Marc Ducret's Tower, Vol 4 (Ayler AYLCD 121) finds the guitarist switching gears. This is an unaccompanied guitar solo album with Marc on acoustic.
It's not at all ordinary however, in whatever way "ordinary" might connote for a solo acoustic set. There is an interesting mix of both conventional and unconventional sounds produced--by introducing prepared objects (it sounds like) and unusual playing techniques into the situation.
So sometimes the guitar might sound like a Chinese Pipa lute, or by the use of unusual singingly sustained harmonics, sound like a Southeast Asian stringed instrument, and so forth.
Even when the sound is conventional, his musical approach to line and chord is highly original and comes through strongly on these pieces. There's perhaps a hint of classic Beefheartian abstraction, bluesiness, and then otherwise simply not what you might expect.
A composer's guitarist? A guitarist's composer? Both.
This is an extraordinary record. Ducret must be heard. And the very short, concluding rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Electricity"! Brilliant.
Hi Greg,
ReplyDeleteI stumbled on your blog by mere chance. Congratulations for your keen and true covers.
I'm a French guitar and other strings (uke, mandolin etc...) improviser, based in Paris, and recently launched a label called "Frères d'Âme" in order to provide a media for musicians who care about sound, tone and improvisation.
Here are some interesting links for you :
http://www.myspace.com/stefanbongiu
http://www.facebook.com/freres.dame
http://www.pauldavies.fr
http://www.myspace.com/mikeo39neil
"Bonne écoute" as we say in French and keep on goin'.
Musically yours.
Stefan Bongiu
Hello Stefan,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your kind words! I appreciate it very much. It is nice to get feedback--sometimes it feels like I am working in a vacuum. I will explore your links with interest.
Notefully yours,
Grego