BLAZING FLAME - Murmuration
Leo Records CD LR 756
Blazing Flame is:
Steve Day: voice, Thai drum, rattle, bells, pebbles, H20-percussion; Julie Tippetts: voice, rattle; Keith Tippett: piano; Aaron Standon: alto saxophone; Peter Evans: 5-string electric violin; Julian Dale: double bass, cello, singing bowls; Anton Henley: drums, percussion; Bill Bartlett: special guest on flute (tracks 3, 5, 6, 12).
(Singing bowls can be traced back to Himalaya and Tibet, as early as 2000 B.C. They were traditionally made of an alloy of seven different metals, which created a range of different sounds and overtones. Those seven metals were gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin and lead. Most singing bowls today consist of only five metals. They vary in shape and size, colour and composition).
Steve Day is a percussionist, poet and writer whose work might often be seen as narrative and this is certainly the case with Murmuration. It would be a mistake though to think of this album as words set to music, as the words are the only written parts. Instead, this extremely forceful group construe and draw out the poems using their inimitable skills in improvisation: free resonances, reverberations and crashes that are impeccably suited to the interpretation of the poet’s musings.
It is good to appreciate again the stunning voice of Julie Tippetts, (neé Julie Driscoll) who has focused on experimental vocal music for more than 40 years. Husband Keith Tippett too has concentrated on free improv, playing with inventive ensemble musicians such as Paul Dunmall, Kevin Figes and Ben Waghorn amongst many others. Aaron Standon is a model saxophonist and has worked in myriad genres, his influences coming from Tim Bern, Steve Colman and Charlie Parker. Aaron and violinist Peter Evans are both part of The Bird Architects (The Phantom Power Awakens – released Jan 2016 on the Foxy label).
The band is tight in spite of the freedom and this locks down to Julian Dale who has a background in both classical music and jazz, and bookbinder Anton Henley who also plays drums and percussion. All the musicians are paying close attention to each other too and this collective voice offers something for all.
Steve Day’s poem, Jay, offers an unintentional comment:
“A jay and an owl
are a different swirl of birds,
the first is seen in secret the second only heard”
They are perhaps the writing and the music.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
Leo Records CD LR 756
Blazing Flame is:
Steve Day: voice, Thai drum, rattle, bells, pebbles, H20-percussion; Julie Tippetts: voice, rattle; Keith Tippett: piano; Aaron Standon: alto saxophone; Peter Evans: 5-string electric violin; Julian Dale: double bass, cello, singing bowls; Anton Henley: drums, percussion; Bill Bartlett: special guest on flute (tracks 3, 5, 6, 12).
(Singing bowls can be traced back to Himalaya and Tibet, as early as 2000 B.C. They were traditionally made of an alloy of seven different metals, which created a range of different sounds and overtones. Those seven metals were gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin and lead. Most singing bowls today consist of only five metals. They vary in shape and size, colour and composition).
Steve Day is a percussionist, poet and writer whose work might often be seen as narrative and this is certainly the case with Murmuration. It would be a mistake though to think of this album as words set to music, as the words are the only written parts. Instead, this extremely forceful group construe and draw out the poems using their inimitable skills in improvisation: free resonances, reverberations and crashes that are impeccably suited to the interpretation of the poet’s musings.
It is good to appreciate again the stunning voice of Julie Tippetts, (neé Julie Driscoll) who has focused on experimental vocal music for more than 40 years. Husband Keith Tippett too has concentrated on free improv, playing with inventive ensemble musicians such as Paul Dunmall, Kevin Figes and Ben Waghorn amongst many others. Aaron Standon is a model saxophonist and has worked in myriad genres, his influences coming from Tim Bern, Steve Colman and Charlie Parker. Aaron and violinist Peter Evans are both part of The Bird Architects (The Phantom Power Awakens – released Jan 2016 on the Foxy label).
The band is tight in spite of the freedom and this locks down to Julian Dale who has a background in both classical music and jazz, and bookbinder Anton Henley who also plays drums and percussion. All the musicians are paying close attention to each other too and this collective voice offers something for all.
Steve Day’s poem, Jay, offers an unintentional comment:
“A jay and an owl
are a different swirl of birds,
the first is seen in secret the second only heard”
They are perhaps the writing and the music.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
