Robert Diack

By Ken Waxman

Enervated minimalism, drummer/synthesizer player Robert Diack reconstitutes fragments of other genres into this 14-track CD, using repetitive textures driven by his solid drum beats to create resourceful if somewhat claustrophobic pieces.

With further expressions from bassist Brandon Davis, guitarist Patrick O’Reilly and pianist Jacob Thompson, whose languid chording defines most of the themes, the pointillist tunes run from a little over one to about 6¼ minutes, with some merely theme statements and brief rhythmic elaborations. While grounded in contemporary performance, snatches of notated music from romantic to baroque, gospel, aggressive rock and even country and western often intrude. Only briefly disruptive, these interludes interrupt the consistent drum beats and piano patterns long enough to confirm the human-ness beneath the recurring motifs.

That means vibrating country guitar picking and steel-guitar-like whines add vocal-like echoes to tunes like “Indigent” and “Sassafras”, while a blend of buzzing synthesizer shakes, dial-twisting flanges and twangs from the guitarist enliven “Plex”.

Ironically the track that seems to bridge these diverse elements most appropriately is “Secede”, a group composition. Built around brittle drum cracks, resonating double bass thumps and a recurring single note from the pianist, percussive rat tat tats and sliding guitar frails then add power if not speed to the interaction.

With Small Bridges Diack has shown he can create and express uncomplicated themes. With the talent assembled however, more space for elaboration and individuality would have helped the presentation.

Track Listing: 1. Hollow 2. Plex 3. Depth 4. Quicken 5. Houndstooth 6. Indigent 7. Sassafras 8. Aler 9. Vodemi 10. Secede 11. Loam 12. Dissolver 13. Laund 14. Loesther

Personnel: Patrick O’Reilly (guitar); Jacob Thompson (piano); Brandon Davis (bass) and Robert Diack (drums and synthesizer)

–for MusicWorks Winter 2022/2023