HARRIET RILEY & ALEX GARDEN - Sonder ll
Self-released CD HRAG02 (Available from Bandcamp)
Harriet Riley, vibraphone; Alex Garden, violin/octave violin*; Stevie Toddler, Double Bass; Pete Judge, flugelhorn
Recorded at Pound Arts, Corsham, UK in 2021
*The octave violin is a whole octave below normal violin tuning, but is normal violin length.
A considerable number of eccentricities accompany Sonder ll, but they do it no harm at all. Jazz itself might be seen as an idiosyncratic medium and Sonder ll music starts out nestling between Avant-garde jazz structures and the softer padding of Celtic, violin-based folk music.
Equally eccentric is the naming of the album and each track with an unusual single-word title, such as Sonder itself. The music might be an echo of the meaning of the word. 'Sonder' is a French verb, meaning 'to plumb' or 'to probe' or ‘to sound’ (as in depth). Palindromes have the same spelling forwards and backwards and tracks Palindrome l, ll and lll have, reputedly, the same sounds when played forwards and backwards. I have not been able to try this. The other titles you can enjoy researching for yourselves!
Setting violin and vibraphone together makes for a fascinating combination, generating the kind of exhilaration brought on by the anticipation of a new trip abroad. Generally, it is Garden’s earnestness at the violin that leads or directs the way, but Riley’s rounds will not be denied and the vibes tinkle cheerfully, a spiralling counterpoint to the fidgety fiddle. Throughout there is an air of friskiness and empathy, both.
The raison d'être for the album is down to the violinist, who had been working on some abstract numbers. He needed a partner to produce rhythmic and harmonic sustenance for his work. He had met Harriet in 2018 as they both trained to work for the charity ‘Live Music Now’ and their meeting was productive as it led to their first and very successful album, Sonder.
Clearly, they have a sense of humour and there is a clear, philosophical synergy between them. Sonder II is a fresh, new step for them as experimenters. It should confirm their respected place in the world of modern and minimalist folk.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
Self-released CD HRAG02 (Available from Bandcamp)
Harriet Riley, vibraphone; Alex Garden, violin/octave violin*; Stevie Toddler, Double Bass; Pete Judge, flugelhorn
Recorded at Pound Arts, Corsham, UK in 2021
*The octave violin is a whole octave below normal violin tuning, but is normal violin length.
A considerable number of eccentricities accompany Sonder ll, but they do it no harm at all. Jazz itself might be seen as an idiosyncratic medium and Sonder ll music starts out nestling between Avant-garde jazz structures and the softer padding of Celtic, violin-based folk music.
Equally eccentric is the naming of the album and each track with an unusual single-word title, such as Sonder itself. The music might be an echo of the meaning of the word. 'Sonder' is a French verb, meaning 'to plumb' or 'to probe' or ‘to sound’ (as in depth). Palindromes have the same spelling forwards and backwards and tracks Palindrome l, ll and lll have, reputedly, the same sounds when played forwards and backwards. I have not been able to try this. The other titles you can enjoy researching for yourselves!
Setting violin and vibraphone together makes for a fascinating combination, generating the kind of exhilaration brought on by the anticipation of a new trip abroad. Generally, it is Garden’s earnestness at the violin that leads or directs the way, but Riley’s rounds will not be denied and the vibes tinkle cheerfully, a spiralling counterpoint to the fidgety fiddle. Throughout there is an air of friskiness and empathy, both.
The raison d'être for the album is down to the violinist, who had been working on some abstract numbers. He needed a partner to produce rhythmic and harmonic sustenance for his work. He had met Harriet in 2018 as they both trained to work for the charity ‘Live Music Now’ and their meeting was productive as it led to their first and very successful album, Sonder.
Clearly, they have a sense of humour and there is a clear, philosophical synergy between them. Sonder II is a fresh, new step for them as experimenters. It should confirm their respected place in the world of modern and minimalist folk.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
