, stopped breaths, high-pitched whistles and trilling glissandi from the flautist.

Flute trills, blows, flutters and peeps feature on Hum as well. But the intermittent hum from harpist Davies’ so-called objects and trumpeter Davis’ electronics somewhat masks the two other oral instruments’ output. Furthermore spluttering buzzes often swell to fortissimo tones then disappear, sometimes sounding as if an on-off switch has been activated or as if a door in a horror-movie is swinging open noisily, then being quickly and squeakily closed. Foreshortened pauses are the only spaces in which the acoustic instruments can emphasize their natural timbres.

Moist tonguing from Davis produces some squeezed chromatic warbles and growling, while Rebello’s almost pan-like flute echoes open up into peeps and flutters. But both seem to have a hard time separating their tones from among the ululating mix. In fact it’s Saade’s tongue slaps, extended breaths through his horn’s body tube and key scraping that are most prominent.

Davies’ thumps, plucks and snaps are infrequently distinguishable from within the shifting, blurry electronic loops. But with this minimalistic project non-hierarchical and modest – even the tracks are prosaically named “One”, “Two”… etc. – perhaps the compression of four sounds into one constantly shifting solid should be heard as Hum’s fulfillment.

Obviously the harpist has more scope on the remaining CD, which was actually recorded four years ago. But even here, during the course of its one 36-minute track, triggered drones are as prominent as any jagged harp plucks. Throughout, his output ululates densely enough so that not only does it become an impermeable, persistent, but controlled pitch, but affiliated overtones are also sounded. Still, listening is at times the aural equivalent of watching a photograph develop in an old-fashioned darkroom. With the paper saturated in the solution, various highlights and gradations of the image appear at different junctures.

Evolving from connective organ-like sequences exposed timbres ramp up to fortissimo, pummel at lightening speed to pianissimo and finally transform into unsteady oscillations. With the end result simultaneously polytonal and inchoate, it’s as if a spectral neutral instrument and its wave forms are on show – not a harp.

By the ultimate variation, the augmented drone diminishes to a near flat-line before boomeranging back to fullness for the finale of cross-panned reverberating shrills.

Putting aside sonic preconceptions should allow any one of these CDs to impress adventurous listeners.

-- Ken Waxman

.

Track Listing: Over: 1. Over Shadows

Personnel: Over: Rhodri Davies (harp, ebow and electronics)

Track Listing: Hum: 1. One 2. Two 3. Three 4. Four 5. Five

Personnel: Hum: Matt Davis (trumpet and electronics); Samantha Rebello (flute); Bechir Saade (bass clarinet) and Rhodri Davies (harp and objects)

Track Listing: Yesterday: 1. Hamida 2. Birds wake up, we go to sleep 3. Dead Time 4. Passing Time 5. Vertical Time 6. Coffee and Brain 7. Daylight Black

Personnel: Yesterday: Alessandra Rombolà (convensional and prepared flutes); Rhodri Davies (amplified harp and electronics) and Ingar Zach (percussion and electronic devices)

April 13, 2008

Rhodri Davies/Matt Davis/Samantha Rebello/Bechir Saade

Hum
Another Timbre at04

MUTA

Yesterday Night You Were Sleeping at My Place

Sofa 522

Rhodri Davies

Over shadows

Confront 16

Chamber improv of a particular sort, each of these challenging discs highlights the playing of Welsh harpist Rhodri Davies: solo or as part of a trio or quartet. Although included among the instruments featured on the discs are flutes, a bass clarinet, a trumpet and percussion, a minimal number of expected timbres are heard. Full appreciation of the sessions demands a preference for dissonance as well as unconventionality.

Recorded nearly a year apart, both group improvisations still have a tenuous connection. The title and track titles of MUTA, created with Norwegian percussionist Ingar Zach and Spanish flautist Alessandra Rombolà, come from the drawings of Beirut-based trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj. A decidedly less programmatic outing, Hum links Davies’ harp and objects to the bass clarinet tones of Bechir Saade, a Lebanese improviser who often plays with Kerbaj. The other participants are British: trumpeter and electronics processor Matt Davis, who has explored microtones in a trio with cellist Mark Wastell and Davies among others; and flautist Samantha Rebello, a graduate of percussionist Eddie Prévost’s weekly improv workshops.

Providing a reductionist Euro version of near-silent Onkyo music, the seven improvisations are built up from unrelenting electronic drones from Davies and Zach, the later of whom exposes these pulsations by attaching contact mikes to his two bass drums and a gong. Meanwhile Rombolà concentrates on altissimo shrills or basso echoes from her conventional and prepared flutes.

Possibly extending his options with piezo pickups among his strings, the harpist varies his output with triggering buzzes and staccato rubs while rasping along and pulling on his string set. Throughout Davies makes common cause with Zach, whose electronic add-ons create a spinning wheel of repeated clicks, clanks and ruffs. Simultaneously and acoustically, the percussionist’s other movements produce bell peals, glass armonica-like reverberations and carefully positioned drum-top scrapes.

Between the harpist’s pitch-sliding electronic whooshes and the percussionist’s fluid friction the resulting drone undulates consistently, but with enough variation in pitch to banish sameness. Abandoning the incursion of sampled voices on one track, the sonic waves are most usually pierced by air column note clusters, stopped breaths, high-pitched whistles and trilling glissandi from the flautist.

Flute trills, blows, flutters and peeps feature on Hum as well. But the intermittent hum from harpist Davies’ so-called objects and trumpeter Davis’ electronics somewhat masks the two other oral instruments’ output. Furthermore spluttering buzzes often swell to fortissimo tones then disappear, sometimes sounding as if an on-off switch has been activated or as if a door in a horror-movie is swinging open noisily, then being quickly and squeakily closed. Foreshortened pauses are the only spaces in which the acoustic instruments can emphasize their natural timbres.

Moist tonguing from Davis produces some squeezed chromatic warbles and growling, while Rebello’s almost pan-like flute echoes open up into peeps and flutters. But both seem to have a hard time separating their tones from among the ululating mix. In fact it’s Saade’s tongue slaps, extended breaths through his horn’s body tube and key scraping that are most prominent.

Davies’ thumps, plucks and snaps are infrequently distinguishable from within the shifting, blurry electronic loops. But with this minimalistic project non-hierarchical and modest – even the tracks are prosaically named “One”, “Two”… etc. – perhaps the compression of four sounds into one constantly shifting solid should be heard as Hum’s fulfillment.

Obviously the harpist has more scope on the remaining CD, which was actually recorded four years ago. But even here, during the course of its one 36-minute track, triggered drones are as prominent as any jagged harp plucks. Throughout, his output ululates densely enough so that not only does it become an impermeable, persistent, but controlled pitch, but affiliated overtones are also sounded. Still, listening is at times the aural equivalent of watching a photograph develop in an old-fashioned darkroom. With the paper saturated in the solution, various highlights and gradations of the image appear at different junctures.

Evolving from connective organ-like sequences exposed timbres ramp up to fortissimo, pummel at lightening speed to pianissimo and finally transform into unsteady oscillations. With the end result simultaneously polytonal and inchoate, it’s as if a spectral neutral instrument and its wave forms are on show – not a harp.

By the ultimate variation, the augmented drone diminishes to a near flat-line before boomeranging back to fullness for the finale of cross-panned reverberating shrills.

Putting aside sonic preconceptions should allow any one of these CDs to impress adventurous listeners.

-- Ken Waxman

.

Track Listing: Over: 1. Over Shadows

Personnel: Over: Rhodri Davies (harp, ebow and electronics)

Track Listing: Hum: 1. One 2. Two 3. Three 4. Four 5. Five

Personnel: Hum: Matt Davis (trumpet and electronics); Samantha Rebello (flute); Bechir Saade (bass clarinet) and Rhodri Davies (harp and objects)

Track Listing: Yesterday: 1. Hamida 2. Birds wake up, we go to sleep 3. Dead Time 4. Passing Time 5. Vertical Time 6. Coffee and Brain 7. Daylight Black

Personnel: Yesterday: Alessandra Rombolà (convensional and prepared flutes); Rhodri Davies (amplified harp and electronics) and Ingar Zach (percussion and electronic devices)

April 13, 2008

MUTA

Yesterday Night You Were Sleeping at My Place
Sofa 522

Rhodri Davies

Over shadows

Confront 16

Rhodri Davies/Matt Davis/Samantha Rebello/Bechir Saade

Hum

Another Timbre at04

Chamber improv of a particular sort, each of these challenging discs highlights the playing of Welsh harpist Rhodri Davies: solo or as part of a trio or quartet. Although included among the instruments featured on the discs are flutes, a bass clarinet, a trumpet and percussion, a minimal number of expected timbres are heard. Full appreciation of the sessions demands a preference for dissonance as well as unconventionality.

Recorded nearly a year apart, both group improvisations still have a tenuous connection. The title and track titles of MUTA, created with Norwegian percussionist Ingar Zach and Spanish flautist Alessandra Rombolà, come from the drawings of Beirut-based trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj. A decidedly less programmatic outing, Hum links Davies’ harp and objects to the bass clarinet tones of Bechir Saade, a Lebanese improviser who often plays with Kerbaj. The other participants are British: trumpeter and electronics processor Matt Davis, who has explored microtones in a trio with cellist Mark Wastell and Davies among others; and flautist Samantha Rebello, a graduate of percussionist Eddie Prévost’s weekly improv workshops.

Providing a reductionist Euro version of near-silent Onkyo music, the seven improvisations are built up from unrelenting electronic drones from Davies and Zach, the later of whom exposes these pulsations by attaching contact mikes to his two bass drums and a gong. Meanwhile Rombolà concentrates on altissimo shrills or basso echoes from her conventional and prepared flutes.

Possibly extending his options with piezo pickups among his strings, the harpist varies his output with triggering buzzes and staccato rubs while rasping along and pulling on his string set. Throughout Davies makes common cause with Zach, whose electronic add-ons create a spinning wheel of repeated clicks, clanks and ruffs. Simultaneously and acoustically, the percussionist’s other movements produce bell peals, glass armonica-like reverberations and carefully positioned drum-top scrapes.

Between the harpist’s pitch-sliding electronic whooshes and the percussionist’s fluid friction the resulting drone undulates consistently, but with enough variation in pitch to banish sameness. Abandoning the incursion of sampled voices on one track, the sonic waves are most usually pierced by air column note clusters, stopped breaths, high-pitched whistles and trilling glissandi from the flautist.

Flute trills, blows, flutters and peeps feature on Hum as well. But the intermittent hum from harpist Davies’ so-called objects and trumpeter Davis’ electronics somewhat masks the two other oral instruments’ output. Furthermore spluttering buzzes often swell to fortissimo tones then disappear, sometimes sounding as if an on-off switch has been activated or as if a door in a horror-movie is swinging open noisily, then being quickly and squeakily closed. Foreshortened pauses are the only spaces in which the acoustic instruments can emphasize their natural timbres.

Moist tonguing from Davis produces some squeezed chromatic warbles and growling, while Rebello’s almost pan-like flute echoes open up into peeps and flutters. But both seem to have a hard time separating their tones from among the ululating mix. In fact it’s Saade’s tongue slaps, extended breaths through his horn’s body tube and key scraping that are most prominent.

Davies’ thumps, plucks and snaps are infrequently distinguishable from within the shifting, blurry electronic loops. But with this minimalistic project non-hierarchical and modest – even the tracks are prosaically named “One”, “Two”… etc. – perhaps the compression of four sounds into one constantly shifting solid should be heard as Hum’s fulfillment.

Obviously the harpist has more scope on the remaining CD, which was actually recorded four years ago. But even here, during the course of its one 36-minute track, triggered drones are as prominent as any jagged harp plucks. Throughout, his output ululates densely enough so that not only does it become an impermeable, persistent, but controlled pitch, but affiliated overtones are also sounded. Still, listening is at times the aural equivalent of watching a photograph develop in an old-fashioned darkroom. With the paper saturated in the solution, various highlights and gradations of the image appear at different junctures.

Evolving from connective organ-like sequences exposed timbres ramp up to fortissimo, pummel at lightening speed to pianissimo and finally transform into unsteady oscillations. With the end result simultaneously polytonal and inchoate, it’s as if a spectral neutral instrument and its wave forms are on show – not a harp.

By the ultimate variation, the augmented drone diminishes to a near flat-line before boomeranging back to fullness for the finale of cross-panned reverberating shrills.

Putting aside sonic preconceptions should allow any one of these CDs to impress adventurous listeners.

-- Ken Waxman

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Track Listing: Over: 1. Over Shadows

Personnel: Over: Rhodri Davies (harp, ebow and electronics)

Track Listing: Hum: 1. One 2. Two 3. Three 4. Four 5. Five

Personnel: Hum: Matt Davis (trumpet and electronics); Samantha Rebello (flute); Bechir Saade (bass clarinet) and Rhodri Davies (harp and objects)

Track Listing: Yesterday: 1. Hamida 2. Birds wake up, we go to sleep 3. Dead Time 4. Passing Time 5. Vertical Time 6. Coffee and Brain 7. Daylight Black

Personnel: Yesterday: Alessandra Rombolà (convensional and prepared flutes); Rhodri Davies (amplified harp and electronics) and Ingar Zach (percussion and electronic devices)

April 13, 2008