Kate Gentile

A bold statement that’s two-thirds quasi-Metal and one-third affirmative melodies Brooklyn-based drummer/vibraphonist Kate Gentile has created a challenging paradigm with Find Letter X. Gentile, who has worked with innovators as different as Tim Berne and the International Contemporary Ensemble is joined by Kim Cass playing bass and electric bass; Jeremy Viner’s tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet and Matt Mitchell’s piano, Prophet-6, modular synths and electronics.

That last element is crucial in expanding sonics on many of the 41 tracks on this three-CD set. The percussionist and keyboardist collaborated in shaping Gentile’s notes and tones plus Mitchell’s improvised layered electronic samples into transformative sequences that evolve alongside the live playing.

These elements are particularly prominent on the two first discs, Iridian Alphabet and Senselessness to the extent that Viner’s acoustic reed elaborations are somewhat lost amid the manipulated and synthesized electronics. Saxophone tones are most apparent when he propels altissimo honks and screams in full Charles Gayle mode. However assertive reed contributions are more integrated on The Cosmic Brain, the more acoustic third disc.

Not that there aren’t acoustic elements in the first two discs, even on an early track like “subsurface”, explosive saxophone honks and wavering piano comping harmonize before pivoting to an upwards run of  reed triple tonguing and a downward waterfall of repeated keyboard textures.

More often than not however processed, synthesized and manipulated whooshes and tremolo drones are emphasized in the mix. This is particularly prominent on CD2 with the interconnected “zislupme tnilyive tsoam ath”, “clovd 8” and “smother”. Stacked wave form impulses on the first produce the floating exposition that briefly detonates rocket-launching-like roars and slide-whistle-like peeps before moving through the brief second track to negate the meaning of “smother”. Instead keyboard throbs and electric bass thumps join smashed drum ruffs to approximate heavy metal, but proves its improvised jazz orientation as clarion clarinet tones waft through the narrative.

Gentile’s percussion skills are constantly present during these variations on electronic expositions with pounding drum backbeats, heavy cymbal shakes, positioned patterning or concise metal bar shimmers. Often this outreach is in tandem projections with reed smears or bell-like keyboard echoes. But it’s only on CD3 that Cass gets to assert himself as when his repeated bass string stops introduce “spectrescope”.  To affirm the acoustic variation, double bass movements are coordinated with flowery piano slides, linear clarinet peeps and restrained pops from the drummer.

Different kind of harmonization take into account MIDI-shaped and manipulated sound samples, but they’re more integrated rather than  dominating the narratives. Because of this there’s more s[ace for sophisticated call-and-response among the instruments as well as cascading high notes and methodical expositions from the acoustic piano, clarion tongue flutters and squeaks from the clarinet and unprocessed pops and rumbles plus on “blanket” one minute of unaccompanied vibraphone shimmers.

Most differentiation from the electronic interface comes with the extended “quantum exits” that could almost be a notated prelude. The airy emphasis is created by split-tone reed flutters that constantly ascend, swift key piano key clips and vibrating drum and cymbal motions.

With Gentile having packed so much of her many identities into this set, perhaps an examination of one disc at a time is in order. How ever Find Letter X is consumed in total it adds up to a major musical proclamation.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: CD1: Iridian Alphabet: 1. pulse capsule 2. laugh magic  3. find letter X 4. Subsurface 5. recursive access 6.  the new basics 7. in casks 8. ore whorls  9. stelliform lamellae 10. Prismatoid 11. contrarianism  12. Prescience 13. Erinome 14. the 5th clone 15. invisible wolves CD2: Senseless: 1. r.a.t.b.o.t.B -[part of MM processing and manipulation from KG  notes and tones applied here 4 intro:: ] 2. Raze 3. nine fog 4. garbage juice 5. …va zisroas 6. blankeye 7.  zislupme tnilyive tsoam ath 8. clovd 8 9. Smother 10. importunate babble 11. four-bladed 12. dissolution 13. offing 14. Jupiter vs. the Sun CD3: The Cosmic Brain: 1. psychoradiant 2. clarion fluorescent 3. Q quiet 4. eternal lapse 5. bask 6. effulgence 7. spectrescope 8. quantum exits 9. epitome 10.open epoch 11. synaptic blazes 12. supergiant incineration

Personnel: Jeremy Viner (tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet); Matt Mitchell (piano, Prophet-6, modular synths and electronics); Kim Cass (bass and electric bass) and Kate Gentile (drums and  vibraphone)