Thollem’s Travelling Session

Albums are popularly tilted Two Sides of (some musician). But even though he’s in two configurations playing either acoustic piano or synthesizer here, peripatetic improviser Thollem McDonas always exposes more than two side of his art.

McDonas, whose ideal situation is to collaborate with as many other artists as possible no matter where in the world they reside, sticks to the US on the CD’s dozen tracks. Two lengthy improvisations from Chicago involve the pianist with bassist Matt Lux, who has worked with Rob Mazurek, and veteran drummer Avreeayl Ra, who has played with Fred Anderson and many others. Moving on the Philadelphia and the synthesizer McDonas and electronic drums player Ravish Momin, who has worked with Jason Kao Hwang, combine on a series of brief duets.

In spite of what these settings and configurations would suggest, other musical currents are involved on both sets. There are enough percussion clinks and clanks, woody bass thumps and intense keyboard glissandi and pressurized clips to firmly situate both McDonas/Ra/Lux tracks within the tradition of Energy Music. Yet as well as these expected timbre splatters with continuous keyboard smacks, cymbal crashes and spiccato bowing that allow the pieces to churn at a furious rate, other elements are present, either overtly or through suggestion. At one point the rhythm section emphasizes a pseudo-Latin beat. More crucially there are entire interludes in each performance where expressive piano tropes move past narrative embellishments to abut variants of romantic interpretations.

A similar form of redefinition is present on the tracks with Momin. As the percussionist collects his beats from the plugged-in idiophone, the results resemble not only shuffles and backbeats from acoustic playing but also undifferentiated round beats that could come from a drum machine. McDonas introduces a variety of programmed and sourced sounds with electric organ-like pumps, vibraphone-like resonations and electric piano slides and slathers. Yet as parts of the program lists towards the tweaks, stretches and fragment of electronic improvising, others have concentrated foot tapping beats. Play two or three of the disc’s final tracks to a follower of EDM and the person would feel right at home.

As McDonas continues to travel, he’s picking up new influences and expressing his own music in more unique, quirky and profound manners.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Thollem + Lux + Ra 1 2. Thollem + Lux + Ra 3. Intermission 4. Their Eyes Met Only Once 5. Secret Language Of Water 6. Lighthouse Fresnel Flickers In The Storm 7. Eye Of The Drum 8. Stillness Under Water 9. The Tunnel Ceiling Grew Maps 10. The Unseen 11. Hidden In The Saffron Fields 12. Regeneration

Personnel: Thollem McDonas (piano* or synthesizer); Matt Lux (bass)*; Avreeayl Ra (drums)* or Ravish Momin (electronic drums)