DAVID DOWER TRIO - There Are No Stars
David Dower (piano); Drums - Matt Fisher (drums); Luke Fowler (bass)
Additional personnel:
Elliot Frost (guitar); Zkivko Vasilev (kaval); Vesela Morova (vocals); David Dower (backing vocals)
Bulgarian choir Rayna Vasilev (leader) , Gabriela Milanova, Pirina Hristova
'There Are No Stars' is the newest album from Australian pianist David Dower and his trio. Recorded in Bulgaria on the trio’s third tour there in as many years, Dower also includes some of the Balkan nation’s best and brightest on this recording. The tracks provide an intriguing fusion of East and West, seen through the kaleidoscope of Dower’s melodic compositions. Guests include Zhivko Vasilev on the Bulgarian Kaval, a traditional flute-style wind instrument, vocalist Vesela Morova who is Berklee trained and now based in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia and a Bulgarian choir, led by leading traditional folklore singer Rayna Vasileva.
On his fascination with the country, David told me, " Initially the band and I were allured to Bulgaria out of intrigue, fascinated by a country we knew little about. After three tours there, this recording is my method of sharing a culture that I’ve become a bit smitten with. Bulgarians have a beautiful approach to the arts; it's an essential fabric of their society, which is a very inspiring energy to be around. This album tries to capture the combination of the warmth, passion, melancholy, and honesty seen in the nation’s music, and then shape that through my own musical lens. It’s my postcard from Bulgaria saying that I already want to go back."
“Leto Ide” (Summer is Coming) opens the album and the track provides a powerful insight to the connection Dower has to Bulgarian traditional musical influences. Original lyrics in Bulgarian were by the band’s publicist, Mariana Vasileva and sung here by Rayna Vasileva soloing over drums at the beginning but joined by stunning harmonies from her Bulgarian choir later in the track. The lilting, rhythmic structure so redolent of Balkan traditional music provides the base for a melody that is simultaneously yearning and hopeful. The initial rhythm is provided by Matt Fisher on the Kanjira drum, a traditional Indian percussion instrument used in this piece to enhance the Eastern influence. The composition also has Western influences as the repetitive mantra morphs into a major key and a rock-style section, complete with fuzz bass, big drums and chunky piano. This melding of styles creates an opening track which is both intriguing and enigmatic. There is a clever 3 part use of harmonies which drive to the conclusion of this short, poignant number.
You might recall A-Ha's track 'Take On Me' . Well, if you think you know it, think again. Here the trio take on this Swedish pop classic in an arrangement that is both amusing yet quirky enough to be unique. The piano picks out the chordal progression of the original but there is an added, Latin influenced rhythm which gives an almost comical overtone. The chorus is developed into a darker theme and a pseudo -classical-rock edge is worked in, making much more of what could otherwise be an ordinary cover. Suddenly the squeaky clean A'Ha track is given a darker, menacing edge, emphasised by the crazily off-beat exponential drumming from Matt Fisher and wonderful, powerful full-throttle explosions from the piano. Dower and Fisher used to play as a duo and this track proves the pair have lost none of their telepathic connection, so prevalent on earlier recordings like 'The Frog, The fish and The Whale'. This is a great arrangement of this number and never loses the original melody- it is always somewhere in there.
'There Are No Stars' is the title track of the album. This is Dower’s dedication to singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, an American singer/songwriter whose life was cut tragically short when he was stabbed at just 34 years old. It is atmospheric, poignant and built around a slow, 4/4 beat, the sensitivity enhanced by the nuanced voice-leading and the Kaval of Zhivko Vasilev . Vasilev is at the forefront of Bulgarian folklore music, and is prodigious on the Kaval. The instrument has both lightness and poignancy, resulting in a sound that is breathy and enchanting, Vasilev’s improvised solo both dexterous and musical with thoughtful, expressive phrasing. The guitar work of Elliot Frost is worth mentioning here too and the lovely trinkling piano in the final section enhances the joy of life.
'The Painter' is a beautiful track with piano opening and leading the themed lines into the song, the lyrics and melody provided by Vesela Morova. The vocals are expressive and emotive portrayal of the story of this song - which is of an impoverished painter who is forced to reuse canvases, painting over her own paintings. The feeling conveyed in the vocals as the painter paints over her creations of beauty is palpable. David Dower provides beautiful piano interludes as well as harmonised backing vocals. It is the first time he has done so on his own album- apparently his Mum said this is her favourite part of the album but she might be a little biased. The ending of this track is particularly poignant.
'Redmond' is a trio piece and an up-beat composition ,named after the US city where Dower’s brother lives. Again, that alchemy between Matt fisher on drums and David dower on piano is there - their almost precursive intuition and note and rhythm placement gives even familiar rhythm patterns an added sense of precision. There is an intensity to this track which reels off the players like rolling waves of energy. Every time the rhythm settles, they change - as one. Luke fowler provides a lovely solo on bass which is followed by a piano solo which introduces a sense of exploration with chordal progressions and changes. The bridge engages huge fuzz-bass and crashing drums and is bold in its approach before everything calms, winds down and we are back at silence. A well-worked and triumphant track.
'Purple Haired Lady' is sharp, tight and dips into Dower’s dirty side, which is surprisingly productive in its quirky rhythm changes, dark harmonies and guitar work from Elliot Frost which is textured and beautifully worked. Again, the Kaval introduces expressive, breathy melodies which add to the mysterious inflections of the arrangement and the improvised solo is wonderful. It is in these tracks with the quirky, quick change, slow, then fast rhythmic diversions, that this trio excel - Matt Fisher and David Dower in particular leading the rest of the musicians in these tight , adventurous trips into challenging areas. Whoever the Purple Headed Lady was who inspired the track she has one heck of a kick.
'Moyata Sestra '( My Sister) is the final track on this album and is a short reflective piece. It features the Bulgarian choir and Vesela Morova, this time with glorious, floaty vocals mode and spot on tone. The track is a dedication to David Dower's younger sister and her voice. The delicate piano solo is solidly supported by the rhythm section here. This melancholy melody hits home, and is the perfect finale to an album that has undergone a variety of emotional twists and turns.
There are not many musicians whose work you listen out for in the way many do for David Dower's music, especially when Matt Fisher is part of the ensemble. There is a chemistry resulting in pleasing pin-point timings between the pair and they deliver quirkiness like no other pairing. Yet, there is also a maturation in the music which is an absolute joy to hear. The arrangements and complexities are deeply textured and Dower manages to provide interest in all parts, which is something few musicians master to such as extent even with decades of experience.
The album is fun, musical, atmospheric and twists along lanes of beauty, intensity, emotions and simplicity in an almost perfectly aligned delivery and the melding of Eastern and Western themed influences is wonderful. The album deftly juxtaposes feelings of nostalgia, dark edges and honesty, with a playfulness that consistently defines the trio’s sound. Everything is tied together with memorable melodies, bold arrangements, and Dower’s ever-quirky sense of humour.
“There Are No Stars” is available to the public on all streaming services (iTunes, CDbaby and Bandcamp) from 15th November
Reviewed by Sammy Stein
David Dower (piano); Drums - Matt Fisher (drums); Luke Fowler (bass)
Additional personnel:
Elliot Frost (guitar); Zkivko Vasilev (kaval); Vesela Morova (vocals); David Dower (backing vocals)
Bulgarian choir Rayna Vasilev (leader) , Gabriela Milanova, Pirina Hristova
'There Are No Stars' is the newest album from Australian pianist David Dower and his trio. Recorded in Bulgaria on the trio’s third tour there in as many years, Dower also includes some of the Balkan nation’s best and brightest on this recording. The tracks provide an intriguing fusion of East and West, seen through the kaleidoscope of Dower’s melodic compositions. Guests include Zhivko Vasilev on the Bulgarian Kaval, a traditional flute-style wind instrument, vocalist Vesela Morova who is Berklee trained and now based in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia and a Bulgarian choir, led by leading traditional folklore singer Rayna Vasileva.
On his fascination with the country, David told me, " Initially the band and I were allured to Bulgaria out of intrigue, fascinated by a country we knew little about. After three tours there, this recording is my method of sharing a culture that I’ve become a bit smitten with. Bulgarians have a beautiful approach to the arts; it's an essential fabric of their society, which is a very inspiring energy to be around. This album tries to capture the combination of the warmth, passion, melancholy, and honesty seen in the nation’s music, and then shape that through my own musical lens. It’s my postcard from Bulgaria saying that I already want to go back."
“Leto Ide” (Summer is Coming) opens the album and the track provides a powerful insight to the connection Dower has to Bulgarian traditional musical influences. Original lyrics in Bulgarian were by the band’s publicist, Mariana Vasileva and sung here by Rayna Vasileva soloing over drums at the beginning but joined by stunning harmonies from her Bulgarian choir later in the track. The lilting, rhythmic structure so redolent of Balkan traditional music provides the base for a melody that is simultaneously yearning and hopeful. The initial rhythm is provided by Matt Fisher on the Kanjira drum, a traditional Indian percussion instrument used in this piece to enhance the Eastern influence. The composition also has Western influences as the repetitive mantra morphs into a major key and a rock-style section, complete with fuzz bass, big drums and chunky piano. This melding of styles creates an opening track which is both intriguing and enigmatic. There is a clever 3 part use of harmonies which drive to the conclusion of this short, poignant number.
You might recall A-Ha's track 'Take On Me' . Well, if you think you know it, think again. Here the trio take on this Swedish pop classic in an arrangement that is both amusing yet quirky enough to be unique. The piano picks out the chordal progression of the original but there is an added, Latin influenced rhythm which gives an almost comical overtone. The chorus is developed into a darker theme and a pseudo -classical-rock edge is worked in, making much more of what could otherwise be an ordinary cover. Suddenly the squeaky clean A'Ha track is given a darker, menacing edge, emphasised by the crazily off-beat exponential drumming from Matt Fisher and wonderful, powerful full-throttle explosions from the piano. Dower and Fisher used to play as a duo and this track proves the pair have lost none of their telepathic connection, so prevalent on earlier recordings like 'The Frog, The fish and The Whale'. This is a great arrangement of this number and never loses the original melody- it is always somewhere in there.
'There Are No Stars' is the title track of the album. This is Dower’s dedication to singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, an American singer/songwriter whose life was cut tragically short when he was stabbed at just 34 years old. It is atmospheric, poignant and built around a slow, 4/4 beat, the sensitivity enhanced by the nuanced voice-leading and the Kaval of Zhivko Vasilev . Vasilev is at the forefront of Bulgarian folklore music, and is prodigious on the Kaval. The instrument has both lightness and poignancy, resulting in a sound that is breathy and enchanting, Vasilev’s improvised solo both dexterous and musical with thoughtful, expressive phrasing. The guitar work of Elliot Frost is worth mentioning here too and the lovely trinkling piano in the final section enhances the joy of life.
'The Painter' is a beautiful track with piano opening and leading the themed lines into the song, the lyrics and melody provided by Vesela Morova. The vocals are expressive and emotive portrayal of the story of this song - which is of an impoverished painter who is forced to reuse canvases, painting over her own paintings. The feeling conveyed in the vocals as the painter paints over her creations of beauty is palpable. David Dower provides beautiful piano interludes as well as harmonised backing vocals. It is the first time he has done so on his own album- apparently his Mum said this is her favourite part of the album but she might be a little biased. The ending of this track is particularly poignant.
'Redmond' is a trio piece and an up-beat composition ,named after the US city where Dower’s brother lives. Again, that alchemy between Matt fisher on drums and David dower on piano is there - their almost precursive intuition and note and rhythm placement gives even familiar rhythm patterns an added sense of precision. There is an intensity to this track which reels off the players like rolling waves of energy. Every time the rhythm settles, they change - as one. Luke fowler provides a lovely solo on bass which is followed by a piano solo which introduces a sense of exploration with chordal progressions and changes. The bridge engages huge fuzz-bass and crashing drums and is bold in its approach before everything calms, winds down and we are back at silence. A well-worked and triumphant track.
'Purple Haired Lady' is sharp, tight and dips into Dower’s dirty side, which is surprisingly productive in its quirky rhythm changes, dark harmonies and guitar work from Elliot Frost which is textured and beautifully worked. Again, the Kaval introduces expressive, breathy melodies which add to the mysterious inflections of the arrangement and the improvised solo is wonderful. It is in these tracks with the quirky, quick change, slow, then fast rhythmic diversions, that this trio excel - Matt Fisher and David Dower in particular leading the rest of the musicians in these tight , adventurous trips into challenging areas. Whoever the Purple Headed Lady was who inspired the track she has one heck of a kick.
'Moyata Sestra '( My Sister) is the final track on this album and is a short reflective piece. It features the Bulgarian choir and Vesela Morova, this time with glorious, floaty vocals mode and spot on tone. The track is a dedication to David Dower's younger sister and her voice. The delicate piano solo is solidly supported by the rhythm section here. This melancholy melody hits home, and is the perfect finale to an album that has undergone a variety of emotional twists and turns.
There are not many musicians whose work you listen out for in the way many do for David Dower's music, especially when Matt Fisher is part of the ensemble. There is a chemistry resulting in pleasing pin-point timings between the pair and they deliver quirkiness like no other pairing. Yet, there is also a maturation in the music which is an absolute joy to hear. The arrangements and complexities are deeply textured and Dower manages to provide interest in all parts, which is something few musicians master to such as extent even with decades of experience.
The album is fun, musical, atmospheric and twists along lanes of beauty, intensity, emotions and simplicity in an almost perfectly aligned delivery and the melding of Eastern and Western themed influences is wonderful. The album deftly juxtaposes feelings of nostalgia, dark edges and honesty, with a playfulness that consistently defines the trio’s sound. Everything is tied together with memorable melodies, bold arrangements, and Dower’s ever-quirky sense of humour.
“There Are No Stars” is available to the public on all streaming services (iTunes, CDbaby and Bandcamp) from 15th November
Reviewed by Sammy Stein
