Dave Soldier & William Hooker

Just as prolific American visual artist Sol LeWitt (1928–2007) created specific rules for his Wall Drawings series so drummer William Hooker and string player Dave Soldier designed similar prompts so that they and seven other improvisers could collectively create the études here. Other creative musicians such as Butch Morris and John Zorn have created analogous aleatoric music, LeWitt Etudes however depends more on individual interpretations in a collective context.

Besides the two leaders the nonet consists of violinist Rebecca Cherry from the contemporary notated field; cornetist Kirk Knuffke, who is in many free music settings; indie rocker/pianist Alex Greene;, Hans Tammen who divides his skills between electronics and guitar; tenor saxophonist Ayumi Ishito; and two busy bassists, Luke Stewart and Ken Filiano. Two bassists means that one sometimes plays pizzicato and the other arco, though both maintain the rhythmic function. Since Soldier plays mandolin and banjo, it’s also likely he who produces the fiddle buzzes and atonal interjections, with Cherry responsible for more formal unbroken lines.

As the études touch on concepts as different as Baroque, Blues, minimalism and constant motion, varied motifs are emphasized and distilled on different tracks. For instance in spite of following one another “Etude 43 version 1” and “Etude 43 Version 2” vary greatly. The first briefer variant balances on thick bass thumps and electronic echoes, as tinkling piano, stretched violin strings and a breathy brass upsurge take up the foreground. On the extended second version gentling piano key plinking and well-measured bass stops vie with electronic gizmos and circling violin emphasis to introduce the main section. Building from superfast double bass strums, double and triple reed tonguing plus bagpipe-like chanter flattement, tension is further torqued with verbalized “yeah”s and “go”s. An explosion of drum ruffs, cornet triplets, string slices and a mandolin clank signal the climax which then vanished under horn buzzing,

Tuneful as well as technical, Knuffke isn’t limited to the constipated growls he forces out on the concluding “Etude 48: Water Canon”. In face-offs with saxophone honks and Hooker’s dynamic rumbles he outputs heraldic flutters which winnow individuality from the long sustained judders which define “Etude 40” to a different identity on “Etude 7”, which starts off the disc. It’s a profound foot tapper with a slapped bass line, reed riffs, Western Swing comping from Tammen’s guitar, squalling string fiddling and contributions from the cornetist that include half valve plunger echoes and triplet responses.

Maintaining a horizontal balance, études evolve in duos and trio with sometime impenetrable groupwork. While following the leaders’ prompts, the most imposing tracks are those where a string of solos are avoided. Overall though, despite some drawbacks and overwrought playing, LeWitt Etudes creates sounds as engrossing as the artist’s visual works,

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Etude 7 2. Etude 9: Sounds Of Failure 3. Etude 16: Palimpsest 4. Etude 40 5. Etude 24: 1 Bit Code 6. Etude 43 version 1 7. Etude 43 Version 2 8. Etude 39 Part 1 9. Etude 45: Waves On The Gulf Of Napoli 10. Etude 39 Part 2 11. Etude 48: Water Canon

Personnel: Kirk Knuffke (cornet); Ayumi Ishito (tenor saxophone); Alex Greene (piano); Rebecca Cherry (violin); Dave Soldier (violin, mandolin, 5-string banjo); Hans Tammen (guitar, electronics); Luke Stewart and Ken Filiano (bass) and William Hooker (drums)