barry chabala, michael pisaro black, white, red, green, blue (voyelles)

Just wanted to make a few brief comments about the dual work by Michael Pisaro (with Barry Chabala), "black, white, red, green, blue"/"voyelles". This was released as a cassette on winds measure which I believe has sold out though a cd issue of "voyelles" is, I think, in the works.

"black, white, red, green, blue" is performed solo by Chabala. It's an hour's worth of suspended, individual notes, of varied tone, length and texture, generally separated by five to ten seconds. It's quite lovely and thoughtful, like all of Pisaro's work I've experienced, requiring fairly intense concentration and immersion to fully appreciate. His conception is amazing at suspending time and Chabala offers a very fine, sensitive reading.

For "voyelles", Pisaro took the same recording and infiltrated it with sounds sourced from sine tones and field recordings (possible others). As good as the original piece is, "voyelles" really brings it into its own and makes it extraordinary. As with other works (like the great Transparent Cities set), Pisaro has an unerring ear with regard to precisely what sound will most strangely but somehow appropriately compliment a given instrumental tone. By adding a single layer, Pisaro multiplies the piece's depth many fold. A great, great work, one that unfurls differently on each hearing.

Keep an ear out for the "official" release.

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reviewed by Brian Olewnick in just outside
26-february-2010