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Eugene Skeef & Rae Howell: Heavy Forest Air
ByThe title track is a twenty four minute-marriage between Howell's interlocking linesfirst on marimba then on vibraphoneand Skeef's rhythmic and percussive variations. A repeating series of sixteen descending notes combined with a circular pattern commence the duo improvisation, with Skeef respondingon what sounds like the ancient Indian clay-pot, the ghatamwith a vibrant pulse. Skeef's rhythms ebb and flow as Howell's lines oscillate in tempo and intensity in a fascinating evolution that's alternatively metronomic and flowing, ethereal and subtly dynamic.
Switching to vibraphone, Howell runs bows along the edges of the keys, to which Skeef responds with an isolated gong, gentle water ripples and a deep whale-like groan, presumably caused by rubbing the skin of a large standing drum. From ghostly, other-worldly soundscapes, Howell's play gradually assumes greater lyricism and there's a return to the earlier rhythmic momentum, with Skeef this time on congas. The dialog slowly dissipates and fades altogether.
The second improvisation, "Ocean Of Emptiness" logs in at just under nineteen minutes and although there's no great divergence in approach from the first piece, its greater melodic core gives it the impression of a through-composed work. Percussion and marimba remain in step until around the five-minute mark when Howell's notes slow down to a crawl as Skeef's ghatam gathers pace; the juxtaposition is brief but striking. Percussion then rests for a minute as Howell strikes up contrasting, mantra-like motifs.
When Skeef rejoins, his charging Arabic rhythms contrast with Howell's minimalist vibraphone pulse. Drums fade, ushering in another dreamy vibraphone passage punctuated by the sounds of water and gentle gongs. The sure patter of frame drum injects greater urgency, though Howell maintains her less-is-more course, albeit an overtly melodic one. Howell then drops one line, gently releasing three-note cycles followed by six-note cycles that, buoyed by percussion, impart a vaguely Latin vibe. Howell returns to the three-note pattern, the sustained notes shimmering as drums recede and the whale-cry reverberates deeply once more. Vibraphones and a small gong chime single notes in call and response, running down slowly like a broken clock.
At under four minutes, the structurally simple "Restless Woodland" seems like a summation of what has come beforea short coda that's as delicate as a lullaby. The orchestral elegance of these epic flowing narratives and the striking contours of rhythm and mood would suit an arrangement for the multiple voices of Howell's longstanding Sunwrae Ensemble. It's easy to forget that Skeef and Howell's collaboration is an improvisation, so assured is the interplay. Once heard, however, this beguiling music sears itself in the memory.
Track Listing
Heavy Forest Air; Ocean of Emptiness; Restless Woodland.
Personnel
Eugene Skeef: percussion; Rae Howell: vibraphone & marimba.
Album information
Title: Heavy Forest Air | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Kooky Records
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Eugene Skeef & Rae Howell
CD/LP/Track Review
Rae Howell
Ian Patterson
Kooky Records
United Kingdom
London
Heavy Forest Air