Below: singing sousaphone player, Nogales High School Jazz Band Alumni
Below: Jack Walrath Quintet
Walrath told some great stories about Charles Mingus, and this quintet played some pretty great versions of music by both composers. Nice to hear some live Jazz!
Pleasurable listening it's been, too! From the slippery rhythms and chill vibes of Klartraum, which also features a neat little Baroque-like lietmotif to the Boogie steps of Bel Air with its abstracted beats and lush chords and on to the more traditionally Electronic vibes of the swirly Sandworm, where you just have to love the addition of sruti box beats, enjoyment abounds from Virevolte. One is also treated to an auditory gallop on Horses and a kind of abstract nocturne from Aquablue, while Redite offers up the best of the sparseness of good Trip Hop. Each song on the album is in many ways its own little world, and yet Kate Phore makes the entire thing hang together as a very relatable and listenable whole work.
As stated, a very pleasurable listen can be found within Virevolte. Disaster Amnesiac probably has to thank all of the Hip Hop and related artists from the past 40-odd years for helping my perceptions to be open to its perspective. That said, Kate Phore is quite obviously mining an aesthetic path of their own design, one that takes their influences and sculpts them into original new shapes.
Quite the pleasure to have done so, too. Ginny shows herself to be an emerging talent, coming from the Singer/Songwriter area of musical production. If the promo sheet is to be believed, the songs that make up If I'm originated from her sketches, ones that were brought into a studio (where the recording engineer is clearly very skilled) and fleshed out into more fully realized tunes. The resultant work, featuring "uncertain language, halfway between dream and reality", floats compellingly from the speakers and into the ears. I for one am very glad to hear works from the Singer/Songwriter aesthetic that feature cool flourishes such as the glassy percussive sounds on Apology Cards or the rich cello chords of 5 More Minutes. Ginny's guitar playing makes for perfect frames for her lyrics, the best of which reads "I'll make myself seem small/just to fit in your back pocket" on Back Pocket; that seems pretty romantic to me, and it suits the overall tenor of the lyrical topics on the entire album. Humble, quiet, but slowly burning love I'd say. If I'm not loving you could be a great album for listening while chilling out or traveling with your honey, this much is clear. Disaster Amnesiac's most notable experience with it was the way in which it delicately framed a morning spent sipping coffee and watching a neighbor from across the street pull weeds. That may sound mundane, but, with If I'm playing it took on aspects of the sublime. Plus, its songs echoed in my head for hours after listening.
One bit of criticism that Disaster Amnesiac would like to bring up is that Ginny's vocal inflections at times seemed a bit derivative of other singers. That said, I'm sure that as she writes, performs, and records, Ginny's personal voice will emerge even more.
Get on out there and do it, and send along your results, they won't go unnoticed at this blog. I will probably have to pull myself away from my characteristic odd sounds, but, as stated, it's good to get of your lane once in a while.
Along with the group playing, Galut shows Alan Sondheim's continuing development on many stringed instruments. As with all of his of recorded output, it's fascinating to hear him stretch the bounds of physicality with his fingers on tracks such as Bombrun (acoustic guitar) or evoke rural sunrises/sunsets on Cifteli (some other stringed axe). It's been stated so many times at this blog, but it bears repeating that Alan's pushing and skittering playing aesthetics are wonderful to hear and that they always present compelling listening experiences. The way that he just goes for it on Rsh is a fine example of what I'm talking about. One just has to hang on for the ride, trust me, it's worth it for the perceptive brain.
Disaster Amnesiac would be remiss to not mention the tunes featuring Azure Carter. Her questing, questioning alto singing of lyrics on Notawar and Beforethefield evince the continuing developments between her and Alan. Their simpatico, and its evolution shows no signs of ceasing, and it's always cool to hear.
Galut represents both new paths forged and explorations of familiar areas from the vast sound world of Alan Sondheim. As such, it should be welcomed by both long-time fans and newly minted ones. It's Disaster Amnesiac's hope that is sells like a million copies. The United States needs something like this to happen, hell, the entire world could use that! If anyone has worked for and deserves that type of appreciation, it's Alan Sondheim!
Lastly, what does ZADL stand for? ESP Disk' products, so mysterious, always!
