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.


  Camila Nebbia / Kit Downes / Andrew Lisle 
  Exhaust
  (Relative Pitch) 


  
   review by Ken Waxman
  2026-02-16
Camila Nebbia / Kit Downes / Andrew Lisle: Exhaust (Relative Pitch)

A prominent representative of the many exploratory South American musicians who have moved into new geographic areas, Buenos Aires-born tenor saxophonist Camila Nebbia is also part of Berlin's growing burgeoning community of expatriate improvisers. Joined by two UK players - pianist Kit Downes and drummer Andrew Lisley — the trio races through five pointed tracks with a maximum of elation and a minimum of exhaust(ion).

Nebbia, who has worked with players as varied as Susana Santos Silva and Tom Rainey; is matched in timbral adaptation by Lisle, who often works with Colin Webster; and Downes whose experience encompasses gigs with everyone from Bill Frisell to Sun-Mi Hong. All bring similar adaptability to the performances. Throughout the saxophonist's reed variations range from circular expositions with thickened growls, ascending corkscrew flutters and lighter irregularly vibrated tongue stops and squeals. Aiding the dynamic evolution, but not letting reed tones dominate, Downes frequently adds ringing keyboard pressure while Lisle's drums propels woody cracks and press rolls.

Although waves of almost inexhaustible hollowed out breaths and wavering shrieks from Nebbia are prominent on tracks like the extended "Jetsam", some narratives move from distorted polyphony to more measured downward and almost lyrical additions. That's when Downes single key emphasis and darting vibrations make common cause with the saxophonist's turn to undulating linear projections.

The session exhibits unexpected shifts as well. For instance "Enervated", which despite what most think is actually defined as "to feel drained of energy or vitality", is appropriately described musically with barely-there floating reed whistles and pauses blended with percussion squeaks and keyboard clinks.

With other sequences using brief reed bites, inner piano string agitation and drum clip-clops the equivalent of hearing individual words transforming into descriptive sentences prevails. There are even succinct interludes that sound almost lyrical, although the balance between rugged and romantic is always maintained.

Showing herself capable of establishing a distinctive musical identity with consistent ideas, calculated surprises and comprehensive creativity, Nebbia provides another instance of her maturity sound mastery. She also suggests why the nueva ola (Spanish) or nova onda (Portuguese) sounds continue to arise from South America.







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:


Jason Kahn/
Phil Durrant/
Mark Wastell/
Caius Williams:
Where The Stars
(Editions)



The Tony Williams Emergency
w/ John McLaughlin/
Larry Young:
Emergency!
(ALAY)



Vienna FLAMMeS (
Koglmann/
Schiske/
Donhauser/
Buhlmann/
Mautner/
Rohrer):
He Said Boler o'
(ALAY)



Ballister
+
Luke Stewart:
Clocking the Wheel
(Aerophonic)



Duke Ellington Orchestra:
From Fargo Live 1940
(ALAY)



Camila Nebbia/
Chris Corsano:
Six or Seven Ways
owards Becoming Undone
(Relative Pitch)



Hilary Jeffery (
w/ Delius/
Dunmall/
Jeffery/
Poulou):
Green Prism:
Music by Keith Tippett
(Discus)



Paul Dunmall:
Afraid To Speak
(Discus)



Gerry Hemingway/
Izumi Kimura/
Frank Gratkowski/
Christian Weber:
Live At Bau 4
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)



Albert Ayler:
Reference: Albert Ayler
Spirits
&
Spirits Rejoice
[CD + POSTCARD]
(ALAY)



Marion Brown/
Burton Greene Quartet:
Reference:
Capricorn Moon,
Why Not &
With Burton Greene Quartet
[2 CDs + POSTCARD]
(ALAY)



The Remote Viewers:
Winter Library
Vol 1
(Remote Viewers)



Miles Davis 3rd Quintet:
Reference: Bitches Brew
Live 1969
In Europe
[2 CDs + 2 POSTCARDS]
(ALAY)



Doyeon Kim (
w/
Sorey/
Maneri/
Fraser):
Wellspring
(Tao Forms)



Jurg Frey/
Apartment House:
Clarinet Quintet
(Another Timbre)



Tom Challenger/
Evan Parker:
May Spring Last a Lifetime
(False Walls)



Bobby Bradford/
Mark Dresser/
Hafez Modirzadeh:
Sonic House Reunion
(NoBusiness)



John Zorn (
w/ Julian Lage/
Gavin Riley):
Seven Sonnets
(Tzadik)



[ahmed] (
Thomas/
Grip/
Gerbal/
Wright):
Play Monk
[2 CDs]
(Otoroku)



Michael Formanek (
w/ Hawkins/
Halvorson/
Fujiwara/
O'Gallagher/
Doxas/
Almeida):
New Digs
(Intakt)







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. (17411)