Sequenza21/The Contemporary Classical Music Weekly

Monday, April 10, 2006

Extended and Out There

The Sound According to John
John Belcher
Abdul Mateen, Alioune Cissoko, Bolu Fatunmise, Dorothy Jungels, Phil Stalworth and instruments/sounds
Innova Records

This CD is not for everyone. At the same time, it is diverse enough to appeal to a wide range of people. There are elements of Reich's early voice phase pieces (Come Out, It's Gonna Rain that grabbed someone with my fondness of minimalism. There are elements of Meredith Monk's innovative vocal writing, which also grabbed me since I like many of her works. Some things sounded like a gamelan, even resembling Cage's early prepared piano pieces (and yes, I like these as well). Finally, the album closes with a tape recorded sound collage, not quite to the level of some of Charlemagne Palestine's more recent work, but still something different.

It's hard to summarize what this album consists of, except that a unifying element is that of rhythm and spontaneity. Is it original? Probably not. But who cares? It is certainly a breath of fresh air, and an album that many people will find something to really listen to over and over.

Duos
Ellen Burr
Ellen Burr, Sara Schoenbeck, Andrew Pask, Jeanette Kangas, Steuart Liebig
pfMENTUM

If you really like extended wind techniques (multiphonics, growling, etc.), then this album would appeal to you. Each work on this CD is for either one or two wind instruments, at times combined with percussion. There is a good deal of improvisation involved, and the performers are clearly dedicated and talented. Burr is a flautist and has worked with both John Cage and Jean-Pierre Rampal in the past.

I found it challenging to listen to this album. A lot of it reminded me of many other works involving extended wind techniques that have come and gone over the decades (e.g. Riding the Wind by Harvey Sollberger). The strongest moments on this CD, to my ears, come when the winds are used melodically (as with the third piece on the CD, Permutations '62), rather than combined with a host of effects. I wish I could have gotten into the album more than I did, even after repeated listening. But it didn't grab me, although it almost certainly will find people who do "get it." It just wasn't my taste, and that isn't a reflection on the composer and her fellow performers.

posted by David Toub 12:02 PM