Will Bernard & Beth Custer: Sky

Luckily there are no record producers or record executives for creative music these days, because clarinetist Beth Custer and guitarist Will Bernard would be out of a job or, at least, a recording contract. That is because neither of the artists' interests can be categorized, pigeonholed, or compartmentalized. Custer performs chamber music, jazz, trance, pop, blues, silent film soundtracks, trip-hop, rock, folk, tribal, and ambient music. Likewise, Bernard has his fingers in jazz (from straight ahead to soul and jazz-rock), experimental, hip-hop and world music. However, a confusing mess for marketing departments is a gain for adventurous listeners. Proof positive is their duo recording Sky.

The pair have been working together, contributing sound to each other's projects for more than thirty years,. With Sky they have stripped their sound down to just the two instruments, the clarinet and guitar, plus occasional diaphanous vocals from Custer. The sixteen tracks maintain an Americana feel throughout, so the music is rich and folksy. They play a waltz, "Sweeping Staircase," with Custer's clarinet accompanied by Bernard on acoustic guitar; a bluesy spiritual "Glistening Spirit" is a reminder of the Delta via Custer's magical incarnations. The pair deliver a diverse menu from a swampy blues "Not Necessarily Stoned" to the ballerina's dancing "Luv Jones" in which bass clarinet commingles with Bernard's electric guitar effects. Each piece has that 'after you,' 'no, after you' feel to it. Such courtesy, one which prevails throughout, can only be attributed to a truly copacetic couple.