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.


  Ernesto Rodrigues / Bruno Parrinha / Johannes von Buttlar 
  Whispers and Reveries
  (Creative Sources) 


  
   review by Jeph Jerman
  2024-08-29
Ernesto Rodrigues / Bruno Parrinha / Johannes von Buttlar: Whispers and Reveries (Creative Sources)

10 short improvisations from what I take to be another ad hoc grouping of like minds. The emphasis is on quiet, and much attention is paid to those little sounds around the edges of communal gesture � the fine touches that add nuance to the proceedings.

During the first piece a viola melody unwinds with comment from bass clarinet and percussivion, a discourse with encouragement from the gallery. The second section has more flinty, pointillistic playing, with all three men contributing equally. The percussion here is especially inventive.

By the third section, things become more insectile, as Rodrigues adds his crackle box. The electric textures add a sort of alien quality to the overall sound, though they do a fair job of imitating horn timbres at times. It can be difficult to wring anything subtle or controlled out of the little devices, but attempts are made and often pay off. Sometimes I am reminded of early electronic music, all squiggles and bloops. The fourth piece brings back the viola for a nice drone expedition abetted by quiet thumps and percussive swats. You can really hear the room here, and when the crunchy bits get up it's like the walls expand. A nice trick that.

Though broken up into small pieces, the music can be listened to as one long exposition with short pauses for breath. There are sections of relative intensity and plenty of tension and release, and Buttlar is especially good at placing his sounds in surprising yet perfect comment. Later on, when the crackle box returns, it's during a decided rave-up, all crumpled together and whisked vigorously. A bird trapped in your bedroom while you try to budge that stubborn window.







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:


Sam Ospovat/
Expressive Olympics:
Blight Music
(Eclipse Music)



Harriet Tubman (
Ross/
Gibbs/
Lewis) & Georgia Anne Muldrow:
Electrical Field of Love
(Pi Recordings)



Harriet Tubman (
Ross/
Gibbs/
Lewis) & Georgia Anne Muldrow:
Electrical Field of Love
[VINYL]
(Pi Recordings)



Vadim Neselovskyi:
Perseverantia
(Tzadik)



Paul Dunmall Quartet:
Afghan Women
(RogueArt)



Henry Cow:
The Henry Cow Box
Redux: The Complete
Henry Cow
[18 CDs, DVD & 3 BOOKLETS]
(Recommended Records)



John Zorn (
w/ Marsella/
Roeder/
Smith/
Hashimoto):
Alea Iacta Est
(Tzadik)



John Zorn/
John Medeski Trio:
The Bagatelles Vol. 8
(Tzadik)



Suspensao:
Something Ancient
Listens Within Us.
The Light
Has Forgotten
Its Name
But Will Remain.
(Creative Sources)



Barry Chabala/
Clara Byom:
Bella's Ghost
(Squid Note Records)



John Zorn/
The Gnostic Trio (
w/ Frisell/
Wollesen/
Emanuel):
Sing Me Now Asleep
(Tzadik)



John Zorn/
Brian Marsella:
The Bagatelles Vol. 7
(Tzadik)



Re-Ghoster Extended:
Dreaming With
The Lights On
[VINYL]
(Konnekt)



Hannah Marshall:
Grazing
(Relative Pitch)



Ernesto Rodrigues/
Guilherme Rodrigues/
Nuno Torres/
Alexander Von Schlippenbach/
Willi Kellers:
Nickelsdorf
(Creative Sources)



Ivo Perelman (
w/ Marc Ribot/
Elliott Sharp/
Joe Morris):
Trifecta
[3 CDs]
(Mahakala Music)



Marc Copland (
w/ Feldman/
Gress/
Pinciotti/
Henkelhausen/
Burgwinkel):
String Theory
(Inner Voice Jazz)



Gabriel Vicens:
Niebla
(Clepsydra)



Fred Frith/
Karen Stackpole:
Nature
(Sub Rosa)



Magda Mayas' Filamental:
Murmur
(Relative Pitch)







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. (77803)