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Seth Andrew Davis, Michael Eaton, Kyle Quass and Damon Smith: Ghost Tantras
ByCombining their talents with bassist Damon Smith and trumpeter Kyle Quass, Eaton and Davis give full rein to their most freewheeling impulses here, appropriate enough given the album's inspiration in the poetry of maverick Beat writer Michael McClure. With tracks bearing titles such as "Ooogreeshk," "Gritooorm," and "Hrahhhrr-Nohh," the music is clearly indebted to McClure's efforts to find idiosyncratic pathways to unconventional expression. Davis' role in this regard is unmistakable, as he brings a jumble of electronic sounds which often challenge the other musiciansand the listenerthrough unsettling juxtapositions and aggressive gestures. This is especially characteristic of "Snahrr," a twenty-minute piece in which Davis plays the role of provocateur, disrupting the others' ability to pursue more temperate pathways by consistently prodding them with a range of acerbic interjections. It has a striking effect, even if it does become somewhat fatiguing over the piece's lengthy duration. "Aieooo" takes a similar approach, with Davis' bleeps, blips and other assorted electronic shards creating a startling cacophony with which to discomfit the more languid locutions of the other three.
Elsewhere Davis employs electric guitar and these tracks offer a bit more coherence, as his contributions do more to complement the others rather than antagonize them. Smith is a remarkably versatile bassist, with his own substantial arsenal of distinctive timbres and techniques; when he gets room to work, as at the opening of "Gritooorm," his compelling confluence with Davis' reverb-inflected musings sets the stage for Eaton and Quass to join in with their own thoughtful dialogue. "Whahh" may be even better, with Eaton and Quass verging almost lyrically towards a common destination, and Smith and Davis reveling in the opportunity to find a moment or two of tranquil beauty amidst the consistently bracing music on Ghost Tantras.
Track Listing
Ooogreeshk; Snahrr; Gritooorm; Whahh; Raooor; Aieooo; Hrahhhrr-Nohh; Yahoo.
Personnel
Additional Instrumentation
Seth Andrew Davis: laptop and electronics; Michael Eaton: soprano saxophone.
Album information
Title: Ghost Tantras | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Mother Brain Records
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About Michael Eaton
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
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