Departing from a tradition of releases containing single, long compositions,
Barry Guy
presents three separate works here, one featuring pianist
Marilyn Crispell
and one
free
vocalist
Maggie Nicols
, though he argues in the liner notes that they all could be considered part of a single "
concerto grosso
." The first track,
"Owed to J.S.,"
is a punning homage to
John Stevens
, founder of
the Spontaneous Music Ensemble
, several members of which resided in
the LJCO
. It's a strong, jagged work with staccato horn passages and rumbling rhythms interspersed with numerous
freely improvised
sections, the musicians grouped, as is
Guy
's wont, into mini-ensembles within the orchestra. Of the three works on this disc, it's the closest in character and spirit to other
LJCO
albums.
"Sleeping Furiously,"
featuring
Crispell
, is a quieter, bleaker affair. Her own playing is strong, but there's a slight sense of disjointedness -- unusual for
-- that, except for some of the concluding section, doesn't allow his underlying romantic nature to come through as often as one might wish. Appreciation of the concluding composition will depend entirely upon one's toleration for the
avant-garde
vocal stylings of
. Interpreting poems of
, she twitters, shrieks, putters, and screeches, in general utilizing the "traditional"
vocalist arsenal. The orchestral accompaniment largely matches
Nicols
' approach with scattershot blasts and squiggles. Not nearly up to the heights of
gems such as
Theoria
or
Harmos
,
Three Pieces for Orchestra
has certain rewards and is worth owning for
"Owed to J.S."
alone. ~ Brian Olewnick