The Squid's Ear
Writing about improvised, contemporary, experimental and unusual music,
following the activities of Squidco...
  •  •  •     Join Our Mailing List!



The Squid's Ear




Heard In

Reviews of artist releases:
cd's, books, magazines, &c.


  Izumi Kimura / Artur Majewski / Barry Guy / Ramon Lopez 
  Kind Of Shadow
  (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!)) 


  
   review by Ken Waxman
  2023-06-15
Izumi Kimura / Artur Majewski / Barry Guy / Ramon Lopez: Kind Of Shadow (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Confirming the internationalism of free music, this 11-part improvisation captures an ad-hoc quartet on its first meeting. While British bassist Barry Guy, Spanish percussionist Ramon Lopez and Japanese pianist Izumi Kimura have previously played together, Polish trumpeter Artur Majewski has not. It doesn't matters, for Majewski's deliberately paced brass timbres embellished, enhanced or contorted with electronics, complements the others' musical contributions like perogies with sour cream.

From the very beginning his atmospheric, ethereal breaths are mated with tabla-like thumps from Lopez, chunky double bass throbs and near-formal piano patterns. Although programming lets Majewski's trumpet sometimes create two separate but complementary sounds, on "Part Six", the technical wizardry is only one standout among many. Guy's string rappelling from near the scroll to the spike on "Part Eight", for instance, end with slapping pumps brawnier than associated drum beats. On "Part Four". Kimura's melodic story-telling abruptly transforms to dynamic chording that splatters upwards and downwards into pedal point, turning the exposition sideways as well as forward as bass clunks and rim shots cannily accompanying him. Lopez's rumbles and nerve beats seldom sound as if they're marching to their own drum but intersect with trumpet tones, whether heraldic triplets or half-valve buzzes, arco string squeezes or pizzicato pumps, and relaxed or rigid keyboard comping.

The extended "Part Three" is most indicative of the quartet's strategy. Muffled brass cries face elevated bass plucks and cymbal crashes as Majewski modulates to alp-horn like bleats and electrified growls. Despite the constant tone transmutation all maintain linear emphasis.

Some stomachs could find mixing perogies, tapas, boiled beef and sushi upsetting. As a musical buffet however there's no cleavage.







Comments and Feedback:



More Recent Reviews, Articles, and Interviews @ The Squid's Ear...


The Squid's Ear presents
reviews about releases
sold at Squidco.com
written by
independent writers.

Squidco

Recent Selections @ Squidco:


Derek Bailey/
John Stevens:
The Duke of
Wellington
(Confront)



Paul Dunmall:
Away With
Troubles And Anxieties!
(Discus)



Shifa (
Musson/
Thomas/
Sanders):
Ecliptic
(Discus)



Natsuki Tamura/
Satoko Fujii:
Ki
(Libra)



Borah Bergman/
Anthony Braxton/
Peter Brotzmann:
Eight By Three
(Mixtery)



Hedvig Mollestad Trio:
Bees In
The Bonnet
(Rune Grammofon)



Acid Mothers Temple &
The Melting Paraiso
UFO:
Black Mountain
ide
(Rolling Heads)



Evan Parker/
Bill Nace:
Branches (
Live at Cafe OTO)[VINYL]
(Open Mouth)



Alexander Hawkins/
Taylor Ho Bynum:
A Near Permanent State
Of Wonder
(RogueArt)



Joseph Holbrooke (
w/ Derek Bailey/
Gavin Bryars/
Tony Oxley):
Last Live 2001 -
In Memoriam
Derek Bailey
And
Tony Oxley
[2 CDs]
(Tzadik)



Zeena Parkins:
Modesty Of
The Magic Thing
(Tzadik)



Dave Douglas (
Douglas/
Ridout/
Adewumi/
Brennan/
Pass/
Royston):
Alloy
(Greenleaf Music)



Ivo Pereleman/
Nate Wooley/
Matt Moran/
Mark Helias/
Tom Rainey:
A Modicum
Of the Blues
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)



Angles 11:
Tell Them
It's The Sound Of Freedom
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)



Sifter (
w/ Lisa Mezzacappa):
Flake/
Fracture
(Queen Bee Records)



Jean-Marc Foussat:
Abbatage
(Fou Records)



Chester Hawkins:
Apsis
(Intangible Arts)



Karl Evangelista's Apura +
Andrew Cyrille:
Bukas
(577 Records)



Frode Gjerstad/
Alexander von Schlippenbach/
Dag Magnus Narvesen:
Seven Tracks
(Relative Pitch)



Kaze (
Fujii/
Tamura/
Orins/
Pruvost) with/ Koichi Makigami:
Shishiodoshi
(Circum-Libra)







Squidco
Click here to
advertise with
The Squid's Ear






The Squid's Ear pays its writers.
Interested in becoming a reviewer?




The Squid's Ear is the companion magazine to the online music shop Squidco !


  Copyright © Squidco. All rights reserved. Trademarks. (14988)