New release!

 

While I've been waiting (not necessarily very) patiently for confirmation that the Czech 4-cd box set Four Compositions (Wesleyan) 2013 is available outside Eastern Europe - and if so, at a less-than-exorbitant price - I managed to miss something rather larger and more comprehensive. But not by much: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022 only came out late last month, by the look of it. (It's not yet listed on Discogs, at the time of writing.) I know McClintic Sphere has been awaiting this one with interest: the album's existence was confirmed by TCF some little while ago, but there have been no discernible updates about when it was due for eventual release. 

Both of us had wondered about how the new(ish) Lorraine system differs from Diamond Curtain Wall Music, and whether the two can readily be told apart, just by listening. So far, I would have to say that the answers are: I still don't know, and no they can't. But then, the Bandcamp page does not provide the maestro's liner notes, or any portion thereof; and of course, it might be the case that even if it did, and even if I read all of them, I still would not be able to explicate the newer strategy clearly to anybody else. Without so much as a glance at them, I really have to withhold judgement there. In the meantime, given that both systems entail the use of electronics, in the form of interactive computer software... I would be lying if I said that I understand what makes the use of said software here distinct from its use in the many recordings under the DCWM banner. 

Does that matter, really? Probably not: it's definitely not the most important takeaway from this fascinating new release. As always with B's music, and especially with his new music, the main thing is just to listen to it and luxuriate in it.

I only found about this new album's existence today, and I have only had a chance to listen to a little of it so far. The first six discs comprise live recordings from performances given in continental Europe during October and November 2021, by the Lorraine Trio: B. himself with Adam Matlock on accordion and (wordless) vocals and Susana Santos Silva on trumpet*. I have heard the first piece, Comp. 423, recorded October 8th in Riga. Discs 7-10, meanwhile, were recorded in the studio in New Haven, CT** on May 18th and 19th 2022: here, the format was a sort of "double duo", consisting of B. and James Fei on reeds, plus Zach Rowden and Carl Testa on contrabass. (Fei was, of course, the playing partner for the only previous Lorraine release.) I am listening to disc eight, Comp. 433, as I write this. 

In both cases the groups list the maestro as playing saxophones and electronics, by the way - but I don't think that is much of a clue to anything. It might be taken as indicative of B's being directly in control of the software on these recordings, which might seem like a new development, if one worked on the assumption that in DCWM, the software simply "runs itself" rather than being directly under anyone's control - but I am pretty sure that is not correct (and although I can't quite be arsed to check this at the moment, it may very well be the case that at least some of the DCWM albums do, in fact, credit the leader with the electronics, as well as reeds).

It does sound new - and then again it doesn't. No, I can't say for sure that I am hearing things in this music which are completely, qualitatively different from what I have heard before. But I can say for sure that it sounds fresh and invigorating, for various reasons. The trio has interesting instrumentation, and Matlock's vocals are intriguing (and decidedly non-jazzy)***. Parts of the one piece I've heard did sound quite new to me - in a way which I would admittedly struggle to articulate. The quartet of course has very interesting instrumentation, and the two basses create some really rich textures. I may be no nearer to nailing down what it is which makes the use of electronics here different from previous performances (whether DCWM or otherwise), but I'm going to let that go# - for now! It's really interesting and stimulating music to listen to. It does not have the same utter strangeness of the ZIM pieces, necessarily; this sounds at least a bit more familiar. On the other hand, B's playing still betrays clear and undeniable evidence of continued learning and improvement - the true embodiment of the term gongfu in its original sense## -  and that alone makes this seriously rewarding music for the serious friendly experiencer. Besides - I've only heard one fifth of the music, so far; who's to say that something entirely fresh and new might not blow me away when I listen to some of the other pieces, in due course?

I am fighting the temptation to order the box set in physical form, right away; I can't quite justify the expense right now, but also, shipping from the US - besides being very pricey - would take a long time under current circumstances (the good old days, when a package from America would reach the UK in a week at most, are long gone) and I would only be sentencing myself to weeks of increasing anxiety, waiting for the bloody thing to turn up. But I really want to buy this!! I don't yet have any of the recent "megaboxes" in physical form, and the idea of making this the first is... nope, I'm resisting. (Dammit...)

I didn't (consciously) realise this until just before posting, but the picture I used above was taken on March 29th 2024 - the same day that this album was released. { {{{@@@}}} }

* The trumpeter was part of the new quartet which I missed seeing at the London Jazz Festival in 2022 - though I had (finally) resumed posting by then, I was still so completely out of touch that I had no idea the concert was taking place and had nobody to tell me. (So it goes... I have made peace with it - among other things.) She is also part of the Ictus roster (although she was not involved in the event which I wrote about in February). "Utility player" Matlock was much involved in the ZIM groups, but also participated in the Tri-Centric Vocal Ensemble (the SGTM choir, so to speak).

** Presumably at Firehouse 12, though the Bandcamp credits don't specify that.

*** The preverbal vocals here reminded this listener of Mike Patton (especially his work in John Zorn's Moonchild group(s) - other people would doubtless hear more of a link to Phil Minton, or someone like that. It's hardly a secret that "jazz vocals" are not my thing, even of the way-out variety... I have heard bits and pieces...

# This goes somewhat against the grain, as I really do try to make sense of this stuff. But I have my limits, as I keep saying, and sometimes all I can do is accept them... for now..!

## As I understand it, the term which came into English as "kung fu" has nothing inherently to do with martial arts - and ended up being used that way via a route much influenced by Cantonese idiom (and romanisation). A gardener or carpenter might just easily evince gongfu as a tai chi master or Shaolin boxer; the term refers to growth and development through dedicated work over time. The AACM legends are, of course, stellar examples of this.