In 2006, Korean percussionist
Park Je Chun
organized the first
Seoul Meeting Free Music
festival, to which he invited
Lauren Newton
. They performed together at the event in a quartet. Then,
Park
suggested a duo recording session, the voice/percussion pairing being strongly suggestive of the Korean folk opera form called "pansori."
2 Souls in Seoul
is the result of that session.
's playing (on handheld instruments, an assortment of cymbals and small drums, but no drum kit per se) ranges from the textural to the tribal, a scope that unleashes the widely varied facets of
Newton
's vocal talent. The duo engages in 17 short improvised pieced, locking into a ceremonial-like performance where moments of quiet, dirge-like introspection alternate with cathartic release (
"Souls at Play"
) and movements of stunning telepathic beauty (
"Relativity"
). The way these (mostly) three-minute tunes begin and end on a dime, it is difficult to believe that they are all entirely improvised -- some kind of direction, canvas, or basic idea must have been predetermined. In any case, these two souls are certainly synchronized. From the hastiness of the aptly titled
"Seoul Rush"
to the starkness of
"Souls Lament"
(a large bell echoing
's whisper-quiet notes),
is a superb example of creative improvising between musicians of different cultures -- and one of
's most surprising releases of late. Strongly recommended. ~ Francois Couture