Mars Williams/Darin Gray/Chris Corsano-Elastic; Corbett vs. Dempsey Records, Mars Arhive #3, 2023

 

It must be admitted by Disaster Amnesiac that the only that I saw Mars Williams play, it was in Berkeley and that he was a member of the Psychedelic Furs. They were headlining over the Church, Mrs. Amnesiac's favorite band. She wasn't digging the volume that the Furs were playing at, and we had to split (my love happy that she got a nice house mix for the Church), but not before I got to hear what were pretty clearly to me Albert Ayler riffs from Mr. Williams. A very smiley moment, I must say. Mars Williams has left this dimension, but Corbett vs. Dempsey Records has been treating fans of Improvised Music to disc-long goods from his archive. Disaster Amnesiac has recently copped Elastic, featuring bassist Darin Gray and drummer Chris Corsano and Mars of course on reeds and toys. Starting off very powerfully on Set One 1 and then simmering down for the most part into some really Chicago-styled interactive motion, Elastic is a very compelling listen, top to bottom. Williams plays full out when he wants to, then by turns laying off a bit to let his two fellow sound explorers go into their areas of expertise. I mean, is that a trumpet or some extended technique that Chris has been developing? Does Darin have a drumstick wedged within his upright, thereby getting those really great percussive thwacks at times? This trio is drum tight and Elastic is an evidentiary document of seasoned, engaged players plying their knowledge in ways that are fun and listenable, at least for this human. How about you, assuming that you're still also human?