HurdAudio Rotation: The Art of the Improvisers

Aaron Dugan: {ten improvisations}. 2006. Jungulous: 001.

Aaron Dugan: electric guitar

A focused burst that places the ears within the creative mental space of Aaron Dugan and the electric pulses of his electric guitar. The use of processing and pedals playing a moderate role in folding noise into a signal of pulsating, angular materials and rhythmic impulse. Thoughtful while honestly taking on the amplified power of the instrument and the language formed behind its use in rock music.

Ornette Coleman Trio: The Ornette Coleman Trio at the "Golden Circle," Stockholm - volume one. 1965 (re-released as the Rudy Van Gelder edition in 2002). Blue Note Records: 7243 5 35518 2 7.

Ornette Coleman: alto saxophone
David Izenzon: bass
Charles Moffett: drums

On this go around my ears are drawn to the cymbal work of Charles Moffett. Panned hard right with an unusual resonance there are these enharmonic drones that emanate from his kit that slide in and around the harmolodic adventures pouring out of Ornette Coleman's alto. The human qualities of his saxophone sound on full display as he weaves between plaintive cries and melodic contours fashioned around his intervallic sensibilities.

Don Byron: Do The Boomerang: The Music of Junior Walker. 2006. Blue Note Records: 946 3 41094 2.

Don Byron: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
David Gilmore: guitar
George Colligan: hammond b-3 organ
Brad Jones: bass
Rodney Holmes: drums, tambourine
Curtis Fowlkes: trombone
Chris Thomas King: vocals, guitar
Dean Bowman: vocals

The projects Don Byron take creative directions that are surprising. Coming from a mind that is not held in place by boundaries between styles and aesthetic directives he is free to explore klezmer, Latin, hip-hop, opera arias, early twentieth century swing tunes and in this case 1960's era soul music. The level of excellence he achieves is not surprising. Music such as this lives and thrives under the feel that this outstanding ensemble brings to it. After a few spins my mind just snaps into the place this music creates and savors the sense of time laid out along the blues changes in this music. "Tally-Ho" and "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" providing the highlights of this listening experience.

HurdAudio Rotation: Quartet, Solo, Trio

Ludwig van Beethoven: The Complete Quartets - Volume I. Recorded in 1989. Delos: CD 3031.

String Quartet in F Major op.18 no.1
String Quartet in E-Flat Major op. 127

The Orford String Quartet:
Andrew Dawes: violin
Kenneth Perkins: violin
Terence Helmer: viola
Denis Brott: cello

Opus 18 is closer to the Hayden-esque Beethoven while opus 127 flexes considerable expressive range and expansive portions. These are straight ahead 4-movement works suitable for polite company with considerable substance for the curious and attentive ear. This disc has had a few rounds in the rotation and it's that second movement of the F Major quartet that's drawing me in.

Aaron Dugan: {ten improvisations}. 2006. Jungulous: 001.

Aaron Dugan: electric guitar

This is a winding journey through the range of noises one craves from the electric guitar once it gets plugged in and routed through a healthy set of effects processors, delays and amplification. The creative energy and capable fingers of Aaron Dugan takes this set through a range of ugly, dirty, lyrical and aurally beautiful. The direct link between the ideas and their immediate realization makes for an impressive sound. The brevity of these ten, isolated bursts makes for introspective, urban poetry.

Ornette Coleman Trio: At The "Golden Circle," Stockholm - volume one. 1965 (Rudy Van Gelder Edition released in 2002). Blue Note Records: 7243 5 35518 2 7.

Ornette Coleman: alto saxophone
David Izenzon: bass
Charles Moffett: drums

An outstanding set clearly worthy of the immortality of this Rudy Van Gelder re-mastering. There's a pristine, clear sound quality of a live trio locked into that intoxicatingly Coleman-esque improvisational zone. There are also two takes on the fascinating "European Echoes." A relatively simple piece by Ornette Coleman's melodic standards that opens up to all kinds of possibilities in the hands of these three players.

Trio Trio Duo in the Red

Jeff Arnal/Tom Boram/Dan Dechellis/John Dierker/Aaron Dugan/Gary Hassay/Toshi Makihara @ The Red Room, Baltimore, MD
Saturday, October 27, 2007

set one
Dan Dechellis: piano
Gary Hassay: alto saxophone
Toshi Makihara: drums, percussion

set two
Jeff Arnal: drums, percussion
John Dierker: tenor saxophone
Aaron Dugan: guitar

set three
Tom Boram: electronics, amplified helium balloon, tap dancing, guitar
Toshi Makihara: drums, percussion

The elements greeted Dan Dechellis during the first set as the roof of the Red Room sprang a leak just above the intense, improvising pianist and placed him within his own indoor weather system. Undeterred, Dechellis incorporated rhythmic towel swipes along the keyboard as he dried - and simultaneously moved - his instrument in mid-performance. His harmonic language and deft use of widely varied dynamic attacks were a fresh revelation to these ears. Combined in a strongly reactive trio with the playful kinetic energy of drummer Toshi Makahara and the surging tidal waves of alto saxophonist Gary Hassay this set was a welcome blast of creative force.

One can hear John Dierker's ears as he plays. His free improvisational sensibilities continue to impress me with each shifting performance context. This time he sat in with the beautiful chemistry of New Yorkers Jeff Arnal and Aaron Dugan. This trio would playfully drain the tone right out of their instruments over time as Dierker reduced his sound to air exhales through the tenor saxophone against Arnal's soft scrapings along the rims of his drums with metal cans and Dugan's extremely processed (and extended technique heavy) sound. There was a quiet moment with Arnal playing on metal pots and gongs arranged on the floor that was striking. And this set left me with an intense curiosity to hear more of Aaron Dugan's guitar playing.

The final set shifted toward the playful energy and antics of Boran and Makihara. Tom Boran spun out a steady stream of inventive and creative sounds from his unique rig while Toshi Makihara adeptly responded to each curve thrown his way. While much of the sounding energy was enjoyable, the dialogue between performers felt a little one-sided at times. But this was quickly forgotten each time the overall sound would swell into something richly textured.