Barcode Poetry
Self-Released, 2024
9/10
The pianist, improviser and composer Michael McNeill is joined by the Baltimore musicians Shelly Purdy, Dave Ballou and Susan Alcorn for these 7 avant-garde pieces that touch on jazz and classical ideas.
The rumbling keys of “Timeigrant” opens the listen a firmness that makes great use of Ballou’s distinct trumpet and found object-ish percussion, and the title track follows with playful trumpet and animated piano making for an unpredictable climate.
In the middle, the initially calm mood of “As A Metaphor (Take 1)” offers intimacy and mystery that benefits much from Purdy’s vibraphone, while “Branches” is 4 minutes of cinematic and cautious playing that’s a bit haunting.
The longest song, “Double Memory”, exits and across 10+ minutes mesmerizes us with its atypical ambience that’s populated by Alcorn’s strategic guitar, attentive percussion and atmospheric brass and keys.
The impetus for this album stems from the quartet’s 2022 tour, and the improvisations translate into experimental and unconventional energy from beginning to end.
Travels well with: Nate Wooley- Mutual Aid Music; Susan Alcorn- Canto