Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Theo Bleckmann: I Dwell In Possibility

265

Theo Bleckmann: I Dwell In Possibility

By

Sign in to view read count
Theo Bleckmann: I Dwell In Possibility
Were Theo Bleckmann Irish he would be a leprechaun, a magical bringer of joy and beauty with creativity and a sense of humor. Probably a more apt cultural consideration is viewing this vocalist/performance artist as the embodiment of all that was good, demiurgic, evocative, and provocative of Berlin during the explosively creative Weimar Republic period. Bleckmann is a daring and broadly talented artist fearing no type of artistic expression. A lover of sounds and gadgets, the singer has forged a place for himself on the whole art scene with releases culminating in the Grammy-nominated Twelve Songs by Charles Ives (Winter & Winter, 2009).

Bleckmann's collaborations with pianist/conductor/composer Fumio Yusada—Las Vegas Rhapsody: The Night They Invented Champagne (Winter & Winter, 2006) and Schumann's Favored Bar Songs (Winter & Winter, 2009)—have proven him an intensely personal artist, ready to share his wares with an interested public. I Dwell In Possibility is Bleckmann's celebration of the voice. No better way to do so than with his fine instrument and fertile imagination.

Bleckmann addresses his material on two levels: first is in choice, which is far and wide; second, "instrumentation" he provides his singing. I Dwell In Possibility is a solo recording in the truest sense of the word, as Bleckmann is the sole proprietor of his creative and expressive domains. The title piece is Bleckmann's imaginative setting of Emily Dickinson's verse of the same title; augmenting the piece with vibra tone, glass harp, chimes, and finger cymbals—a lover of gadgets, for sure, and gleeful employment thereof.

James Taylor Quartet's "Lonesome Road" and Joni Mitchell's "The Fiddle and The Drum" are transformed by Bleckmanns brilliant sorcery. Even ancient texts are not safe from Bleckmann, who adapts fragments by Euripides and from unknown ancient Egyptians. This is densely creative and very smart music that is enjoyable even at its most experimental (Meredith Monk's Wa-lie-ho." What next, Theo Bleckmann?

Track Listing

I Dwell In Possibility; I Hear A Rhapsody; Lord Is It Mine; Duet For One; Static Still; Wa-lie-oh; That Lonesome Road; So La So Mi; Ma'at; If Only; Earth And Sky; The Fiddle And The Drum; Kleines Norwegisches Wintergedicht; Comes Love.

Personnel

Theo Bleckmann: voice, autoharp, chime balls, chimes, finger cymbals, flutes, glass harp, hand-held fan, Indonesian frog bugger, iPhone, lyre, melodica, miniature zither, nut shell shakers, rotary pan flute, shruti box, tongue drum, toy amp, toy boxes, toy megaphones, vibratone, water bottle.

Album information

Title: I Dwell In Possibility | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Winter & Winter

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.