Double Portrait
Ablaze, 2020
9/10
The veteran composers Douglas Knehans and Edward Smaldone introduce us to the exceptional young ensemble All Of The Above on this collaboration, where Silk Road Ensemble artist HU Jianbing contributes sheng to the very creative endeavor.
Knehans takes the first 6 tracks, and leads with “Bang”, where a sextet and electronics illuminate the unpredictable, imaginative setting that’s part classical, part modern day electro-rock, and “Temple” follows with Nave Graham’s flute resonating in the intimate and dreamy landscape.
The back half of Knehans’ portion recruits firm piano from Matthew Umphreys and violin acrobatics from Scott Jackson on the energetic "Spinning”, which is sandwiched between the bare “Yearning, Strained, Exhaustedly Expressive” and quivering strings of “Lentissimo-Grave-Moderato-Grave-Lentissimo”, all of which are movements of “Lumen”.
Smaldone starts his half with the tense, playful and often cinematic “Rituals: Sacred And Profane”, while “Suite” unfolds with 3 movements that begin with cathartic violin, before warm keys enter the melancholic climate that further on moves quicker and with plenty of emotion. “Double Duo” exits Smaldone’s contributions, and spans busy and majestic and sparse and mysterious, as he takes nods to the tonality of Perle.
Extremely technical and certainly timeless, this fascinating listen explores chamber, jazz, classical and orchestral sounds like few others could, and is absolutely worth spending quality time with.
Travels well with: Edward Smaldone- Once And Again; Jorma Tapio & Kaski- Aliseen