Sonar with David Torn: Tranceportation, Volume 2

American guitar wizard David Torn joined the Swiss quartet Sonar for a week’s worth of sessions in the spring of 2019. Now what’s billed as Sonar with David Torn is back with Tranceportation, Volume 2. When I wrote enthusiastically about Volume 1, I described the sound as “neo-psychedelic trance music with a beat.” This second helping is, not at all surprisingly, more of the same. The grooves are relentless and the electronic textures are raw over the course of 4 long tracks. Sequels like this one that live up to their predecessors are easy to write about: if you were transported by Volume 1, you’ll be more than happy to get lost in Volume 2. Great on headphones, by the way, especially on the dub-wise Tranceportation. 

RareNoise RNR0114 (CD)/ RNR114LP (vinyl); David Torn (el g, live looping) Stephen Thelen, Bernhard Wagner (tritone g) Christian Kuntner (tritone b) Manuel Pasquinelli (d, perc); Bellmund, Switzerland, April 29-May 3, 2019; Triskaidekaphilia/ Tranceportation/ Slowburn/ Cloud Chamber; 42:10. www.rarenoiserecords.com

 

Mars Williams: Presents An Ayler Xmas, Volume 2

One of the wildest discs to come my way lately is led by the versatile and excitable Chicago saxophonist Mars Williams, who Presents An Ayler Xmas, Volume 2 to grace the holiday season. I’m not at all interested in Christmas music, but than again, except for Volume 1 (2017), Xmas albums don’t usually sound anything like this. In one sense, the combination is a no-brainer, given Ayler’s folk-song tendencies, but it does take a rather special sensibility to come up with the concept and make it work. Three of the tracks were recorded live in Chicago with Williams’ Witches & Devils ensemble, featuring a cohort of the Windy City’s premier improvisers. The other two pieces are taken from a gig with local musicians at Porgy & Bess, a nightspot in Vienna. Every track is a medley with Ayler’s pieces embedded in Christmas standards. If you’ve ever wanted to hear O Tannenbaum, sung here in a quivering voice by Christof Kurzmann, combined with Spirits, one of Ayler’s best-known tunes, then this CD is what you’ve been waiting for. Williams makes it all work surprisingly well, so if this concept intrigues you, you’ve got some new and radically different sounds to enjoy on Christmas eve.
ESP-Disk’ ESP5030/ Soul What SWR 0004; Mars Williams (sax, toy instruments) on 1, 3 & 4 with Josh Berman (cnt) Jeb Bishop (tbn on 1) Fred Lonberg-Holm (clo) Jim Baker (p, Arp synth, vla) Kent Kessler (b) Brian Sandstrom (b, g, tp) Steve Hunt (d, perc); on 2 & 5 with Thomas Berghammer (tp) Hermann Stangassinger (b) Didi Kern (d, perc) Christof Kurzmann (lloopp, vcl); 1,3,4: Chicago, IL, no date specified; 2 &5, Vienna, Austria, no date specified; 1. Xmas Medley/ 2. O Tannenbaum/ Spirits/ 12 Days of Christmas/ 3. Love Cry/ Christmas Wrapping/ 4. Carol of the Drum/ Bells/ O Come Emmanuel/ Joy to the World/ 5.Universal Soldiers/We Wish You a Merry Xmas; 53:45. espdisk.com