We enter new (sonic) territory this month with percussionist Kevin Cheli.
I’ve always been a bit apprehensive about having a percussionist on the podcast; I could never get my head around how it would work. But, as I keep reminding myself, “there’s only one way to find out!”
So Kevin came to the studio with his vibraphone, percussives and electronics and I think the results are great. There’s a whole new lexicon of textures, sometimes approaching the world of ASMR. Its gets pretty noisy, but there are also melodic moments and lots of beautiful sounds. Open your ears and enjoy the ride.
This month’s podcast features the violin and voice of Concetta Abbate.
Concetta came up to the studio from Queens, NY on a weird winter day that started sunny and devolved into icy snow squalls. The three improvisations that comprise this recording really seem to capture the feeling of that day.
Concetta Abbate is a classically trained violinist turned improviser and composer. Grammy.com describes her original performances as a mix of “Violin and delicate vocals that float between the worlds of Modern Classical, Neo-Folk, and poignant and poetic verse”. She has released three studio albums exploring art song, avant chamber music and free improvisation.
I’ve wanted to do a podcast with a singer for a long time, but finding a vocalist comfortable with improvised soundscapes is not so easy. Ella turned out to be a great improvisor, who uses her voice in beautiful and unexpected ways, and I find the results of our collaboration sublimely serene. Be careful with this one, it can knock you right out.