By Don Phipps
The Blind Io quartet album Pillars of Creation (part 1) contains nine free form improvisations, all delicately stitched together with supreme musicianship and technical virtuosity. The Blind Io quartet features quartet founder Tuen Verbruggen on drums, Ingrid Laubrock on sax, Ikue Mori on electronics, and Bran De Looze on piano. The Pillars of Creation derives from the name given to a photograph by astronomers Jeff Hester and Paul Scowen using the Hubble Telescope in 1995. The image of interstellar “pillars” comprised of gas and dust some 6,500 light years away from Earth is striking, like the quartet’s playing on this album. The result? An ode to the free forms found in space and in sound.
Verbruggen’s drumming is in a word fantastic. Listen to how openly he plays, yet his trap set explorations hold. Of special note is his use of the bass pedal – employing it sparingly but enough to add just the right Punch to the Judy. Maybe the best word that could be applied to his effort is playfulness. There is often no dominant beat but more of a rotation across and within the trap set. Take the short “Windle Poons,” where Verbruggen’s drum interlaces with Mori’s sci-fi waves and electronic chits. Or his loose minimalist opening to “Hasya.” Or his Ferris wheel rollabout on “Vira.” It’s all very unsettled and restless yet simultaneously synchronous and entwined. Even on “Raudra,” with its chaotic beginning and whirling dervish improv, Verbruggen’s non-stop roundabout somehow fixes the center.
The others add their bounteous talents to the mix. Laubrock’s floating lines at moments seem lighter than air. Take the start to “Lockman Hole,” where her bubbling abstractions keeps things agile and airy. She plays with a cooler sound here than in many of her other efforts – think an abstract Lee Konitz. There are also times when she sounds like Ivo Perelman – take her speed runs and blowing on “Quirm College.” And there are instances where Laubrock and Verbruggen seem connected at the hip, especially on parts of “Vira” and “Shringar.” The two are so attuned to each other that the music produced seems almost telepathic!
De Looze’s piano and Mori’s electronics blend in. Their efforts are more like corner highlights than front and center. But what highlights they provide! De Looze offers up gentle notes and full abstract chords. On “Miss Flitworth” there’s a dawdling on the keys. On “Raudra,” De Looze is off to the races. And as the piece winds down, he weaves in and out with Laubrock to create an introspective atmosphere. For his contribution, Mori provides an array of interesting sounds – from bird caws to the wildlife of the bushland, from bugs chirps to mosquito buzzing - his judicious and understated use of electronics adding just the right spice to the soundscapes.
The music of Pillars of Creation (part 1) is free form floating at its best. Lay back and let the improvs carry you along like driftwood on rolling surf. When listening to Blind Io, a momentary lapse of reason is not only understood, but encouraged!
0 comments:
Post a Comment