Unseen//Unheard
Strange Moon, 2025
9/10
An album entirely of duets for alto flute and bass flute, Rose Bishop and Heather Neuenschwander bring their respective talents to these 10 classically influenced songs.
“Vicuna”, by Nicole Chamberlain, starts the listen with percussive ideas alongside the playful bass and alto flute interaction, and “Fremont Street” follows with a hazy of dreaminess via Leanna Li Keith’s vision of beauty.
Yoshi Weinberg’s “Cat’s Cradle” lands in the middle and emits mystery and warmth, as the pair interact with grace and poeticism, while “Hag Of Beara” carries a cinematic appeal that’s tonally bright and highly intriguing in the Lisa Neher piece.
Close to the end, Arturo Rodriquez’s “A Wandering Journey”, the album’s best, sees the duo using melody and wonder to their advantage, and “Night-Blooming”, by Sonya Leonore Stahl, exits with a colorful and emotive blend of the pair’s inimitable talents.
An enlightening and very engaging collaboration, this is the first ever album of its kind in the area of bass and alto flutes, and both Bishop and Neuenschwander guide the listener through much awe.
Travels well with: Joane Hétu- Elle a son mot á dire; Adrianne Munden-Dixon- Vision Mantra