SETH MISTERKA
Moh
Newsonic
17

Misterka has been organizing the collaboration of a lot of fine musicians in New York such as Chris Jonas and James Fei under the group name of CIC. I hadn’t liked his previous CCM4 and Middletown Creative Orchestra discs, but this one sticks. “Introduction” sounds like gongs turning into drones, then you think it’s a done by processed guitar, and then a an interestingly reedy (as in wood flute) sax comes in.

The brief, rhythmic and loose “Pizza Pete” blows away most Steve Reich. Other pieces use process as well, but are exciting. The liners are vague, and all parts might be done by Misterka himself, including the sax quartet in “RAM The Robot.” He has an affinity for drones and overlay, but it doesn’t take over; free improv is the other key. Then there’s the second half of the disc: a text-overlay overstay plus weak beat’n’sax and noise stuff that’s all been done elsewhere. I’m keeping it for the first half, which is powerful. www.newsonic.com

Steve Koenig

Track Listing: 1. Introduction; 2. Pizza Pete; 3. RAM The Robot; 4. Crack-Addict-Mechanic; 5. Marc Burns and The Giant Hand; 6. Intermission; 7. MOH; 8. SexTrance; 9. [12.1.99]; 10. Pronographic Music; 11. The End

Personnel: Seth Misterka, instruments