| The other side of this, of course, is exactly the music proposed by Filiano and Adams, not any other, but listened in another way, actively, not as a scenario for reading a magazine, having a conversation or driving in the highway. You have to commit yourself to listen to the proposed sounds, to be there, on the spot, and that's why this isn't a duo record, but a trio one.
There's Ken Filiano with his bass and some electronics, there's Steve Adams with his saxophones and flutes and there's you, the guy who really is the reason for the existence of this music. Don't believe those artists who say they play or paint or perform for themselves. They're lying. They do what they do because there's a third party that will testify their creativity. The point is you can do it in an uncompromising manner, not involving yourself in the process, or you can develope a role, your own role. In this case, that means discovering what's hidden on this disc, extracting the diamond from the stone. Everything that sounds, sounds for you. If it doesn't sound for you, it doesn't exist. It's very simple, indeed. The two musicians don't make the task more easier, but why should they? You're pushed to the limits, with only some moments of relaxation to enable you to breath, and soon they install again more and more tension, growing as a tempest in the seashore. It's difficult music only if you're easy.
Truth is that "The Other Side of This" gives us the best of what the most requested of the Brooklyn bassists and the Rova Saxophone Quartet member ever put on record. Do yourself a favor and open those ears. |