It took just a single listen to Prowl for me to realize that Friedlander was to be added to my Bond/Rostropovich list. The man makes the cello sing... and squeak, growl, groan, shuffle, soar... well, you get the idea. Song to song, the instrument lays out rhythmic structures, melody lines and percussive chord fragments. Bowed, strummed or plucked, the emotion fairly well drips from its strings. Great stuff, especially if your knowledge of the cello doesn't go beyond Yo Yo Ma (relax, Ma-fans, I'm in his camp too).
As adventurous as Erik Friedlander is, I'd be willing to bet that he's never slid down a snowy incline sitting in his cello case. That's OK. Rostropovich probably didn't do it either, and yet he's on my list!
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
Article comments
1 - Tom
Dang, how strange, Mark - I actually picked this up this weekend, before reading your review, having run into it at a local store. Previous to that, I didn't even know it was even out! I love the one other disc of his I was able to find, the out of print Topaz, and I actually find Prowl to be even more intriguing.
Also bought at the same time was his latest outing with the Masada String Trio, Azazel. These two make a really intense pairing listened-to together.
2 - Mark Saleski
i was sendin' out those 'weird music' vibes tom!
Masada String Trio...do i have any of it? that Zorn guy puts out so much stuff that i actually lose track of what i own!
3 - Tom
Masada String Trio stuff is essential, IMO, if you like the Radical Jewish stuff Zorn's been putting out. It's basically Bar Kokhba without the rhythm section. Their set from the 50th Birthday Celebration is absolutely incredible (as is Bar Kokhba's!)