Information on this trio here. Looks like all 3 share composition credits-- making me think it's perhaps mostly jamming improvisations--with some suggestions-- and in terms of instrumentation, Scott McGill is the guitarist, Michael Manring is bassist, which would make Vic Stevens therefore percussionist.
I think their first release is the most obviously thought-through and therefore impressive, or at least, listenable. The second one is not only unbelievably long, splayed out over 2 full CDs but also mostly free jazz as far as I can tell, unless the compositions are so complex as to be atonal. One drawback is that it gets a bit tiresome with the repeated noodling and meandering guitarlines, like a chaos theory form of the German classic trio Dzyan, and the monochromatic quality, lacking in keyboards or any other instruments or even other guitar sounds makes it a bit of an endurance run.
The third oddly enough features covers, admittedly quite unusually original, of jazz standards like Naima, Oleo and even the tired old 'Blue in Green' who really deserves a quiet retirement like Jay Leno.
Title track from the first album:
Four Fields, which almost but not quite closes out the record, features some more delicate arpeggiation for a change, and note the ethereal sound of the bowed guitar (played with a violin bow):
It would be wonderful if the gorgeous playing on these 3 releases could be exhibited in some pared-down and more concentrated, focused pieces, and with more variety in sound and instrumentation. Then these albums would be totally outta the ballpark.
And every once in a while McGill pulls out the ol' acoustic and plays something more sensitive, though not usually more than once or twice per album, as in Winter's Tale from 2002:
ReplyDeleteAll 3 limited time only:
https://www.swisstransfer.com/d/1c56e4dc-7698-4d58-a1ae-fcddb8588aca
Thanks, Julian.
ReplyDeleteGreat band despite the album cover art.
Best,
Nick
Gracias. El primer tema me recordó al grupo húngaro Mindflowers, tienen algunas similitudes en algunos temas. Ya escuchando el segundo álbum, muy bueno, nuevamente gracias.
ReplyDeletehi anyone this record pls https://www.discogs.com/fr/master/961163-Michele-Hendricks-Carryin-On ? thx
ReplyDeleteAs the label that released these three albums I felt obliged to comment. Addition By Subtraction was a fully composed album. On the other had Controlled By Radar is completely improvised. The initial idea was to create an ECM like atmosphere and do an album of improvised acoustic music. Noted producer Neil Kernon was brought in to handle the mix. The session went so well and quickly it was decided to expand the concept to a double CD in which disc one is electric, followed by the acoustic disc two. What We do was developed while the band was on tour. They received great audience feedback when they would do cover tunes so they decided to do a complete album - jazz standards done the McGill Manring Stevens way. I'm not sure atonal is the correct descriptive but Scott did take an experimental approach. The mixing by David Torn may have lent an even further edge. Cover art for the last two albums were done by Glenn Barr, who is very much appreciated in the low brow and comic art world. Perhaps not to your taste but that Controlled By Radar art made for one hell of a t-shirt.
ReplyDeleteoh wow thanks for the clarifications! I do feel badly about any negative commentary bearing in mind that taste in art is such a personal thing, with regards to the cover art for example, where the record covers of my youth of course are influencing me greatly and always will...
DeleteAddition by Subtraction is really a wonderful piece of fusion from the latter day, no question.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the details regarding the albums and band. I’ve been into their music for a while.
Julian,
Thanks for posting their work.
They’re really underrated.
-Nick