Percussion makes oh-so nice with violin, electronics, piano, laptop...

2002 - Songbird Suite


Again, here we have one of my absolute favorite records of all time ever. Released in the very beginning of 2002, I remember ordering this cd for the record store I worked for because I saw Ikue Mori listed in the personnel while browsing the distributors new release catalog. Ikue Mori is one of very few laptop artists that I have an easy time getting down with, but that's a whole topic in and of itself. At the time I wasn't familiar with Susie Ibarra, Craig Taborn or Jennifer Choi.
This album is filled with all types of amazing, exotic percussion work from the insanely talented Susie Ibarra who has done lots and lots of amazing session work in New York, mostly for John Zorn's Tzadik label.
However, despite all of the extremely beautiful work she does here, it was Jennifer Choi who shocked my ears into absolute attention when I first put this disc in to listen.
I have played viola and violin since I was in third grade. When I was younger I played zealously. I wasn't a sports kid, or a cool rocker kid. I was hyper and I had asthma. I did ride a skateboard from the time I was little, but when you start skateboarding to school with a violin case in Spokane, the "cool" skater kids show their true colors.
"Faggot!!"

Nice.
After years of stuffing my head with theory and music history and hours and hours and hours and hours of playing I reached a point where I didn't want to hear classical music EVER AGAIN. I quit playing when I was 18 and didn't pick it up much again except to record some background-y stuff for various bands in Portland. Also, busking outside of Berbati's in downtown with my viola kept me fed for a few rough months in 98 or 99. I never totally abandoned it, but I wasn't too inspired anymore. It made me sad.
Jennifer Choi's performances on this album make me feel passionate about the viol again. Every time I listen. She creates atmospheres throughout these songs that are alternately playful and creepy, frantic and soothing, abrasive and lyrical. Her violin sounds mystic. Mythic. Otherworldly.
Sometimes I wonder if she is playing it at all, or whether it is compelling her to allow it to speak. I know it sounds weird and dramatic, and it is, but this is NOT a completely inaccesible record by any means. Don't be scared.
The album is beautiful.
This album is definitely in print and available from the Tzadik website directly. Stores can certainly special order it, but you're unlikely to just run across a copy in stock at the average record store.

Pharoah I

For my first post I wanted to share some albums from one of my absolute favorite tenor saxophonists, Pharoah Sanders. This isn't by any means a complete collection of the massive body of incredible work this man has produced, but it's a damn fine place to start. This guy plays his horn as though his life depended on it. His playing is a fantastic example of how viscerally human a saxophone can sound.

1966 - Tauhid

I always get the sense that he's feeling a little cautious on this record considering what he blasts out over the next few years. Still, it's a beautiful record and I think his first on Impulse out of the shadow of the Col-train.

1969 - Izipho Zam

The first time I heard this must have been in about 1999 and I didn't really know Pharoah Sanders work very well. I was at work (crate crawling) in the warehouse-like record store I spent my time in back then and someone put this on. Probably Grover, or Scott... I don't remember. Anyway, at the time it didn't catch my attention much until the title track itself started. This has to be my first time hearing Sonny Sharrock as well... Anyway, musically, the kinds of things that happen in this song are exactly what makes out jazz madness so fucking compelling. This is definitely taking things out on a long, long limb, but the whole time it never stops sounding... lyrical? Whatever it is, you never lose the sensation of being in the middle of a SONG. The math is heavy, but it never disconnects and becomes mechanical. For me, the first of many "whoa" moments I've had listening to this guy play on various sessions. You can't get a CD of this one here in the US. I guess Impulse doesn't care for this one too much? I however, totally dig it.





1969 - Karma

This one just absolutely kills it. I've listened to this album so many times I couldn't begin to count. Descriptions don't do it justice. Just listen.




1971 - Village Of The Pharoahs

This one used to be pretty hard to track down. For a long time it was only released as a Japanese import on CD. I was excited when I found it but a little surprised when I heard it. This is a soooper mellow record. Smoky room music for sure.






1972 - Live At The East

Impulse has yet to release this album on CD. Why? I guess no one over there realizes that they are sitting on such a fucking gem of a record. Lucky for you, I have vinyl! :)