Ernesto Diaz-Infante & Chris Forsyth: Wires and Wooden Boxes

Glenn Astarita

Senior Contributor since 1997

Longtime contributor to AAJ and Downbeat, Jazz Review, EjazzNews, Radio DirectX.

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Published: August 1, 2001

Multi-instrumentalist, Ernesto Diaz-Infante is apt to tackle either minimalist style themes, brimming with melodic frameworks and lush voicings or engage in John Cage-like musings with free-improvisational guitarist, Chris Forsyth. With their second collaboration, this 2001 release features more of the somewhat alien discourses witnessed on the duo’s previous effort, “Left & Right.” On the opener “NYC Journal excerpt (2000), Forsyth utilizes his electric guitar power cord and input jack as a vehicle to inject grounding hum and static into a piece that elicits notions of man vs. machine, as Diaz-Infante, here performing on acoustic piano, counters the guitarist with simply stated harmonies via well-placed block chords and slight shifts in tempo. Otherwise, the musicians’ render spurious two-way dialogue, disparate tonalities, and alien soundscapes that are perhaps analogous to a young toddler deconstructing a newfound toy. Additionally, the twosome pursues free-jazz interplay, while also utilizing a toy piano, old piano soundboard and small percussion instruments as they even manage to turn in a dual guitar exposition that is vaguely reminiscent of an English folk song amid a bevy of discordant twists and turns. Consequently, it is all about two artists delving into the outer regions of abstraction.

PAX Recordings

Track Listing: NYC Journal excerpt (2000); Metallic Strands; Sound Is Good All The time; Straight To It; Pulled Wires; Passing One Another; Knock On wood; Cut And Dried; To Place In; Trace Out Motion

Personnel: Ernesto Diaz-Infante; acoustic guitar, piano, toy piano, voice & small percussion: Chris Forsyth; electric guitar, piano soundboard & small percussion

Record Label: Pax Recordings
Style: Modern Jazz