Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ken Vandermark Predella Group: Strade d'Acqua / Roads of Water

241

Ken Vandermark Predella Group: Strade d'Acqua / Roads of Water

By

Sign in to view read count
Ken Vandermark Predella Group: Strade d'Acqua / Roads of Water
Prolific composer/saxophonist Ken Vandermark's first soundtrack Project, Strade d'Acqua / Roads of Water, brings together his multiple interests and sound designs, creating a work for the film by Augusto Contento. It can exists as a standalone album, separate from the film, without commentary.

Recorded in 2008, Vandermark's Predella Group reunites trombonist Jeb Bishop—an original member of the Vandermark 5—with the leader, as well as his replacement, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm. For this work, Vandermark arranges the sound in a sparse manner, perhaps to leave plenty of space for the visuals.

Relying heavily on Vandermark's new favorite drummer Tim Daisy—who plays a bit of marimba on "Sieve of the Soul"—the atmosphere is one of slowed tempos and space. In the gaps, Vandermark allows his players to fill in with breathy slurs and the occasional electronic flashes. Bassist Nate McBride's heavy opening to "Blue Over Green" carpets the unison horn lines that give way to seemingly casual single-note from guitarist Jeff Parker, taking flight before the track abruptly ends mid-flight—as does "Signal," an open improvisation of horns, cast about and fuzzy electronics from Lonberg-Holm.

Highlights include Bishop and trumpeter Jaimie Branch's solos on "Dust Town." The moody walking piece first gets the blues treatment from the trombone, then Branch coaxes a very Miles Davisian sound, before a slap-quick change into Vandermark's urgent solo over pounding drums and haunting guitar. The discovery here is Branch, her sound featuring minimalist breathing or tangy muted notes. Like the recent guest appearance of trumpeter Magnus Broo with V5, Branch's horn completes this project.

Track Listing

Further (for Anselm Kiefer); Blue Over Green (for Mark Rothko; Sieve of the Soul (for Bruce Naumann); Dust Town (for William Eggleston); Austral Cartography (for Cormac McCarthy); Signal (for Franz Kline); Dusk Meridian (for William Faulkner).

Personnel

Ken Vandermark
saxophone

Jeb Bishop: trombone; Jaimie Branch: trumpet; Tim Daisy: percussion; Fred Lonberg-Holm: cello; Nate McBride: bass; Jeff Parker: guitar; Ken Vandermark: reeds.

Album information

Title: Strade d'Acqua / Roads of Water | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Multikulti Project

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.