Bruce Lee Gallanters very own review of Sonny Simmons box set for the latest Downtown Music Gallery newsletter! It has taken me a couple of months to get through this extensive 7 & 1/2 hour box set but it has been worth it. There is a long story behind these sessions which is described at length in a four page booklet inside the box, which is both fascinating and a bit bizarre. No doubt not that odd for international avant-garde musicians from around the world who have been at it for a half-century or more. The sessions for these discs go back to 2006 and involve Sonny and six musicians, three plus three more different ones for the second 4 CD set. The first box features: Mr. Simmons on alto sax, cor anglais & voice, Bruno Gregoire on percussion & poetry, Michel Kristof on guitar, electric sitar and electric guembri (north African bass-like instrument) and Julien Palomo on organ, piano, synth, percussion & production. The pieces are long and often evolve organically. The sound of Sonnys eerie double reed & occasional chanting, the distant quick strummed guitar and the synth-like keyboard are closer to an Acid Mother Temple-like jam, than any current jazz that I can think of. What I find interesting is that Mr.Simmons is always game for improvising with musicians from different scenes or backgrounds and often finds strong common ground to explore with. His cor anglais (a snake charming-like double reed with an oboe-ish sound), its fits perfectly here as does his alto sax with the spacey guitar and synth or other keyboard. The second 4 CD box features: Simmons on alto sax, cor anglais & voice, Anton Mobin on prepared chambers, AKA Bondage on processed guitar and Other Matter on electric guitar, esraj and synths plus Michel Kristof on guitars, Julian Palomo on synth and reconstruction by nobodisoundz. These sessions are even further out and explore areas that Mr. Simmons has rarely if ever dealt with. There are several layers of electronics, synth and guitars weaving their way well with Sonnys sax and double reed. Some of the guitar sounds shift between Fripp-like sustain and Frith-like fractured sounds. I expected that some or much of this wouldnt work but I was wrong. It is wonderful to hear Mr. Simmons, who recently turned 80, working with musicians from a completely different scene. All parties take their time and challenge each other in all sorts of spirited ways. Perhaps you think that 7 & 1/2 hours iof your time is too much?!? Point taken. Try listening to one disc at a time and savor the experience. See you in a few months on the other side of the Sun (Ra!).
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 08:58:05 +0000
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