John Edwards/Daniel Thompson

rant
sheets of fibrous material
Ma records M41

Duets between a guitar and one rhythm instrument are common, yet can be a tricky combination depending on the extent of the improvisational focus. These two European duos overcome this by not compromising aleatory individualism but by expressing themselves in a mostly micro or macro fashion. Despite expected stereotypes of percussion power and pressure it’s the German rant duo that encompasses a spatial turn towards microtonality. Together for years, guitarist Torsten Papenheim also plays with others like Liz Allbee. Drummer Merle Bennett meanwhile, who has also worked as a body therapist, is involved with groups such as The Pankow Dance Society. Despite Where the Butterflies Go, a buoyant suggesting title, and playing only string instruments, London-based guitarist Daniel Thompson and bassist John Edwards create four more aggressive track’s than rant’s four. Thompson also plays with improvisers like Colin Webster and Phil Durrant. Concurrently Edwards is one of the most in-demand European bassists, having worked with everyone from John Butcher to Joe McPhee.

Recorded in front of a silent audience, Papenheim and Bennett set up their interaction on the extended “Epitaph/Rasch/Schley” by mating distant cymbal claps and rattling drum shuffles with a warm and languid exposition suggested by the guitarist’s melody reflections. As Papenheim’s unhurried variations evolve at half-speed, single note frails are cushioned within Bennett’s idiophone shakes and rim shots. Later on his twangs may become more metallic and her strokes more resounding, but the tandem elaborations remain as horizontal as they are in sync.

This formula is followed throughout, with melodic superseding rhythmic transformation. Since finger style treble frails from the higher strings as well as bass pacing from the guitar’s lower-pitched ones, fragmentary motifs are frequently allied so that textural changes sometimes reach song-like forms. Accompanying pitter-patter and percussion drags reconfirms the dual output often taking over the entire aural space. Bennett’s drum patterns aren’t really secondary though as her Mylar rubs and shuffles contribute to the evolving harmonic changes. By the time the final “Wo Wir Sind” is completed, hammered metal notes remain in the air long enough to confirm the gentling broken chord resonations coming from guitar strums.

The situation is a different on the other CD. Unlike the minimalist rant (s) the four-season butterfly evolution is more rugged and atmospheric. Thick bass stops and buzzes as well as the guitarist’s bellicose flanges below-the-bridge as well as jagged twangs suggest that the multicolored lepidoptera is being defined in various evolutionary stages. Not only are sonic expression of larvae, caterpillars, chrysalis and adult insect cycles suggested, but also the dynamic pressure leading to repeated motifs from bell-like guitar frails and resonating arco strains. On a track like “For Winter” the sonic question suggests that other less benign flying creatures like moths might also be illuminated in the improvisations.

However these improvisational sound amplifications of Lepidopterology spend most time being examined under strings converted to dual microscopes on the nearly 20-minute “For Winter”.  It’s here that the heightened and halted techniques used by both string players often become almost indistinguishable one from another. If Edwards’ arco slices and strums extend the exposition for instance, then Thompson’s string crunches preserve the continuum. Then if guitar frails break up the horizontal theme with dobro-like licks, it’s Edwards’ rubbed string stops that preserve the base  fulcrum. Eventually a speedy rapprochement between both diffuse butterfly-wing-like sound colors in the form of bow squeaks and stentorian thrusts from the bassist mixed with hammering guitar strings so that the timbres attain a polyphonic crescendo before a mutual fade.

Arguably the most popular musical instrument in the world, guitars can be approached in multiple ways. These matched duos show how profound sounds can be created with its timbres matched with those from another rhythm instrument. However it’s still a moot point whether the question posed by one disc title is answered or whether the other disc’s title is fully explained.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Where: 1. For Summer 2  For Autumn 3. For Winter 4. For Spring

Personnel: Where: Daniel Thompson (acoustic guitar) and John Edwards (bass)

Track Listing: sheets: 1. Epitaph/Rasch/Schley 2. Jashkielivh/Apercu 3. Radik/Karikesiti 4. Wo Wir Sind

Personnel: sheets: Torsten Papenheim (guitar) and Merle Bennett (drums)