The Squid's Ear Magazine

Costa, Carlo / John McCowen

Pianissimo Etc [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD]

Costa, Carlo / John McCowen: Pianissimo Etc [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Tripticks Tapes)

Powerfully rich sounds from two NY-based instrumentalists — John McCowen on contrabass clarinet & Carlo Costa on bass drum & percussion — in a three-part work of acoustic improvisations, McCowen sounding deceptively electronic through overtones and masterful harmonic technique, while Costa's bass drum provides deep foundations as he mysteriously layers percussive distractions; phenomenal!
 

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product information:



Label: Tripticks Tapes
Catalog ID: TTT037
Squidco Product Code: 33350

Format: CASSETTE
Condition: New
Released: 2023
Country: USA
Packaging: Cassette
Recorded at Buckminster Forest, in Brooklyn, New York, on November 19th, 2020, by Nathaniel Morgan.


Personnel:



John McCowen-contrabass clarinet

Carlo Costa-bass drum, percussion


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Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Every time I hit play on pianissimo etc, and the opening track kicks in, I get this impossible feeling as though I'm being dragged through a metallic debris field floating in midair. It makes very little sense, but that's a big reason why I am so captivated by this music. McCowen's contrabass clarinet feels inevitable, larger than life. Guttural vibrations reverberate through caverns, encasing us in an oppressive glow. It would be too much if not for Costa's folly, high-pitched squeals, and swishing percussive explorations. With the clarinet humming from the Earth's core, Costa riddles the sonic mass with textural phrasings and spectral imagery. Together, the duo unlocks something ancient, the key to a place where we levitate on sound while it scrapes our skulls clean. This is fucking great."-Brad Rose, Foxy Digitalis


Get additional information at Foxy Digitalis

Artist Biographies

"John McCowen is a New York based composer and performer whose work focuses on extending the possibilities of the clarinet family. John embraces long-form drones, difference tones, and beating harmonics as a means to extrude the dimensionality within - treating the clarinet as an acoustic synthesizer. His works for ensemble utilize spectral techniques to superimpose the timbral/sonic characteristics of the clarinet onto a grouping of instruments. This may include the clarinet as a solo instrument while the ensemble functions as a resonant system.

John was a founding member of the Chicago avant-rock group, Wei Zhongle, where he performed on amplified clarinet/electronics. His most recent release of three compositions for solo contrabass clarinet, Solo Contra (IARC0015), is out now on International Anthem Records. His discography includes releases on International Anthem, Astral Spirits, Cairn Desk, NNA Tapes, New Atlantis, Self Sabotage, Edible Onion, and DAAANG. He has toured extensively throughout North America as well as trips to Europe and Asia. These performances/spaces include Le Guess Who Festival(NL), Norður og Niður Festival(IS), Hot Air Music Festival, Bowling Green New Music Festival, Supersonic Festival(ENG), Berkeley Art Museum(BAMPFA), The Stone, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, International Clarinet Festival 2014, and more. John was the 2017 artist-in-residence at Lijiang Studio in Yunnan, China. He received the Elizabeth Mills Crothers Award for music composition in 2016 from Mills College where he also received an MA in Music Composition."

-John McCowen Website (https://www.johnmccowen.com/about/)
9/20/2023

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"Percussionist and composer Carlo Costa was born in Rome, Italy. In 2001 he moved to Boston to study music. Since 2005 he has been living in New York City where he regularly performs as a leader and co-leader of various projects, as well as a sideman. Carlo is currently primarily involved with experimental and improvised music and is an active composer for his ensembles and ad hoc projects. He has performed throughout Europe and the US in a wide variety of contexts.

Carlo currently leads or co-leads Natura Morta (a trio with violist Frantz Loriot and bassist Sean Ali), the Carlo Costa Quartet (with trombonist Steve Swell, saxophonist Jonathan Moritz and bassist Sean Ali), Earth Tongues (with trumpeter Joe Moffett and tubist Dan Peck), the large ensemble Acustica, the trio Ancient Enemies (with alto saxophonist Nathaniel Morgan and violist Joanna Mattrey), and a solo percussion project. In November 2014 Carlo launched the record label Neither/Nor Records which is dedicated to experimental and improvised music."

-Carlo Costa Website (http://www.carlocostamusic.com/carlocostamusic/biography.html)
9/20/2023

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Track Listing:



SIDE A



1. I 07:00

2. II 12:51

SIDE B



1. III 14:08

Related Categories of Interest:


Cassettes
Physical Releases that include Download Codes
Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
NY Downtown & Metropolitan Jazz/Improv
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players
Percussion & Drums
Duo Recordings
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
New in Improvised Music
Recent Releases and Best Sellers

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Tripticks Tapes.


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