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Petra Haller / Meg Morley: Shoulders I Stand On
ByAlthough Haller tap dances here, it would be inaccurate to label her a tap dancer as she dances in a diverse range of styles and contexts. Unsurprisingly, given her tap dancing, she is frequently mentioned in the same breath as the legendary tap dancer Will Gaines (1928-2014), who was a regular duo member with another legend, guitarist Derek Bailey (1930-2005). Gaines certainly established tap as a legitimate component of improvised music, and Haller continues the genre he championed.
Shoulders I Stand On is not Haller and Morley's first album together. On 9th September 2022 they recorded the 67-minute Live at St. Mary's (self-produced, 2022) with trumpeter Loz Speyer at the church of the title in Putney, London, and released it as a download. Excellent as that album is, Shoulders I Stand On just outdoes it. Right from the first note Morley creates a melodic soundscape which sounds tailor-made for Haller's tap, the two ideally complementing one another as equals. Thanks to Svoren, who mixed the album, the balance between the two players is perfect throughout. Maybe the most telling feature of the album is that the music is so mesmerising it is very easy to forget that one is listening to piano and tap dancing. One thing is certain, this will not be Haller and Morley's only duet album.
Track Listing
Call of the Birds; Thicker than Blood; Ascendant; Fearless; Together We Are Steam; Forever and a Day; Atlantic; Giske; Song of the Birds.
Personnel
Petra Haller
tap dancerMeg Morley
pianoAlbum information
Title: Shoulders I Stand On | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Self Produced
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Comments
About Petra Haller
Instrument: Tap dancer
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