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Chris Pitsiokos: Speak In Tongues And Hope For The Gift Of Interpretation
ByIn Pitsiokos' young career he has garnered recognition with trumpeter Nate Wooley, drummer Weasel Walter and his own trio, quartet, and electric trio that goes by the name of CP Unit. His composing leans towards a Downtown punk esthetic, one that is bent on dismembering tradition. This solo concert recording makes no bones about honoring tradition as it is taught in music conservatories. Opening with "To Charles Parker Jr.," Pitsiokos delivers a rapid-fire alto attack which is just not Bird-like, because Parker never exercised the circular breathing technique Pitsiokos employs. We can imagine he is picturing Charlie Parker in his mind but also the music of Evan Parker. The same can be said of "To John Zorn," which has traces of tongue-slapping duck calls, but could also be attributed to the vocalizations of Mats Gustafsson. Pitsiokos delivers some overblowing on "To Ornette Coleman" working in altered pitches against tugboat blasts. For many, the highlights here are the intricate lattices of notes he sows with "To Anthony Braxton" and "To Roscoe Mitchell." Both pieces transition from delicate to prickly. In the end, it is Roscoe Mitchell that Pitsiokos resembles most. That might be the greatest compliment.
Track Listing
To Charles Parker Jr.; To Anthony Braxton; To Roscoe Mitchell; To Ornette Coleman; To Eric Dolphy; To John Zorn.
Personnel
Chris Pitsiokos
saxophoneAlbum information
Title: Speak In Tongues And Hope For The Gift Of Interpretation | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Relative Pitch Records
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About Chris Pitsiokos
Instrument: Saxophone
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