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Willliam Carn: Choices
ByThe second tune, the energetic "The Inertia of Complacency," is neither inert nor complacent. In fact, it is lively and bright, featuring HiFiLo (aka Todd Pentney) on keyboards, Ernesto Cervini on drums, trumpeter William Sperandei, saxophonists Jesse Ryan and Kelly Jefferson joining trombonist and keyboardist Carn to make an electro-mini big band sound, thumbing its collective, remotely-recorded noses at people who complain a lot and sit on their couches and do nothing about an adverse situation. Perhaps this tune is meant to light some fires under their whining, idle asses.
In proper Covid isolation mode, all of the tunes were recorded from the instrumentalists' homes, with Cervinithe lone exception to the homebound waydoing his drumming from the studio.
"Heroyim Slava"combining electronic orchestral washes with dirge-like reed and brass fanfares and machine-like rumblings, along with spoken words from Volodymyr Zelenskyy (from one of his press briefings)is inspired by the Russian war against Ukraine, leading into "Get Up," a nod to protestors and the oppressed and marginalizedthe Hong Kong Democracy Protest, Black Lives Matter and more. It is a funky, soulful sound brimming with optimism, featuring a lively trombone solo from Carn and the stinging beauty of a guitar solo supplied, certainly, by a synthesizer, since no guitarists are listed in the personnel.
Carn is not known for his use of electronicshis acoustic group Carn Davidson 9 is the highest listing on his profilebut it is his and HiFiLo's electronics which give Choices its 21st-century sheen and soul. And "The Gift" is the loveliest of love songs, to his wife and partner in the Carn Davidson 9, saxophonist Tara Davidson. It is a solemn and reverent tune which has a futuristic/traditional dynamic, with Carn's Gregorian Chant-like vocals leading into the brief closer, "Breathe Out," wrapping up Carn's successful experimental foray into ambient electronic modernism.
Track Listing
Breathe In; The Inertia of Complacency; Heroyim Slava; Get Up; Goodbye Old Freind; The gift; Breathe Out.
Personnel
William Carn
tromboneWilliam Sperandei
trumpetKelly Jefferson
saxophone, tenorJesse Ryan
saxophoneErnesto Cervini
drumsAdditional Instrumentation
William Carn: trombone, vocals, keyboards; HiFiLo (aka Todd Pentney): Keyboards (2-5); William Sperandei: trumpet (2, 4); Kelly Jefferson: tenor saxophone (2); Jesse Ryan: alto saxophone (4); Ernesto Cervini: drums (2); Larnell Lewis: drums (4).
Album information
Title: Choices | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Self Produced
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Richard Brent Turner