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Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: For The Love Of Fire And Water
ByMelford has taken inspiration from visual artists in the past, specifically on her solo recording Life Carries Me This Way (Firehouse 12 Records, 2013) which she wrote music based on a series of pieces by the painter Don Reich. Often poetsRumi especiallyhave been her muse. Here, it is even easy for a dancing writer to envision the work of Twombly in the music. His legible illegible scribbling can be heard throughout the ten compositions. "I" opens with Melford dancing painterly calligraphic strokes which eventually invite first the cello of Tomeka Reid to gambol, then drummer Susie Ibarra, followed by saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, and finally guitarist Mary Halvorson. Part composed and otherwise free, Melford choses to allow energy to flow unrestricted, yet the music maintains a kind of minimalism throughout.
"I" flows directly into "II" with the quintet focusing on pulse, before "III" mines a delicate echoey reverberation. Like a Twombly painting "VI" can leave the majority of the canvas blank, as the musicians opt for very small quiet gestures of sound-making. Elsewhere the one-on-one piano and drums barrage kicks "VII" off into a regimented march as the ensemble falls into step. The handclaps that introduce "VIII" fuel the cohesive unit of players to navigate Melford's vision. It may be a cliche to call this music painterly, but Melford's use of colors, textures, and strokes is aesthetically pleasing.
Track Listing
I; II; III; IV; V; VI; VII; VIII; IX; X.
Personnel
Myra Melford
pianoMary Halvorson
guitarIngrid Laubrock
saxophoneTomeka Reid
celloSusie Ibarra
percussionAdditional Instrumentation
Myra Melford: melodica.
Album information
Title: For The Love Of Fire And Water | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Rogue Art
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Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet
Album Review
Mark Corroto
Fully Altered Media
For The Love Of Fire And Water
Rogue Art
Myra Melford
tomeka reid
Susie Ibarra
Ingrid Laubrock
Mary Halvorson