The rest of the listening session was sprinkled with partially formed thoughts about games. Just what is the attraction. More important, why am I seeing it from the outside? From the land of the non-converted? Later on the answer came to me: that there is no 'correct' answer. My head collects musical bits, joins them together and provides the 'meaning'. But I'm never wrong. There's no pressure to get anything 'right'. I'm always 'right'. Everybody is.
Of course it was Mat Maneri's Pentagon that was interrupted by my Remote Control Olympics. This is definitely a collection of music that's open to multiple interpretations. While Maneri's violin is the main instrument, the group improvisation actually takes center stage. For every slow & reflective segment (the opening tune did in fact bring up that abandoned house image) there are rollicking funk things that remind me of the less harsh bits of electrified Miles Davis.
Maneri's musical puzzle here is presented by Tom Rainey on drums, Thirsty Ear cohort Craig Taborn (Rhodes, laptop), Ben Gerstein (trombone), T.K. Ramakrishnan (percussion) and Joe Maneri (alto, keys, voice). A great and textured group of instruments. The sound palette is further stretched by quite a bit of sampling and processing. Maneri's violin sometimes plays it straight, quiet and acoustic... while at other times verges on near-electric guitar scorch.
I'm not sure that my mental puzzle of Pentagon is done yet. The opening theme ("Ava") resurfaces several times througout the program with each new episode distorted just a bit more toward the angular and spooky side of things (though the closing "America" seems to make the whole package work). There are a few hip-hop oriented tracks that at first seem to not belong, but then make perfect sense in the company of the acid-trip freakout of "Howl In My Head/Motherless Child". Maybe it makes no sense to gather this stuff into a 'picture' at all. When a violin and trombone swap sounds, it just might be that all bets are off.
Or... those waving curtains are as far as I need to go.
Article comments
1 - Mary K. Williams
another good write up. Where do you here about all these different musicians? Inquiring minds want to know.
I like games, but I hate puzzles. OK not hate, but dislike some.
2 - v.knox
i caught mat and joe maneri in montreal a few years ago at casa de popolo. an amazing set. pentagon is intense and haunting. kudos to all of the musicians on this recording.continue this sublime experimentation.
3 - MF
Pentagon is an interesting release. Shame : the vocals don´t reach perfection...
Maneri´s violon sounds great though. Congrats!