Big Black - Ethnic Fusion
No, Steve Albini hasn't gone soft; different band, different goals.
Let's set one thing straight right now: Big Black in this instance isn't the collection of alterna-rockers you're thinking of. Rather, this Big Black is someone who specialises in creating bebop rhythms on a selection of tumbas and bongos - the sort of guy who's played with the likes of Pharoah Sanders and Sun Ra and was buddies with Cannonball Adderley. Ethnic Fusion, then, is an album that was originally recorded with guitarist Anthony Wheaton and released in 1982. Hopefully, this re-release will see the man get the respect he deserves.
This album is a fusion disc in the truest sense of the word: the two players weave around each other seamlessly, melding jazz and classical song-structures (Pavane) with all-out beat attacks and Afro-Cuban sensibilities. No edits, just extended takes, improvisations and amazingly sympathetic playing. The idea of bongos on disc initially brings to mind cheesiness - UltraLounge tunes for the background - but thankfully, what you find here is far removed from any beatnik noodlery. The hand-drum work here is solid, assured, and overwhelming - though it's an all-encompassing feeling, not one of suffocation. Big Black's music lifts the listener; this is one of the warmest CDs I've had the pleasure of listening to in a while. The subtlety on offer here is amazing. I'm by no means a rabid fan of this style of music - usually, it's a little too Wyndham Hill for my tastes - but this had me hooked.
There's one thing that bugs me about this re-release, though; it's sent out in one of the flimsiest excuses for packaging I've seen. The contents are worth preserving, so why not go the whole hog and encase it in something a little hardier than cheap grade card? That niggle aside, Ethnic Fusion is worth making time to hear. There's 35 minutes of genius here, and it's something you'll wish you'd heard much earlier.
This article originally appeared on splendidezine.com.
Let's set one thing straight right now: Big Black in this instance isn't the collection of alterna-rockers you're thinking of. Rather, this Big Black is someone who specialises in creating bebop rhythms on a selection of tumbas and bongos - the sort of guy who's played with the likes of Pharoah Sanders and Sun Ra and was buddies with Cannonball Adderley. Ethnic Fusion, then, is an album that was originally recorded with guitarist Anthony Wheaton and released in 1982. Hopefully, this re-release will see the man get the respect he deserves.This album is a fusion disc in the truest sense of the word: the two players weave around each other seamlessly, melding jazz and classical song-structures (Pavane) with all-out beat attacks and Afro-Cuban sensibilities. No edits, just extended takes, improvisations and amazingly sympathetic playing. The idea of bongos on disc initially brings to mind cheesiness - UltraLounge tunes for the background - but thankfully, what you find here is far removed from any beatnik noodlery. The hand-drum work here is solid, assured, and overwhelming - though it's an all-encompassing feeling, not one of suffocation. Big Black's music lifts the listener; this is one of the warmest CDs I've had the pleasure of listening to in a while. The subtlety on offer here is amazing. I'm by no means a rabid fan of this style of music - usually, it's a little too Wyndham Hill for my tastes - but this had me hooked.
There's one thing that bugs me about this re-release, though; it's sent out in one of the flimsiest excuses for packaging I've seen. The contents are worth preserving, so why not go the whole hog and encase it in something a little hardier than cheap grade card? That niggle aside, Ethnic Fusion is worth making time to hear. There's 35 minutes of genius here, and it's something you'll wish you'd heard much earlier.
This article originally appeared on splendidezine.com.
Labels: album reviews
