Album of the Week: August 17-23

[Joe Christmas]

[url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5349909&frm=lk_organissimo

Hopefully a week's notice isn't TOO pressing. This disc can be found just about anywhere online, as well as Border's, Tower, etc. Great disc that has had me returning often throughout the year.

[J.A.W.]

Great choice! This is an absolutely wonderful disc, that's regularly available from CDUniverse.

[.:.impossible]

Who the hell chose Al for album of the week?!

[David Williams]

That reminds me, I haven't given proper time to this.

[David Williams]

As Joe probably doesn't like to blow his own trumpet (or bow his own viola), here's a link to the interview with Mat Maneri on his www.bagatellen.com site: interview.

[Joe Christmas]

1) Who pulled Impossible's string?

2) David, thank you for the kind plug. Allow me to plug your plug with a plug for Milazzo:

Tim Berne Interview

[David Williams]

I've a feeling there may not be too many responses to this one, so why don't you hit us with both barrels to help things along Joe? I'm on holiday for two weeks from Wednesday, so give me some food for thought and I'll take the CD with me.

I love the concept of this album, with the alternating group and solo programming. The more I hear it, the more it sounds like a mournful masterpiece. There is an obvious mid 70's Miles feeling to it (even without either trumpet or guitar), some absolutely beautiful electric, and even wah-wah, viola (even Hendrix-like maybe?), and the title track is a tou-de-force - when Parker goes all subterranean near the end of that track.... oh my word!

I have to get some more Maneri.

Edited August 18, 2003 by David Williams

[Joe Christmas]

I was immediately surprised at the direction Maneri took with this record. Most of his projects prior are acoustic to the Nth degree, with no leanings toward equilibrium among the instruments (at their own expense). This on the other hand, like David said, is an electric album before anything else, but one that works incredibly well without Mat losing any of the tricks and tones that are his signature.

Some thoughts:

This is the first recording in ages that I've found myself hanging on William Parker's playing. He was clearly inspired here to break out of the patterns that have, IMO, made him so FUCKING predictable in recent years. He has some truly beautiful moments.

When SUSTAIN first came out I remember someone telling me that McPhee had recorded separately with overdubs weeks after the original was put to tape. Allow me to call bullshit on that. McPhee is in the zone in ways that can only be produced through direct group interaction. The first notes of his on the second track are evidence to that, as are the responses to him from the strings. Is his soprano playing not beautiful here?

Taborn and Cleaver are two of the few members that comprise the "good side of the force" in New York's current improv scene. Taborn had me convinced when I heard him on Maneri's BLUE DECCO a few years back that he would be a critical component in any group, on any recording, as long as the chemistry was right and he had room to move. It's one of those personal long bets that has played itself out over and over during the last couple of years. There is zero campiness or tendency to wax whimsical in his keyboard playing and SUSTAIN shows a huge, beautiful advance in his vocabulary on the instrument, even beyond his stuff on Berne's SHELL GAME, though the latter is a quite more energetic. Cleaver is just the shit. Improv doesn't need any more show-stopping technicians, no dry mechanics, no predictable time-keeping; Cleaver's a remedy to all of those things in modern percussion, someone who brings (what sounds like) a lot of himself to the fore.

I can't say I understand the "intent" behind the music on SUSTAIN, but what I hear is a fully engaging suite of music that gives me exactly what I want to hear from a group of exceptionally talented and stimulating musicians. It's great to hear McPhee wax reflective on his horns right here at home, away from his Euro buddies. Really nice too to hear him play with a group of young guys who know what the hell they're doing, even with the somber sketches provided by Maneri.

If there's any strike for me against SUSTAIN it is the super-heavy treatment in the production. The electric stuff must be accounted for in the balance, but I found myself anyway wanting some of the rawness heard on other Mat records. But it's probably not too big a deal as this record gets a shitload of play here at Christmas headquarters.

David, are you going anywhere for your vacation?

[David Williams]

I can't say I understand the "intent" behind the music on SUSTAIN, but what I hear is a fully engaging suite of music

I had exactly the same thought while I was listening on my walk to work last week: it's sonically gorgeous, but compelling for more reasons than that. And I'm assuming the production is part of the concept.

I didn't realise this is his first electric venture. The only other thing I have him on is Joe Maneri's 'Get Ready To Receive Yourself'.

Holiday destination: Minorca, Mediterranean - first proper beach-style holiday-in-the-sun since '91 - the children will think they've gone to heaven - I'm looking forward to it big-time too.

Edited March 31, 2006 by Jim Alfredson

[Joe Christmas]

You dog! Have fun, man.

[Big Al]

Pin this baby!

I think I'm just gonna sit back and read this one. I don't have it, and the lineup doesn't intirgue me (at this point), but that could change over time.

[Rob C]

I wasn't even planning to register on this forum, but damned if I can let this masterpiece's thread wither away with only 10 posts. This is a GREAT record. Wonderfully atmospheric.

I'm thinking about the title, too: I read somewhere the idea that the song cycle reflects life, birth through death, in which case I suppose "Sustain" could refer to sustaining hardships through life, or maybe to music's role is sustaining us through them. It's also more literally desriptive: a lot of the notes, especially on the solo pieces, seem to just hang in the air an almost unreasonable amount of time. Contemplative.

I'm also very happy to see Mr. McPhee getting some more "mainstream" exposure courtesy of Thirsty Ear, which is currently one of my favorite labels--in part because of this record. As for his participation being overdubs, I'm just going to pretend I never even heard that.

[.:.impossible]

Mat Maneri featuring Joe McPhee ||||||||||||||||||||||| Sustain

First off, I love the progression of this disc. It really moves. I am not all that familiar with any of the musicians, nor am I familiar with any music that resides in its general proximity. While I might be inclined to compare it to a Miles Davis moment in the late 1960s, I feel that this somehow disregards exactly what it is this ensemble is doing.

Immediate observations from this vantage point are Gerald Cleaver’s loose and timely drumming and Craig Taborn’s central nervous. He gets the solo space in “In Peace” and plays a multi-layered invitation for horn, viola, bass and drum to comment. Here, Taborn’s station is the axis of which all sounds revolve.

His “Alone (Construct),” which seems to be constructed entirely on acoustic piano, makes use of device as percussive as a cymbal, as soft as shore break, as changing as a slideshow. Slides of color, slides of well-placed subject, slides of candid occurrence. It begins as simply as it ends as we join the ensemble and William Parker’s opening statement, a tuneful and spacious guide into “Sustain.”

“Sustain” is an eerily beautiful blending of tones from Maneri and Taborn awash with the large and quiet cymbals of Gerald Cleaver’s kit. McPhee appears for solo space here and builds a great ensemble sound, deep and wide. He makes himself quiet and disappears among the massive together sound.

William Parker’s solo statement is titled “Alone (Unravel).” This is a brilliant and varied arco expression. I hear tambourines.

“Nerve!” Wide open. Mat is an electrified wah. I almost didn’t realize and mistook him for more of Taborn’s sonic expansion. The tempo doubles what has previously been presented. Parker’s repetitive quarter notes drive Cleaver and Maneri into a mad duet as Taborn comps his way into some solo space of his own. Cleaver lays quietly into Parker’s findings and we have a trio situation, a contorted groove. Maneri joins and invites McPhee and “Nerve” jumbles itself into “Never.” I love it. The freedom and the electricity and the rock! The music sort of settles momentarily into a “free funk” sound and McPhee repeats a soulful vamp before deterioration. Cleaver sounds like a washing machine and a great hi-hat and Maneri takes it out with a parting shot.

“Alone (Cleanse)” opens with an unrecognizable, yet familiar sound. Like a gullwing scraping across a nice, thick piece of coping. It rattles and shakes, scrapes, rumbles, thumps a resounding quietness. How Cleaver evokes such quietness with his percussion, I do not know. He seems to be a very controlled and experienced drummer.

Taborn sits at piano and opens “Divine” alongside McPhee’s “bowed” sound. His wail is hushed and echoed by Maneri’s strings. As Maneri becomes Taborn’s electric sound, McPhee becomes Maneri’s natural viola sound. Parker and Taborn sway up and down together and the ensemble swells in size. Cleaver’s loose timekeeping propels this ebbing motion and pulls steadily outward. The sounds blend wonderfully.

McPhee ends the piece with a solo statement of his own, “Alone (Mourn).” If this is a soprano saxophone, this is a sound that I have never heard a soprano saxophone make before. What sounds like a breathy wood flute, sometimes bears evidence of a reed. I am uncertain, but it doesn’t matter. It is beautiful and it is short. The piece is brought to a close and there is resolve. Sustain brings a new palette of sounds to my imagination and a calm feeling to my spirit.

|||||||||||||||||||||||

01 Alone (Origin) ||||||||||||||| Maneri (solo statement)

02 In Peace |||||||||||||| Taborn (solo w/ensemble)

03 Alone (Construct) |||||||||||| Taborn (solo statement)

04 Sustain ||||||||||| McPhee (solo w/ensemble)

05 Alone (Unravel) |||||||||||||| Parker (solo statement)

06 Nerve ||||||||| Ensemble (group improv)

07 Alone (Cleanse) |||||||||||||||||| Cleaver (solo statement)

08 Divine |||||||||| Ensemble (group improv)

09 Alone (Mourn) |||||||||||| McPhee (solo statement)

Much of what is recorded here can be considered group improvisation, though I had identified certain sections as I listened for my own use. Aside from his “Alone” contribution, I do not ever remember Maneri really taking a space to solo in the way that Taborn or McPhee do. The same can be said for Parker and Cleaver. Their sound never projects itself into the foreground as a “solo.”

edits are in bold

Edited August 21, 2003 by impossible

[Rob C]

I happened to pick up a spring drum in an instrument store recently. I'd never seen one before. Is that what Cleaver used on his solo piece? Anyone?

[Gary]

Thats a fine avatar Rob C.

I played that LP to my wife recently & she refused to believe how old it was .

(sorry for going off topic everybody).

[Dmitry]

I gave it an abridged spin at the Virgin yesterday, at one of their cd scanner hubs[a great thing, btw. you can play almost every US-released cd to get a taste before buying].

I know, it's sometimes impossible to deduct a real value of an album from 5 minutes at the listening station, but Sustain didn't grab me.

reading these posts, especially the mention of similarity between Sustain and Miles electric work makes me curious to check it out again.

[Rob C]

I would say that Sustain, even more than most records, requires more than one hearing to appreciate.

[DrJ]

Must check this one out. I am clueless about all the principals, and have wanted to explore their work, so this seems like a good starting place. Thanks for the tip, will try to get it on my next buying binge.

[.:.impossible]

Tony,

I look forward to hearing what you think of it! I am going to have to check out "Going To Church" next

[Steve Reynolds]

Al:

excellent review - you put my thoughts about the recording into your words!

[sal]

I know, it's sometimes impossible to deduct a real value of an album from 5 minutes at the listening station, but Sustain didn't grab me.

Hello everyone:

I've never posted in this "Album of the Week" topic before, so I hope its not against the rules to talk about an album that's not part of this "week". But I saw Dmitry's post below and had to respond.

I love this album. I find it to be quite amazing.

The thing about it is that it MUST be listened to in its entirity. Even more so than "A Love Supreme". Each piece of this album is a part of a whole statement. It simply doesn't work when listened to bit by bit. I can see why listening it for 5 minutes didn't work....it wouldn't have worked for me either. All at once, or not at all. I hope you give it a chance, Dimitry! I'm sure you'll like it.

[.:.impossible]

I agree Sal. You can't just jump in on any track. The progression of the entire disc has to be heard to really be appreciated.