Scale of the Day: G Dorian 1% wide

The G Dorian 1% wide Scale.

Scale of the Day: G Dorian mapped to the Triative

The G Dorian mapped to the Triative Scale.

Sight Unheard

Jamie Baum: Sight Unheard.

I don't know much about Jamie Baum. Just knowing that Dave Douglas is in the band is enough reason to check this disc out. And Kenny Werner's piano solo on the title track also catches my ear.

Baum plays flute. And these compositions and arrangements are constructed around showcasing her range and creativity with this instrument. The balance between her and Dave Douglas on trumpet is a surprising blend that reveals a fresh sonic compatibility between instruments normally scored in dynamic opposition.

Given the fluid quality of Baum's melodic lines it's easy to see the appeal of arranging one of the great melodic lines of all time: "Una Muy Bonita" by Ornette Coleman. Baum draws upon Coleman to paint colorful strokes with the piano and flute as the rhythm section provides an understated harmelodic backdrop. Shifting into double-time for Dave Douglas's Don Cherry-esque solo is a nice touch.

The original compositions feature some great writing and smart arrangements. The qualities of these great players are refracted through the timbre and personality of Baum's flute playing and the end result is sonically vivid.

Scale of the Day: E Flat Dorian mapped to the Square-root of 2

The intervallic content of the E Flat Dorian mapped to the Square-root of 2 Scale.

Band On The Wall

Marilyn Crispell/Eddie Prevost: Band On The Wall.

I'm currently spinning this fine disc from 1994 as I unwind in my new surroundings. It's interesting to contrast this particular piano/drums combination with the fantastic Duo CD from 1989 where the drummer is Gerry Hemingway (essentially a duet featuring half of the legendary Anthony Braxton Quartet).

Band On The Wall features many familiar Crispell gestures and riffs. What is different is the flavor of Prevost in this decidedly non-AMM setting. Prevost is an incredibly sensitive improviser and he seems to know when to match Crispell's kinetic outbursts and when to find a contrasting role.

A real surprise on this disc is the inclusion of a Denny Zeitlin tune: "Quiet Now." There's such a wealth of relatively untapped compositions from that great pianist. I really wish there was a comprehensive box set of Zeitlin's early creative output so I could wrap my head around it. Performances like this one should help generate more interest in Zeitlin's music.

Scale of the Day: G Dorian diminished 4 mapped to the Square-root of 2

The G Dorian diminished 4 mapped to the Square-root of 2 Scale.

The Long Walk

More than doubling my chances at having the "home" team make the post-season.

Given the miserable start the Mariners are off to it seems like a good time to find a new geography. They could get HurdAudio to manage that team for half of what they pay that Hargrove guy.

The trek from north to south with a heavy pack is largely complete now. The local new music scene is promising and things are doing well on the employment/life front. It will be nice to unpack the CDs and get ramped up for more scale posts. I have plenty of new recordings of Terry Riley, James Tenney, Marilyn Crispell, Giacinto Scelsi and even Ludwig Van Beethoven that I look forward to listening to and writing about. I've barely had a chance to have my ears thoroughly flattened by the incredible Bow River Falls by Dave Douglas/Peggy Lee/Louis Sclavis/Dylan Van Der Schyff. More later on that incredible gem.

It figures that the Seattle Symphony would wait until I skip town before performing the Charles Ives Third Symphony. Now that I'm gone they can go ahead with that Edgard Varese marathon concert I've been longing for.