Greg Stuart: Subtractions

Percussionist Greg Stuart is afflicted with focal dystonia, a neurological disorder which limits the motor function of one hand. Despite that physical challenge, Stuart has undertaken a sweeping and ambitious percussion album which goes beyond the traditional drum kit. He has co-led more than a dozen recordings including an impressive debut with bassist Barre Phillips. Subtractions is his first unaccompanied outing although it tests the parameters of a "solo" recording.

Stuart offers three compositions, one from percussionist Sarah Hennies and two from experimental musician Michael Pisaro-Liu. Stuart has recorded a number of albums with both artists. The twenty-two-minute "Border Loss" is segmented into ten episodes which layer bells, drums, metallic and grainy effects, stirring about in clusters of sound, slowly wandering through various tonal qualities. "Side by Side: Part I" electrifies conventional beats, sweeping passages out to sea and back. Stuart adds scraping, rattling, and a raspiness, generating curious textures. The toms are used for dramatic effect as Stuart ushers in new dynamics throughout the sixteen-minute opus. "Side by Side: Part II" takes a meditative turn as Stuart introduces rolled cymbal frames to introduce melodic trappings. As in the previous pieces, he expertly utilizes the stillness between sections, leaving space for anticipation.

Stuart springs away from convention and creates a dense tapestry from an arsenal of percussion. It can fairly be argued that a project such as Subtractions is too embellished and electronically manipulated to be considered a solo recording. However, Stuart becomes the sole vessel carrying these disparate parts to singular, organic content. His experimentation results in an animated canvas, a portal into an imaginative, abstract repertoire which exists in its unique dimension. Subtractions exudes a surprising warmth, given the characteristic absence of color and emotion in percussion. It is an impressive achievement.