The result of what could only be described as serendipity, an ad-hoc trio of current/former Boston luminaries Vic Rawlings and Michael Bullock joined up with Lebanese trumpet player Mazen Kerbaj on a short tour after a single gig together, two sets of which are presented on this disc. Although recorded only five days apart, the two shows are actually quite different in character and feel, but both show improvisation at its best.
The shorter set, recorded in Chicago and clocking in at around 13 minutes appears mostly as an exercise in restraint. The low bass rumbles from Bullock stay sustained throughout most of the piece, heavy tones that never quite let up but keep vibrating on and on are met with rough, squeaky sounds which could be Rawlings’ various electronic gear, or Kerbaj’s treated trumpet, I personally don’t know. These harsh tones stay controlled, however, and there is a feeling that they could burst forth in pure noise at any given time. Ultra high frequency blasts of feedback and electronic tones cut through once in awhile, along with low scrapes and rattles that sound like poor stringed instruments being abused.
The longer set, about a half hour and from Washington, DC, shows less restraint and more full on aggressive improvising. Perhaps the boys had been in the van together a little too long by this point and tensions were running high. Regardless, there is a great deal more chaos in this set. The opening is more of a clash of sounds, and the overall tone is one that is more aggressive and commanding. Bullock’s feedback is more prominent throughout the piece, and has a louder and more violent tone than in the previous piece. The feedback is tightly reigned and controlled though, so rather than just random noise, it is as much of an instrument as anything else.
Electronic elements are more of a focus here as well. What could be Kerbaj’s treated horns or Rawlings’ equipment has a spacey, pulsating character that swirls around the feedback, occasionally swelling to more piercing tones that give the feedback good competition for harshness, and then at other points sinking back more quietly into a fuzzy analog haze. The metallic string scraping also is more of a focal point this time, and there are some moments where Kerbaj’s squawking, sputtering trumpet appears relatively untreated.
Being that it is somewhat more aggressive in nature, I found this to be the more interesting of the two sets, because the natural tension between improvisers adds a certain level of dynamism and chaos that only makes the work that much more interesting. Considering these guys had only played as a trio once before this tour shows their skills at improvisation is based more on natural chemistry than anything forced, and the output makes that all the more apparent.
samples:
- WNUR, Chicago IL
- Warehouse Next Door, Washington DC (Excerpt 1)
- Warehouse Next Door, Washington DC (Excerpt 2)
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