•
Rating: De Rivolutionibus Orbium
One thing is certain: if there were (around here, I mean) a star ready to explode/implode, I would not like to belong to that dying/budding galaxy (the latest studies seem to assert that the mid-August sun is, besides being a super-strong light bulb, not exactly a Hollywoodian star); therefore as long as we speak in a S.A.M.-manner (Sound-Allusive-Metaphorical), we can also discuss it, but let no one think of detonating anything to record a disc (as interesting as it may be) please.
"The cosmic perspective is always interesting. We always talk in terms of space 'out there' but in reality we too are 'out there' in space: we belong to a point of the cosmic map and WE ARE IN SPACE" Robert Mazurek
With that established, Mr. Mazurek the tireless worker and his not precisely jazz/orchestral/contemporary ensemble of musical-exploders fundamentally have peaceful and purely astronomical/voyeuristic-executive intentions, and with joy and grace I delve into the brief analysis of such a sidereal, convulsionist/Copernican musical reality.
Structurally the celestial body, although chronologically divided into 12 cumulonimbi, is composed of three dense and well-distinguished musico-gaseous layers: "Sting Ray and the Beginning of Time" (which is further divided into four diversified sub-sections), "Black Sun" (an intimate pianistic bridge precursor of the jazzy catharsis to come), "Cosmic Tomes for Sleep Walking Lovers" hosting the additional and chameleonic/hovering five fragments.
From the earliest signs and even without any astrofi(lo)s[of]ical-erudition, the initial eleven minutes and a bit of the first incandescent nugget in review leave the curious eavesdropper more than satisfied (if not completely captivated): the sophisticated, pindaric, thunderous and rich passages enriching the melange of stacked brass, percussive stratifications, daring tetragonies guitar/vibraphone/piano/keyboard represent an authentic and powerful elixir for long listening for those in the persistent search of (relatively)new audio-stimuli and satisfactory pentagrammatic perceptions.
The sensation caused by the complete listening of such a work is that of admiring a striking sound-constellation characterized by a very high density of executive richness, blinding design strength and not least intrinsic spectacularity: those more into the subject matter will likely find veiled references to the Sun Ra (Orchestra) or the finest USA-Central European Jazz mutations/divagations, in any case, one breathes (even in space) a "new" air: a thick series of elements (contemporary, jazz, improv., free, psychedelia, hard-bop and who knows what else) are miraculously gathered (not overlapped) and rendered exquisitely accessible. This happens even when the scores become dangerously incidented [the clattering "C.T.F.S.W.L., Part 1" or the pandemonic "S.R.A.T.B.O.T. Part 3 (Psycho-Tropic Electric Eel Dream)"]: the result is never thorny or self-contained; to put it scientifically: "Finer structures are no longer recognized individually. Their reflections blend together and produce a color nuance perceived as homogeneous" (bravo to Kuppers and his theory of optical mixing: as if I had written it myself).
Klassiko disko, in short, that would also delight Margherita Hack a lot.
* Chicago Underground Duo/Trio/Quartet/Orchestra, Isotope 217, Tigersmilk, Mandarin Movie, Sao Paulo Underground et-(quartet)cetera
** Rob Mazurek (direction, cornet, electronics); Nicole Mitchell (flute, voice); Jeb Bishop (trombone); Corey Wilkes (flugelhorn); Josh Berman (cornet); Matt Bauder (bass clarinet, tenor sax); Jeff Parker (guitar); Jim Baker (piano, keyboards); Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone); Matt Lux (electric bass); Jason Ajemian (double bass); Mike Reed, John Herndon, John McEntire (drums, percussion)
Loading comments slowly
