Foxy Digitalis
It’s been an excellent autumn for those, like myself, who have an appreciation for Robbie Lee’s unique sound worlds. As part of a trio with James Ilgenfritz and Brian Chase, Loss & Gain was released by Infrequent Seams this month, and now Relative Pitch gives us the spectacular Prismatist. “Duskfallen” opens the album and showcases Lee’s spellbinding ability […]
Few recordings have left a bigger impression this year than Cecilia Lopez’s incredible RED(DB). This adaptation of her piece, Red, for drums and bass is monumental in more ways than one. Beyond its physical size and scope, the performance itself is something from another world. Lopez’s ability to bring a seemingly endless number of disparate threads together […]
Even if 2000 Miles is a solo saxophone record, there’s something wholly percussive about it. Erin Rogers plays with a focused force, moving deftly across the keys and finding every sonic possibility of the instrument. The lightspeed clicks as she dances lightly in the air on the opener, “Waxing (Home I)” instantly commands attention. Extended notes flutter […]
When an album opens with “March Motherfucker” and “Dance Motherfucker,” it’s going to be one hell of a ride. Brandon Lopez joins up with saxophonist Steve Baczkowski and first-call drummer Gerald Cleaver (along with Cecilia Lopez on synthesizer for one piece) to crank out a first-rate slab of free jazz experimentation. Veering between straight on […]
Few things get my blood flowing like seeing and/or hearing a mind-bending concept not just come to life, but surpass all reasonable expectations. Cecilia Lopez’s incredible piece, Red (DB), looks and sounds incredible on paper, but watching the video of the performance and listening to these sonic tapestries, it becomes one of the most captivating […]
I’ve been sitting with this album for a while now, trying to come up with something cohesive to write about and continually falling short. Truth is, gabby fluke-mogul’s threshold is one of the most intense and captivating releases of 2021 so far. These six pieces mostly for violin bristle and connect on a physical level. It’s as […]
I am constantly bowled over by the depth and breadth of Susan Alcorn’s work. Working with cellist Leila Bordreuil and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock on Bird Meets Wire, interesting and exciting new avenues are unlocked and explored. The trio’s music is, at times, discordant like a shock to the system. These often revelatory tonal combinations grow into […]
This one snuck out last fall and I totally missed it until now, but longtime-fave Samara Lubelski firing off two side-long solo violin improvisations (with a beautiful cover by Bill Nace as a bonus) is essential listening. Lubelski has written and released so much incredible music in the last 20+ years, always exploring new avenues […]