The Bird Is An Alphabet
New Focus, 2023
8/10
Listen to The Bird Is An Alphabet
The always impressive composer Douglas Boyce enlists some excellent help for these 3 pieces with voice that showcase his recent chamber works with particularly strong attention to detail.
“A Book Of Songs” starts the listen with 3 chapters, where Molly Orlando’s swirling keys are met with Robert Baker’s glowing tenor that’s expressive and suits the highly animated piano playing that can rumble lowly, too.
“Scriptorium” occupies the middle spot, and features the Byrne:Kozar:Duo, as Corinne Byrne’s soprano soars high amid Andrew Kozar’s well timed trumpet bouts for soulful, intimate moments of beauty.
The last 9 tracks belong to “Ars Poetica”, and they host Marlanda Dekine’s voice, Nurit Pacht’s violin, Daniel Lippel’s guitar and Caleb van der Swaggh’s cello for the unique, rich chamber ideas that are unpredictable and rhythmically aware.
A poetic body of work that embraces distinct harmonics, theatrical nods and atypical grooves, Boyce never approaches songwriting with a conventional spirit, and that theme is continued here.
Travels well with: David Shapiro & The Crossing- Sumptuous Planet; Eric Moe- Strenuous Pleasures