Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Howard Riley Trio with Barry Guy & Tony Oxley: Synopsis
The Howard Riley Trio with Barry Guy & Tony Oxley: Synopsis
Throughout these five pieces, the “Howard Riley Trio” embarks on a journey that features minimalist themes and microtonal passages along with subtle counterattacks amid the often-eerie undercurrents, which are abetted by Oxley’s subliminal injections of analog EFX. Whereas on “Quantum”, the band emits a sensation of timeless bliss as they dart, jab and spar with fragmented lines atop converging dialogue. Here, Oxley exhibits his uncanny approach to drumming via expertly crafted accents, odd metered rhythms and radiant tonalities as the musicians surge towards a climactic finale spearheaded by Riley’s fluttering voicings and rhythmic block chords. On the piece titled “Ingot”, Barry Guy nimbly plucks his bass strings while alternating his cunning mode of execution with resonant arco lines in conjunction with Riley’s intricate maneuvers, as the duo explores dark regions of sound via a lower register attack. Therefore, Synopsis offers yet another archival snapshot of a very important period in the European improvisational scene.
* * * ½ (Out of * * * * *)
Track Listing
1) Mandrel 2) Sirens 3) Quantum 4) Ingot 5) Runes
Personnel
Barry Guy
bass, acousticHoward Riley; piano: Barry Guy; double bass & bass guitar: Tony Oxley; percussion & live electronics.
Album information
Title: Synopsis | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Emanem
About Barry Guy
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