| Recorded at The Knitting Factory in 1999, the musicians meld avant-garde chamber ideologies with hefty doses of improvisation, featuring Joe McPhee’s soprano sax work during selected spots. On a side note, the copy I own states that McPhee performs on trumpet, which is incorrect. Otherwise, the music iterated here comprises furious staccato passages with darkly hued notions of a stark reality.
The string quartet’s athletic exercises are tempered by nimble multi-phased exchanges, variable flows, and circuitous excursions amid a few droning interludes. McPhee generates steam while also taking the edge off on the piece titled “Part 2.” Peaks, valleys and wide open vistas come to fruition amid walking struts and bustling patterns. In essence, the musicians pursue a potpourri of mood-evoking mini-motifs, as the “live” element transfers rather effectively to disc. – Glenn Astarita |