The short songs mean you can miss a lot of music compressed in bite size packages if you don't pay attention. With the low end held down quite nimbly by Dunn and Sarin establishing timekeeping that sometimes morphs in an instant, Friedlander can play whatever role he wants to play, and often does.
With a background in guitar, his cello is sometimes made to sound like one when playing pizzicato, or he can employ the bow whenever it's time to go legato. Sometimes he uses both approaches in the same song. His plucked cello is highly distinctive from the bass, as it's tuned higher, and Friedlander shows amazing dexterity, speed and melodic sense not familiar to that instrument when it's played in that fashion, as amply demonstrated on "Pretty Penny."
Sometimes, he solos on top of Dunn, or plays in harmony with him, as with "Ink," or "Buffalo." The chemistry between the two is highlighted further with the straight blues of "Tiny." It's an intimate jam with just Dunn and Friedlander exchanging short ideas and solo turns in a conversation between similar instruments speaking in different dialects.
No matter the setting, it demands all three to be keenly aware of what the others are doing. It's their superhuman cohesiveness that makes this all work. That, in turn, makes Broken Arm Trio a standout success. Erik Friedlander can really go to town when he's playing solo and not accountable to anyone else. With Dunn and Sarin added to the mix, he remains as unencumbered as he is when he has no accompaniment.
photo: Dario Villa
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
The Lester Bangs of whack-jazz? I always thought of Saleski as something closer to the Joe Bob Briggs of the avant garde.
-Glen
2 - Pico
Glen, I agree, but he insisted on this title or else he wouldn't mail me the check ;-)
3 - Glen Boyd
I guess that actually makes him the Gov. Blago of whack-jazz then.
-Glen
4 - Mark Saleski
hmmm....i hadn't thought about joe bob in a long time. so i went to his site, mostly to see if glen was being a meanie.
opening line to review of "Bikini Island":
I had this dream the other night where I saw Sam Kinison murder Dr. Seuss.
i'll take it.
ok so, as usual, really great review Pico. this record is unbelievably great. everybody should own a copy. even Kenny G fans. no wait...especially Kenny G fans.
p.s. at first i thought glen had gone off his nut, him comparing me to bob dobbs. i thought, what the heck do i write that has to do with the church of the subgenius? but then i realized i'd misread the text, which is only natural at 3 in the morning.
p.p.s insomnia sucks