The Squid's Ear Magazine


Thollem / Wimberly / Cline: Radical Empathy (Relative Pitch)

A trio of collective-improvisers recording in NYC's East Village in 2015 for exceptionally sympathetic dialog, instigated by electric keyboard improvisor Thollem McDonas, with Nels Cline on guitar and Charles Gayle cohort Michael Wimberly on drums; Fred Frith liner notes!
 

Price: $13.95



Quantity:

In Stock

Quantity in Basket: None

Log In to use our Wish List
Shipping Weight: 3.00 units


EU & UK Customers:
Discogs.com can handle your VAT payments
So please order through Discogs

Sample The Album:





product information:

Personnel:



Michael Wimberly-drums

Nels Cline-electric guitar, effects

Thollem McDonas-electric effected acoustic piano, analog outfitters AO44, modified electric piano/effects.


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




UPC: 616892297840

Label: Relative Pitch
Catalog ID: RPR1041
Squidco Product Code: 20901

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2015
Country: USA
Packaging: Digipack
Recorded at Rivington 66 in New York City, New York in February 3rd, 2015 by Eli Crews.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

From Friday, November 17 - Thursday, November 16, 2017 Squidco & Relative Pitch are offering Thollem / Wimberly / Cline: Radical Empathy for $9.95 Sale - save $4 (regular price $13.95)
Orders with Thollem / Wimberly / Cline: Radical Empathy will ship around November 23, 2017

"I love this record. I thought I probably would, but the reality surpassed my expectations. Maybe because so many more questions are posed and elegant solutions put forward than I had imagined before I heard it. About tuning and timbre. Density and openness. Repetition and memory. About style and genre and the nature of technique. Flashes of Larry Young and Tony Williams Lifetime when they were re-defining jazz forever. Tristano. Sharrock. Subtle alterations, treatments, processes. Relentless kinetic energy. Above all, an appreciation for how to find and hang on to your place in a narrative unfolding at speed. For the fact that structure is not what is imposed, but what is revealed. For how the recording process affects sound and performance. If empathy is the capacity for putting yourself in someone else's shoes, then these are truly empathetic players, which we hear at every twist and turn. But I'm also struck by something about physics, about the nature of mass and the strength of mutual gravitational attraction. This music seems to exist as much on that basic level as on any other, and as such it is compelling and fun. Like watching asteroids. Or blades of grass. Or shoals of fish. Or birds."-Fred Frith, from the liner notes


Artist Biographies

"Michael Wimberly was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio during the civil rights era, surrounded by the toxic fumes of steel mills and buoyed by a sea of blue-collar workers. This is where Wimberly's early beginnings in soul, funk, rock, jazz, and classical music began. Beating rhythms on the hoods of cars and boxes while dancing to the pulsating music of James Brown, Sly Stone, Funkadelic, and Aretha Franklin...the spirit of revolution was in the air.

It was during Wimberly's undergraduate years at Baldwin Wallace University that the rhythms from the streets connected him to the rhythms of West Africa and 20th century contemporary music. During his graduate years at Manhattan School of Music, Wimberly broadened his musical palette studying electronic and improvised music. Music of the African Diaspora and improvisation has become key components of Wimberly's musical excavations and explorations. These explorations connected him with master musicians from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, South America and Europe. He's performed with funk legends George Clinton and the Parliament Funkedelic; The Boys Choir of Harlem; Paul Winter Consort; rock icons: Vernon Reid, Henry Rollins, and Blondie; R&B royalty: Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson, D'Angelo, Angie Stone and Alyson Williams. Wimberly has been a featured artist with Berlin's Rundfunk Symphony, Vienna's Tonkuntsler Symphony, Leipzig Symphony, and International Region Symphony Orchestra performing compositions of Daniel Schnyder, as well as his own orchestral compositions performed by Yakima Symphony Orchestra, and Sage City Symphony of Vermont.

As a composer and sound designer, Wimberly's compositions have been performed by dance companies Urban Bush Women, Joffrey Ballet II, Alvin Ailey, Ailey II, Philadanco, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, Joan Millers Dance Players, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Noir, Alpha Omega, Purelements, and The National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique. Film scores include As An Act of Protest by Dennis Leroy Moore, and Atlantic City Lights by Brent Owens for HBO. Sound design for theatre includes Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream for the Classical Theatre of Harlem, Saint Lucy's Eyes by Bridgette Wimberly for the Women's Project & Cherry Lane Theatre, and Iced Out, Shackled and Chained for the National Black Theatre for which Wimberly received two Audelco nominations."

-Bennington College (https://www.bennington.edu/academics/faculty/michael-wimberly)
10/2/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Nels Courtney Cline (born January 4, 1956 in Los Angeles) is an American guitarist and composer. He has been the guitarist for the band Wilco since 2004.

He first came to prominence in the 1980s playing jazz, often in collaboration with his twin brother Alex Cline, a drummer. Since then, he has worked with a wide range of musicians in punk and alternative rock, notably Mike Watt and Thurston Moore. He also leads the groups the Nels Cline Singers and Nels Cline Trio.

Cline was named the 82nd greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in November 2011."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nels_Cline)
10/2/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Thollem is a pianist, keyboardist, organist, composer, improviser, singer-songwriter, activist, author and teacher. He's spent his life skirting and erasing the edges of boundaries musically, culturally, geographically. His work is ever changing, evolving and responding to the times and his experiences, both as a soloist and in collaboration with hundreds of artists across idioms and disciplines. Though Thollem's widely known as an acoustic piano player, he's also the lead vocalist for the Italian agit-punk band Tsigoti and has recently branched out significantly into the world of electronics through a multitude of projects.

Thollem was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, studying the standard classical piano repertoire, composing and improvising since he was a young child and absorbing the myriad of sounds of his culturally diverse upbringing. After dedicating his 20s and 30s to grassroots political activism, he's refocused his attention these last 15 years on a breadth of musics that incorporate his myriad experiences and curiosities. In this last decade alone, he has played well over 1,000 concerts throughout N. America and Europe as a soloist and in collaboration with hundreds of musicians, dancers, and filmmakers. As leader or co-leader, he has released over 50 albums in that span on 22 different vanguard labels to international critical acclaim. "Thollem is an astounding pianist who understands the huge scope of the instrument" (Terry Riley) and who continues to delve into the furthest reaches and sub-genres of Post-Classical, Free Jazz, Noise, Punk, dance and film. A brief cross section of his many recent collaborators include William Parker, Pauline Oliveros, Stefano Scodanibbio, Nels Cline, Mike Watt, Rob Mazurek, Martha Colburn and ACVilla. He is the founding director of Estamos Ensemble, a Mexican-American cross border ensemble for musical exchange as well as the lead singer of the Italian agit-punk band Tsigoti. Presently Thollem is developing an audio/visual experience about America through an 8 month, 48 state odyssey with his partner the videographer ACVilla. He's also a published author about art, politics and his travels in The Anthology of Essays On Deep Listening, Full Moon Magazine (Prague) and First American Art Magazine."

-Thollem McDonas Website (http://www.thollem.com/bio.html)
10/2/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Radical Empathy 3:42

2. Rain Drops To 2:36

3. Rouge Thinkers 3:14

4. Pores 3:03

5. Thinkers Mix 4:14

6. Howled Ground 5:13

7. The Middle 4:50

8. So To Seep 3:00

9. Thought Pools 5:01

10. The Second Middle 2:35

11. To The Core 4:14

12. Pools Up 2:26

13. Of Being 3:08

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
West Coast/Pacific US Jazz
Trio Recordings

Search for other titles on the label:
Relative Pitch.


Recommended & Related Releases:
Futterman, Joel / Michael Wimberly
Innerpause
(Creation Music)
The result of two formidably versatile improvisers--pianist Joel Futterman and drummer/percussionist Michael Wimberly--meeting in Futterman's home city of Virginia Beach for a session of collective, spontaneous improvisation, is this magnificent two-part work released as the unedited live first takes, an epic journey through masterful technique and compelling expression.
Dykstra, Jordan / Brian McOmber
Blow the Man Down (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(Editions Verde)
A powerful set of succint compositions, themes and sea shanties for the soundtrack for Danielle Krudy and Bridget Savage Cole's film Blow the Man Down , scored through the collaboration of composers Jordan Dykstra, who also performs on viola, piano, prepared piano, vibraphone & percussion, and Brian Mcomber, who also performs on keyboards and percussion.
Rodrigues / Parrinha / McDonas / Flak / Oliveira
The Fleeting Nature Of Time
(Creative Sources)
Excellent pacing with introspective richness and detail through five improvisations, as US pianist Thollem McDonas joins Portuguese improvisers Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Bruno Parrinha on alto clarinet, Flak on acoustic guitar and Jose Oliveira on percussion for this studio recording in Lisbon, each passage reflecting a word from the title; inspired and beautiful.
Thollem
Obstacle Illusion
(Astral Spirits)
Taken from concerts during Thollem's 3-month European tour, at Centro d'Arte dell'Università di Padova; AngelicA at Teatro San Leonardo in Bologna; and Rassegna di Nuova Musica 39, performing on acoustic pianos or a Korg Wavestate, showing his technically impressive, creative drive over a diverse set of approaches to solo piano improvisation.
Schoenbeck, Sara
Sara Schoenbeck
(Pyroclastic Records)
A document of bassoonist Sara Shoenbeck's collaborations recorded between 2019-2021 in recording studios across North America, showing the inspired curiosity she brings to improvisation through a diverse set of duos performed with Harris Eisenstadt, Nicole Mitchell, Nels Cline, Roscoe Mitchell, Matt Mitchell, Mark Dresser, Wayne Horvitz, Peggy Lee and Robin Holcomb.
Thollem's Astral Traveling Sessions
Compilation Cassette [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD]
(Astral Spirits)
Travelling through the US & Greece to join with performers for duos and trios, in six recordings between pianist Thollem McDonas in a trio with Amy Denio & Samantha Boshnack; a duo with Seetha Shivaswamy; a trio with Mat Weisman and Rick Kodramaz; a duo with Djallo Djakate; a hand percussion duo with Jason Finkelman; and a vocal duo with Maria Karamouza.
Thollem (w/ Alex Cline / Susan Alcorn)
Thollem's Astral Traveling Sessions
(Astral Spirits)
In 2019 pianist Thollem McDonas toured the US -- 12 months and 25 albums worth of recordings -- joining collaborators from a vast spectrum of improvisers and performers, this album presenting two such recordings: one a duo with drummer/percussionist Alex Cline from a live concert in Santa Monica; the other a duo with guitarist Susan Alcorn recorded in Baltimore.
Williams, Mars Presents
An Ayler Xmas Vol. 4: Chicago vs. NYC [VINYL]
(Astral Spirits / Soul What Records)
This year's An Ayler Xmas, the 4th in the series from saxophonist Mars Williams, expands to a double CD with recordings from two bands: Josh Berman, Jim Baker, Kent Kessler, Brian Sandstrom & Steve Hunt (Chicago); and Steve Swell, Hilliard Greene, Chris Corsano, Nels Cline & Fred Lonberg-Holm (NYC); in incredible free jazz mashups and bash-ups of Holiday favorites.
Williams, Mars Presents
An Ayler Xmas Vol. 4: Chicago vs. NYC [2 CDs]
(Astral Spirits / Soul What Records)
This year's An Ayler Xmas, the 4th in the series from saxophonist Mars Williams, expands to a double CD with recordings from two bands: Josh Berman, Jim Baker, Kent Kessler, Brian Sandstrom & Steve Hunt (Chicago); and Steve Swell, Hilliard Greene, Chris Corsano, Nels Cline & Fred Lonberg-Holm (NYC); in incredible free jazz mashups and bash-ups of Holiday favorites.
Estamos Trio (McDonas / Escobar / Tamez)
Dire Warning
(Relative Pitch)
Highlighting issues between the US & Mexican borders, Thollem McDonas' Estamos Trio presents their 2nd album, here with Carmina Escobar (vocals, electronics, guitarron), Milo Tamez (percussion, found objects, electronics) and Thollem (keyboard, vocals, clay pot) in a work commissioned by and recorded at the 2018 "Casa Tomada" (House Taken Over) in Santa Fe for SITE.
Fujii, Satoko / Orchestra New York
Entity
(Libra)
Satoko Fujii leads her 13-piece big band through 5 thrilling and insightful compositions with a who's-who of NY improvisation: Nels Cline (guitar), Ches Smith (drums), Joe Fiedler & Curt Hasselbring (drums), Oscar Noriega, Ellery Eskelin, Briggan Krauss, Andy Laster & Tony Malaby (sax), Herb Robertson, Natsuki Tamura & Dave Ballou (trumpet) & bassist Stomu Takeishi; wow!
Ochs, Larry / Gerald Cleaver / Nels Cline
What Is To Be Done
(Clean Feed)
The first release from the trio of Nels Cline, Gerald Cleaver, and Larry Ochs in a 2016 concert at Gallery5 Arts, in Richmond, Virginia, captured as part of the trio's series touring around the Northeast each December since 2015, playing what Larry Ochs describes as music that "seeks sonically to soothe, to inspire, and to conspire", in three urgent and powerful improvisations.
Fujii, Satoko Orchestra New York
Fukushima
(Libra)
Diverse aspects of the 2011 disaster at the Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant brought on by a tsunami orchestrated in sound by composer/pianist Satoko Fujii and rendered in remarkable ways from some of New York finest improvisers, including Tony Malaby, Ellery Eskelin, Oscar Noriega, Herb Roberts, Joe Fiedler, Stomu Takeishi, Nels Cline, &c &c.
Thollem / Mazurek
Blind Curves and Box Canyons
(Relative Pitch)
Recorded at an exhibition of visual works by Chicago trumpeter Rob Mazurek in Texas, this was the first meeting with pianist Thollem McDonas, in an ardent session of explorative improvisation using electric and analog piano, sythn, samplers, cornet, voice, bells and effects; inquisitive and cathartic music of great drive.
Bisio, Michael (w/ Kirk Knuffke / Art Bailey / Michael Wimberly)
Accortet
(Relative Pitch)
Chronicling 30+ years of New York bassist Michael Bisio's life as a composer in song form and otherwise, in a quartet with Art Bailey on accordion, Kirk Knuffke on cornet, and Michael Wimberly on drums, balancing freedom and swing in a euphorically compelling album.
Various Artists
I Never Meta Guitar - Solo Guitars for the XXI Century
(Clean Feed)
An encompassing modern guitar compilation curated by Elliott Sharp with pieces from Henry Kaiser, Nels Cline, Scott Fields, Mary Halvorson, Janet Feder, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, Mick Barr &c. &c.!
Other Recommended Releases:
Carey, Kirsten / Aaron Edgcomb
Mature Defense Mechanism
(Relative Pitch)
Known best for the guitar work on clipping's Rick and Morty song "Stab Him in the Throat", Chicago guitarist Kirsten Carey joins with drummer Aaron Edgcomb (Trigger) for this set of mischievous improvised experiments that explore the relationships between rock, jazz and experimental sound through eleven assertive dialogs of quirky, skronky, and inspired playing.
Thollem's Astral Traveling Sessions
w/ Avreeayl Ra & Matt Lux / Sunken Cages
(Astral Spirits)
As part of Thollem McDonas' Astral Traveling Sessions concert series, the pianist met Chicago legendary drummer Avreeayl Ra and and highly active improvising bassist Matthew Lux for this exceptional concert of two extended improvisations, followed by 8 duo studio improvisations as "Sunken Cages" recorded in Philadelphia with electroacoustic drummer Ravish Momin.
Thollem's Astral Traveling Sessions
Thollem + Karl Berger, Thollem + Michael Snow
(Astral Spirits)
One of a series of pianist Thollem McDonas' Astral Traveling Sessions, a 25-album series of concerts from around the globe, performing concerts in varying configurations with 70 musicians, here with two collaborations: in Kingston, NY with the great vibraphonist Karl Berger for 3 improvisations, and in Toronto with pianist Michael Snow for an extended piano duo.
Thollem's Astral Traveling Sessions
w/ Hafez Modirzadeh
(Astral Spirits)
One of a series of pianist Thollem McDonas' Astral Traveling Sessions, this unique duo configuration with NY saxophonist Hafez Modirzadeh uses a sonic palette of eight re-tuned pitches for piano and saxophone in an attempt to expand harmonic empathy, bringing Eastern pitch relationships to Western improvisation through a series of extraordinary solo and duo recordings.
McKenzie II, Donald Sturge Anthony (feat. Nels Cline / Melvin Gibbs / Vernon Reid)
Silenced
(577 Records)
A six track album from drummer Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II written about the abuse of force from those charged to protect us, in a series of duos with amazing performances from guitarist Nels Cline, saxophonist Arnold Lee, bassist Melvin Gibbs, bassist Dave Hofstra, guitarist Vernon Reid, and drummer/keyboardist CX KIDTRONIX; disturbing and important work.
McKenzie II, Donald Sturge Anthony (feat. Nels Cline / Arnold Lee / Melvin Gibbs / David Hofstra / Vernon Reid / CX Kidtronik)
Silenced [VINYL]
(577 Records)
A six track album from drummer Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II written about the abuse of force from those charged to protect us, in a series of duos with amazing performances from guitarist Nels Cline, saxophonist Arnold Lee, bassist Melvin Gibbs, bassist Dave Hofstra, guitarist Vernon Reid, and drummer/keyboardist CX KIDTRONIX; disturbing and important work.
Aranda, Irene / Johannes Nastejo / Nuria Andorra
Inner Core
(Relative Pitch)
Referencing geothermal physics in the titles of their improvisations, these three Spanish improvisers create a riveting and radical set of experimental works, with Irene Aranda working inside and out of the piano, Johannes Nastejo extending and adapting his double bass, and percussionist Nuria Andorra using an arsenal of metallic and percussive objects.
TSIGOTI
Read Between The Lines...Think Outside Them
(Post Consumer)
The TSIGOTI quarter brings together Italians Jacopo Andreini on guitar, Andrea Caprara on drums, and Piero Spitilli on bass with California pianist Thollem McDonas for critical avant punk with a technically brilliant flair.
Sinclair, John & Hollow Bones
Honoring the Local Gods
(Straw2Gold)
Poet John Sinclair, leader of the anti-racist White Panther Party, reads his poetry with the NYC quintet of Ras Moshe (sax), Elliott Levin (sax), Alex Obert (bass), Ander Nilssen (guitar) and Michael Wimberly (drums).
Estamos Trio
People's Historia
(Relative Pitch)
Taking song titles from the Arawak language, the Estamos Trio of Thollem McDonas (piano), Milo Tamez (drums) and Carmina Escobar (voice & electronics) brings together artists from the Mexican/U.S. border, creating beautiful creative works.



The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

© 2002-, Squidco LLC