lGUSTAVO
AGUILAR GET LIBRE COLLECTIVE
Destinations
Circumvention
040
DESTINATIONS is an apt title for this session of compositions and improvisations
by drummer Gustavo Aguilar's collective quintet. But the targets for these
organic creations seem to range farther geographically than the booklet
notes realize.
Much is made of how the CD unites improv musicians from both Southern
and Northern California. But throughout the seven compositions which feature
Chris Garcia on udu and tabla plus Eric Crystal on flax and melodica plus
saxophones, the connection appears to be between variations of Oriental
and Occidental sounds.
An academic as well as a player, San Diego-based Aguilar has performed
in such far-flung areas as South Korea, Japan, Croatia and Romania as
well as improvising with the likes of reedists Anthony Braxton and Vinny
Golia. Tenor saxophonist Robert Reigle, who like Garcia is from Los Angles,
is also an ethnomusicologist, while Bay area jazzers saxophonist Eric
Crystal and bassist Todd Sickafoose have performed with other genre-jumpers
like guitarist Nels Cline and saxist John Zorn.
East-West rapprochement is most obvious on "Concepts in Travel Comfort",
at more than 131/2 minutes, the longest tune on this less than 44 minute
CD. It's built around the distinctive resonating tone of the connected
North Indian tabla drums that begins and ends the piece. But the percussive
imput doesn't end there. As Garcia finesses Hindustani-oriented beats
from his dayan and bayan, Aguilar weighs in with Western rhythms from
snares and bent cymbal tones. Interestingly enough, considering their
respective backgrounds, Crystal's stairstep asides on reedy melodica and
trilling flute-like flax add more exotica to the piece than Reigle's Westernized
tenor tone interrupted for a section of snorts and tongue slaps. Putting
aside the straightforward rhythmic function he shows on other pieces,
Sickafoose's strings buzz as if he was playing a one- string berimbau.
"Along the Red Lines" also benefits from the deep air resonance
produced by Garcia from his side-holed clay pot drum, which are amplified
by Aguilar's regular kit sounds and some repeated wind tunnel-like whistles
and squeals from the horns. Then there's "Legends", whose high-pitched
melody line moves from reedy unison to a double time, swinging pulse that
highlights alto sax slurs and tenor saxophone honks.
These tunes and the others are all of a piece. Although every one operates
at a high level of competence, no one soloist stands out -- perhaps that's
the function of a collective -- and not one makes enough of an impression
to be called distinctive. Sometimes the reed lines may be sibilant and
often the percussion input relies on offbeats, but most of the time the
low intensity of the tunes is deadening.
Aguilar and company have proven that they can make ethnic musical mixtures
their destinations. But next time out more liveliness and color would
add to the trip's experience.
-- Ken Waxman
Track Listing: 1. Different Paths, Same Destination 2. Legends 3. Along
the Red Lines 4. N-6 5. Transit Visa 6. Concepts in Travel Comfort 7.
Box the Compass (Song for John)
Personnel: Eric Crystal (soprano and alto saxophones, flax, melodica);
Robert Reigle (tenor saxophone); Todd Sickafoose (bass); Gustavo Aguilar
(drums, sounds); Chris Garcia (udu, tabla)