Memories Unsettled
Navona, 2022
9/10
Sun Min Kim and Hilary Glen, i.e. Gibbs Street Duo, bring their piano and cello prowess to their diverse compositions by Dorothy Rudd Moore, James Lee III, Ching-chu Hu, and HyeKyung Lee, and it makes for a powerful chamber listen that addresses social change.
Lee’s “Distant Memories” opens the listen with hypnotic keys alongside stirring cello that emits much beauty, and “Dream And Variations”, by Moore, follows with a low rumbling as the solo keys dance with both tension and grace across 15 minutes of adventurous song craft.
In the middle, the sublime strings of Lee III’s “Abraham’s Son” conveys the horror and outrage of Trayvon Martin’s death, while the firm keys and agile cello of Moore’s “Dirge And Deliverance” mesmerizes us across 2 movements of cautious yet exploratory song craft.
Nu’s “Night” finishes the listen, and it’s an intimate exit that showcases much skill from both players that’s meticulous, absorbing and enlightening.
An effort aimed at making change, Gibbs Street Duo make for a very relevant and timeless body of work that's all substance.
Travels well with: Lee Bradshaw- The Tie That Binds; Monika Gurak- Scenes From A Life