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Mark Whitecage: BushWacked: A Spoken Opera
ByThe CD takes its text from news media excerpts (The Nation, Harper's and The Progressive Populist) and lyrics written in 1992 by Jeanne Lee, adapted for Whitecage's composition "BushWacked and presented in an almost "singspiel" vocal style of text and lyrics in a very free-form setting. Most of the music is performed in a free jazz style with no clear structure, excluding "Jesus, a short gospel blues segment. Likewise, the spoken word portions have no clear rhythmic form, appearing mostly over the music without any clear rhythmic relationship.
Levine's voice, which appears on "In Our Name and "Who's the War For?, has an off-putting quality, a weathered sound weak in tone; and Larimer's intentionally out-of-tune singing on "Who's the War For? doesn't quite connect with the feel of the swing style backing music that accompanies him. The solely spoken word "Fugue," however, interestingly utilizes words as they become fugal subjects. And the final track, "Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me, provides a final commentary comprised solely of instrumental improvisation, as if words simply weren't sufficient to reflect the populace of this group's anger and message.
The disc itself is of a rough, raw, unmixed recording that was clearly made in a basement studiopossibly an intentional effectthus giving the product a grass roots feel.
Track Listing
In Our Name; 0 for 5000; Follow the Money; Jesus; Who's the War For?; Fugue; Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me.
Personnel
Mark Whitecage
saxophone, altoMark Whitecage: alto saxophone, Bb clarinet; Scott Steele: guitar; Bill Larimer: piano; Rozanne Levine: alto and soprano clarinet; Robert Mahaffay: drums.
Album information
Title: BushWacked: A Spoken Opera | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Unknown label
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About Mark Whitecage
Instrument: Saxophone, alto
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