Steve Adams & Vinny Golia: Circular Logic

Mark Corroto

Senior Contributor since 1999

Mark misses his large dog Louie, but endeavors daily to find and listen to new and interesting sounds.

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Published: April 1, 1999

The West Coast music scene has been thought of as the minor leagues for New York. Musicians like Charles Mingus, Dexter Gordon, and Art Pepper got their start in California but gravitated to the big apple. Those who stayed behind, like monster pianist Horace Tapscott (find his records), practiced their art in relative obscurity. But look closer, there is today a ripe West Coast scene that includes the post-bop styling of Black Note and B-Sharp Jazz Quartet and the avant-guard work of ROVA saxophone quartet and Gino Robair. Multi-reedist Vinny Golia has been documenting the sounds of the West Coast for the past twenty years through his Nine Winds record label, recording post-Ornette Coleman excursions, chamber jazz, Large (26 musicians) Ensemble modern jazz, everything from noisy free to intimately composed pieces.

His latest offering, subtitled Music For Woodwinds, features 22 instruments. No, this isn’t a Golia Large Ensemble. It’s a duo recording with ROVA saxophonist Steve Adams. Call it modern classical/chamber jazz, the duo weaves the elegant “Not Quite What You Thought” around free overdubbed pieces like “Caucus 1.” Beautifully recorded, they utilize silence as much as sound to present their musical poetry. On “Indeterminate Duo 2” Golia’s bass saxophone prods Adam’s baritone saxophone through the heavy weather. Circular Logic is a series of conversations between two multi-instrumental conversationalists.

Track List:Phonation; Not Quite (What You Thought); Caucus 1; 5 a.m.; Into Thick Air; Caucus 2; Circular Logic; Diatribe, Part 4; Maybe It’s The Light; Indeterminate Duo 2; In Ludwig’s House; Glue; Indeterminate Duo 1; Symbolic Logic

Personnel: Steve Adams - Sopranino Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones, C, Alto & Bass Flutes; Vinny Golia - Sopranino, Baritone & Bass Saxophones, English Horn, Bassoon, Piccolo, C, Alto & Bass Flutes, Eb, Bb, A, Alto, Bass, Contra-Alto & Contra Bass Clarinets

Record Label: Nine Winds Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream