Durrant/Kahn/Wastell/Williams

Contemplative and choice electro-acoustic improvisations with a distinctive shift characterize this London-recorded session. While local bassist Caius Williams and percussionist Mark Wastell stick to acoustic instruments, fellow Brit, Phil Durrant, who usually plays electric mandolin. instead adds amplified objects to his electronics> Meanwhile American Jason Kahn , known for his electronic manipulation  and percussion instead expands on voice tones. Williams plays with the likes of Steve Noble and Maggie Nicols, while the other three have extensive creative music careers alongside everyone from Bertrand Denzler and John Butcher to Burkhard Beins and Rhodri Davies

Where the Stars’ distinguishing, but not conspicuous sonic feature is Kahn’s voice. Neither singing, nor vocalese or scatting, the murmurs, retches, gurgles, whines and warbles projected are detached from melody but akin to sonic otolaryngology. What he produces with his mouth, throat and esophagus fits in with the extended  techniques produced by the voltage and instrumental movements. At the same time these ululations are often lodged so unobtrusively in the mix that they don’t draw undue attention.

What that means is that despite strangled vocal interludes, expositions are more closely defined by the whooshes, static and crackles from the processing as well as ratchets, scratches and shakes from the idiophones and drum tops as well as the lower pitched string rubs and below the bridge sweeps from the bassist. “And The Cold”, the briefest track shows off Williams’ skills at their greatest extent, with squeezed string motions almost approximating reed slurs and later arco squeals intersecting with percussion clumps and voice mumbles.

Even more cohesion is apparent throughout the disc. While Wastell’s metallic resonations, splashes and bell-pealing to express multiple pitches on “Of Space” for instance makes it sound as if he’s performing within a stand-alone percussion cage. However the positioned strokes fit in close proximity to bass string sawing, distracted hums and yelps from Kahn as well as Durrant’s obvious and overriding wave form rumbles and crackling pressurized oscillations.

Tandem deportment in duos and trios from the players at varied pitches and tempos not only modulate diffuse timbres closer to one another, but also confirm the singularity of the program. With each of the musician having demonstrated proficiency on other instruments Where the Stars shows how well  they can also improvise in this unique group situation.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Are Scattered Slowly 2. And The Cold 3. Of Space 4. Sets In

Personnel: Caius Williams (bass); Mark Wastell (percussion); Phil Durrant (amplified objects and electronics) and Jason Kahn (voice)