JON BALKE - Discourses
ECM 779 9541
Jon Balke (piano, sound processing)
Recorded December 2019
Jon Balke's tenure with ECM has produced much diverse music over the years. As a sideman with Arild Andersen and the quintet Masqualero, to more recent appearances with Jøkleba, Oslo 13, Magnetic North Orchestra and Batagraf, it is perhaps in solo performance that we are able to hear his most personal work.
Discourses is Balke's third solo piano recording moving on from Book Of Velocities recorded in 2006 and Warp (2015) , and continues the methodology employed on the previous album juxtaposing acoustic piano and processed soundscapes. The concept for the album and subsequent compositions come from language and discussion, and a frightening lack of dialogue in today's political climate. Indeed, it could even be argued that given the current global pandemic that many of the compositions with titles that include 'The Why'', 'The How', 'The Assumptions', 'The Deliberation', 'The First Afterthought' are most current and apt, giving much food for thought.
The music presented on Discourses has been meticulously planned and prepared over a period of time. From the rehearsing of the material, performing the compositions live and the recording of the soundscapes that utilise the Balke's use of his cello, keyboards, software and field recordings. The resulting performances ask as many questions as they may imply answers, and has an altogether warmer feeling than the previous album. The sixteen compositions are all relatively short, almost a series of miniatures that are complete in themselves yet thought provoking and tantalisingly too brief. The melodies are often flowing, delicate and lyrical, and most significantly questioning. This device is cleverly used in the sparsely delivered right hand melody lines of 'The Second Afterthought' which is neatly sandwiched between 'The First Afterthought' and 'The Third Afterthought' that both make use of a fuller keyboard, and rhythmic figures and electronic textures.
Over the course of the set the pianist's compositional sense provides a structure and logic to the disparate pieces and elements that come together as most agreeable discourse. From the ominous opening notes of 'The Self And The Opposition' to the gentle persuasion of 'The Facilitator' , and the restrained liveliness and hint of mischief in 'The First Argument', the piano states the case for each composition with poise and grandeur which is served and accentuated by the subtle use of the sound processing.
If such electronic manipulation and post production techniques have previously left you non-plussed or out in the cold, then this fine recording may help redress the balance.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
ECM 779 9541
Jon Balke (piano, sound processing)
Recorded December 2019
Jon Balke's tenure with ECM has produced much diverse music over the years. As a sideman with Arild Andersen and the quintet Masqualero, to more recent appearances with Jøkleba, Oslo 13, Magnetic North Orchestra and Batagraf, it is perhaps in solo performance that we are able to hear his most personal work.
Discourses is Balke's third solo piano recording moving on from Book Of Velocities recorded in 2006 and Warp (2015) , and continues the methodology employed on the previous album juxtaposing acoustic piano and processed soundscapes. The concept for the album and subsequent compositions come from language and discussion, and a frightening lack of dialogue in today's political climate. Indeed, it could even be argued that given the current global pandemic that many of the compositions with titles that include 'The Why'', 'The How', 'The Assumptions', 'The Deliberation', 'The First Afterthought' are most current and apt, giving much food for thought.
The music presented on Discourses has been meticulously planned and prepared over a period of time. From the rehearsing of the material, performing the compositions live and the recording of the soundscapes that utilise the Balke's use of his cello, keyboards, software and field recordings. The resulting performances ask as many questions as they may imply answers, and has an altogether warmer feeling than the previous album. The sixteen compositions are all relatively short, almost a series of miniatures that are complete in themselves yet thought provoking and tantalisingly too brief. The melodies are often flowing, delicate and lyrical, and most significantly questioning. This device is cleverly used in the sparsely delivered right hand melody lines of 'The Second Afterthought' which is neatly sandwiched between 'The First Afterthought' and 'The Third Afterthought' that both make use of a fuller keyboard, and rhythmic figures and electronic textures.
Over the course of the set the pianist's compositional sense provides a structure and logic to the disparate pieces and elements that come together as most agreeable discourse. From the ominous opening notes of 'The Self And The Opposition' to the gentle persuasion of 'The Facilitator' , and the restrained liveliness and hint of mischief in 'The First Argument', the piano states the case for each composition with poise and grandeur which is served and accentuated by the subtle use of the sound processing.
If such electronic manipulation and post production techniques have previously left you non-plussed or out in the cold, then this fine recording may help redress the balance.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
