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Alister Spence: Imagine Meeting You Here
ByAlways striving beyond convention or rigid form, Spence speaks to the importance of unique musicianship in ensembles as "individual characteristics...what do they(musicians) do that can be brought out in the music." The compositional focus on Imagine Meeting You Here, according to Spence, is seeking a chemistry of talent, and specifically in this case, the Satoko Fujii's Orchestra Kobe, resulting in an ensemble "full of wonderful, distinctive performers and improvisors, who are used to improvising in solo and ensemble situations." Part of this synergy comes from a 10-year association between Spence and Fujii, and a process between writer/composer and orchestral band leader expressing an "emotional" tone they both have in mind. Though Spence elaborates that once the composition has left his hands there is the magic of improvisation that occurs with the Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe, "freely together...without necessarily following a notated score." As the composer, Spence further explains, "It is very exciting to hear where the music goes when the orchestra is given opportunities."
On Imagine Meeting You Here, fine craftsmanship and resourceful imagination meet with spontaneity and instrumental virtuosity. There is a unique variation of mood or emotion, with Spence seeking an "exploration of textural elements such as breath or key click sounds, and sometimes more tonal." The orchestral work is broken into four parts, each contribute musical elements that address instrumentation that shows invention in range and "blending possibilities."
"Part 1" shows-off Spence's deft handling of melody and orchestration. Opening with a traditional Japanese flute instrument, shakuhachi, a peaceful call is heard, followed by a hypnotic drum beat, then rhythm rises, and tension finally builds to allow fiery solos from featured musicians Eiichiro Arasaki (tenor saxophone), Natsuki Tamura(trumpet), Yasuhisa Mizutani (alto saxophone), and Takumi Seino (guitar). "Part 2" is a break entirely from a regular rhythm and beat with an onslaught of nonsense vocalizing that is chant-like, driving a chaos that transitions to an almost "beat" generation be-bop attitude with blaring horns, as Spence lays out a rowdy score in odd-meter 5/4 beat with collective improvisation. "Part 3" is an invention of sounds in interplay, keeping the listener off-guard, as squeaks, mysterious bird calls, timbre clicks, trumpet vocalizations and whining strings play behind an initially sustained moaning horn, achieving a suspense of a soundscape taking its own improvisational, a-tonal "cross in the road." "Part 4" is a wild ride, beginning with a soft bass line to a propulsion of drum beat, then suddenly over-ridden by wailing improvisations by trumpeter Rabito Arimoto and tenor saxophonist Tsutomu Takei. Mid-way, a full ensemble, take-no prisoners, counter-melody is driven by horn section, re-grouping with a melody big-band sound. "Part 4" treats the listener to a multi-movement roller-coaster.
Accomplishing so much variety in instrumental range, timbre, rhythm, melody with an open door for improvisation, Spence and the Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe deliver a wonderfully imaginative and creative listening adventure that is refreshing to the ears. Spence's Imagine Meeting You Here abounds with surprises, providing a see-saw of disciplined and inventive changes in each composition, allowing for un-conventional use of instrumentation and inventive, boundary-less interpretation.
Track Listing
Imagine Meeting You Here 1 (Imagine); Imagine Meeting You Here 2 (Meeting); Imagine Meeting You Here 3 (You); Imagine Meeting You Here 4 (Here); Imagine Meeting You Here 5 (Postscript).
Personnel
Alister Spence
pianoSatoko Fujii
pianoKo Iwata, Yasuhisa Mizutani: alto saxophone; Eiichiro Arasaki: tenor saxophone, shakuhachi; Tsutomu Takei: tenor saxophone; Keizo Nobori: baritone saxophone; James Barrett, Shojiro Yokoo, Natsuki Tamura, Rabito Arimoto: trumpets; Yusuko Kaneko, Yusuke Imanishi: trombones; Takumi Seino: guitar; Hiroshi Funato: bass; Yoshikazu Isaki: drums; Alister Spence: conductor.
Album information
Title: Imagine Meeting You Here | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Alister Spence Music
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