Renato Diz/Sérgio Tavares

Izumi Kimura & Gerry Hemingway
How the Dust Falls
Auricle Records AUR-25

Two pianists – one coupled with a bassist and the other with a percussionist –  take varied approaches to the duo concept with low-key playing that emphasize finesse over firestorms. Longtime associates, Portuguese, pianist Renato Diz who in the US has worked on multidisciplinary projects; and bassist Sérgio Tavares, who plays with the likes of Tom Ward; work through nine understated and abstract improvisations with extended techniques that don’t profoundly alter the sound architecture. Meanwhile American percussionist Gerry Hemingway, who has worked with numerous international improvisers combines with Japanese pianist Izumi Kimura, who has recorded with Barry Guy among others, for 11 instant compositions that gain strength as the session unfolds.

Clank and clip appear to be the chief adjectives for the sounds heard as Diz and Tavares pair their textures. With wood thumps and string rubs emphasized from both instruments, clenched bass string stress and subtle keyboard pressure are more obvious than melodies. Often as on “The Sunken Silence of Mermaids” whole keyboard expression seems to be neglected for harpsichord-like gentling clips and pulled double bass strings. Occasionally interaction intensifies like on “Under Coarseness’ Gaze”, where Tavares almost seems to be splintering wood as Diz digs into the piano innards leading to a pregnant silence.

The piano’s hammers and dampers as well as soundboard are usually emphasized as much as the keyboard, so that liveliness and high pitches are at a premium. Eventually the impression left before themes squeak away in the finale is that more strength put into bass string pops or arco slides and key slides and projections would have made the session more productive.

Meanwhile some of the tracks on “How the Dust Falls” are so brief as to fall like dust. On the other hand the understated percussion slaps and quick key clips move past timed expressions to dual swift staccato accents and melody elaboration.

Starting with “Perimeter”, the perimeters of the duo’s interaction shift and widen perceptively. On it the projected variations mirror each other until cross tones move the marimba cadences upwards and the piano lines down to pedal point. Kimura keep the theme going during the following “Entrainments II”  with pitter-patter extensions, while Hemingway colors the theme with hard, intermittent drum knocks and cymbal sizzles. With asides into expressive inner piano soundboard clips, implements dancing on inner strings plus vibraphone resonation and marimba-like clips the two conclude the session with even more distinctive coloration.

In the end How the Dust Falls stands as an example of what two committed improvisers can do with a variety of idiophones and piano techniques to establish an identity. But fewer, lengthier and more intense tracks would have made a more distinct impression.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Between: 1. Early Shimmers 2. The Mountain’s Dream 3. Sky and the Chasms 4. Descending the Vale 5. The Sunken Silence of Mermaids 6. Under Coarseness’ Gaze 7. Field Counter Field 8. Among Cinderella’s Lost Footprints 9. Weaving Scraps and Horizons

Personnel: Between:  Renato Diz (piano and extended techniques) and Sérgio Tavares (bass and extended techniques)

Track Listing: How: 1. Waterspear 2. Third Story 3. Corners 4. Dock Driftings 5. Starbook 6. Entrainments I 7. Stillness 8. Perimeter 9. Entrainments II 10. This Waiting Place 11. Chimneys 12. Shadowshift 13. Arrivals 14. Wishing Well

Personnel: How: Izumi Kimura (piano) and Gerry Hemingway (drums, marimba, vibraphone, harmonica, voice)