Where do the lines of classical and jazz meet? They are blurred on these two recent albums.
Paul Elwood plays five string banjo and “two-channel fixed media” while composing for a handful of settings ranging from solo to duet to The Callithumpian Consort or The university of Iowa Percussion Ensemble.
A five-part “Emissions Transparents” mixes solo electric guitar and mellotron with a band conducted by Stephen Drury, resulting in a mix of heavy Deep Purple metal, moody strings and electronica and creepy percussion that goes bump in the night. The ensemble produced “Plutonic Winds” features haunting vocals by Aly Olson floating over stark percussion. Elwoods solo five string banjo brings a classical feel to “Banjo Player” and an artsy feel along with some blues hollering vocals by Cary Fridley on “Ashe County Lament.” Grey matter for the ears.
Electric guitarist DJ Sparr creates a series of pieces in varied settings. A duet with vocalist Kristina Bacharach for a 5 part “I Can Hear Her Through The Thin Wall Singing” mixes dreamy abstractions, distortions and rich frames. A pastoral “Earthcaster Suite” is five short tunes with guitar, banjo and mandolin by the leader teaming with strings, percussion and Hammond. Two other tunes have Sparr on Electronics on a mix of slashing strings and noodles for “META444” and a visceral and sitting one out on the dramatic “String Quartet: Avaloch.” Cerebral sounds.