Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Kiku Day · 2008-03-07 03:20:42

Clive Bell & Bechir Saade
An account of my hut
ANOTHER TIMBRE CD at08
www.anothertimbre.com

One would normally consider a CD of improvised music on the Japanese shakuhachi and the Arabian ney as an example of a 'meeting' of two distinct cultures. But not only are both instruments made of plants from the same grass family - the shakuhachi from bamboo and the ney from reeds - the sensitive exploration by the two fine improvisers, Clive Bell on shakuhachi and Bechir Saade on ney also shows that as well as differences, they have very much in common, not least with regard to timbre and musical language.

The key words for this CD are harmony and tranquillity. Thus the 'meeting' here is very smooth and without 'clashes', perhaps due to both musicians' deep interest in improvisation and timbre. With his ney, Saade explores the links between Middle Eastern improvisation techniques and contemporary music, while Bell uses his shakuhachi to interpret traditional solo and ensemble music, folk songs, and improvisation. Both players move freely in and out of their instruments' cultural backgrounds and their own interest in contemporary music.

In 'Kindling', the communication between the two players is peaceful, but powerful. They exchange phrases with each other, while at the same alluding to the music idiomatic to their respective instruments. Bell plays here a typical honkyoku phrase so slowly that its cultural provenance is disguised almost to the point of inaudibility. In 'Straw', the ney wails nostalgic phrases, which Bell layers beautifully, creating an ambiance of distant lands. In 'An account of my hut', they seem to synchronise their breathing and to be playing the other’s instrument (on their own, of course). And while improvised, this is a well-structured piece, in which the end possesses elements of the beginning. Both musicians have a wide palate of sounds and techniques and their exploration of multiphonics and timbre is remarkable, in particularly when they play with difference tones.

Simon Reynell, the owner of Another Timbre, a new and exciting UK CD label has done an admirable job of recording and mastering the music. Mic’ing is close and intense, and the listener gets the feeling that the two musicians are playing only a few arm-lengths away. The CDs hitherto released on this label seem carefully chosen and with a strong emphasis on improvisation. It will be worth keeping an eye on this label – as well as on Bell and Saade.

nyokai · 2008-03-07 08:35:47

I agree with Kiku that this is wonderfully recorded -- very refreshing to hear such simple clean recording technique, without electronic crutches. The emphasis on breath sound really works for this music.

I also agree that Another Timbre is a great label. The Frank Denyer/Iwamoto CD Simon put out recently has quickly become one of my favorites.

I think this CD (An account of my hut) is very good musically as well -- certainly worth listening to if you're a shakuhachi player, as Clive Bell knows what he's doing and has good control of some interesting techniques. I know very little about ney playing, but the ney also sounds very beautiful on this recording.

One slight critique: some free improvisation of this sort suffers, I think, from a tentative quality as the musicians gingerly explore the rough edges of their instruments' capabilities. The musical experience is all exploratory "alap" with a carefully held-back quality. The two performers in this case are very polite to each other, maybe too polite. For me the music never quite soars high or burrows deeply. But, this painstaking listening on their part DOES result in some very beautiful subtleties.

Tairaku 太楽 · 2008-09-15 21:50:20

I have had this CD for a long time now, with the intention of reviewing it. But I've been procrastinating on the review because I find this music elusive. There are no grand concepts being explored. The dynamic range is constrained, ranging from pianissimo to piano almost for the duration of the recording. And the soundscape is likewise limited because everything is being generated by two simple flutes.

Clive Bell is a British multi-instrumentalist with advanced shakuhachi training and Bechir Saade is a Lebanese ney player. Ney is another end blown flute made of reeds and is considered by some to be the precursor of shakuhachi in this concept's long migration eastward.

What we have here is a simple, improvised musical dialogue between two relaxed colleagues. There is little or none of the challenge and "cutting contest" attributes of many meetings of musical minds. It sounds more like a couple of friends who said, "Let's get together and play a bit" between cups of tea. It is meditative in the sense that in meditation thoughts arise and are dismissed after varying degrees of exploration. Because of the slow pace of these improvisations and the non-aggressive stance of the participants it works well as an ambient space clearing sound.

Much of the recording is given over to very abstract call and response patterns. Other times the two flutes converge sometimes creating dramatic consonant chords, while veering into atonality at the next turn. Many times you do not find yourself listening to the notes per se but rather the textures Bell and Saade create with multi-phonics, windy sounds, whistling tones and explorations of the fine edge between very low volume and silence. One of the pleasures of this recording is the fact that many times it is not immediately apparent which sound or note is made by which player and style of flute. Bell and Saade echo the techniques of each other's approach.

All in all an pleasing listening experience focusing on the sub-acoustic dynamics of improvisation in a non-confrontational manner.

Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

#1 2008-03-07 03:20:42

Clive Bell & Bechir Saade: an account of my hut

#2 2008-03-07 08:35:47

Re: Clive Bell & Bechir Saade: an account of my hut

#3 2008-09-15 21:50:20

Re: Clive Bell & Bechir Saade: an account of my hut

Board footer