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Aaron Shragge & Ben Monder: This World of Dew
ByMonder received an exposure boost via his work in the Maria Schneider Orchestra and his stellar contribution to Concert in the Garden (Artist Share, 2004). In addition, he has released several fine albums under his name, including, for ECM Records, the oddly beautiful Amorphea (2015), that featured, on one of his last recordings, drummer Paul Motian.
The blend of trumpet/guitar isno surprise considering the two musiciansotherworldly and gorgeous, meditative with a spiritual ebb and flow. The musicall from Shragge's pencelebrates the works of poets Kobahashi Issa, Masuo Basho, Li Po, Nisiyama Soin and, surprisingly, given the company he joins, California's working poor poet laureate, Charles Bukowski.
The disc opens with a Bukowski nod, "Companion." Monder shimmers and glows behind Shragge's pastoral, flute-like melody, giving off more reflective beauty than one might expect to be inspired by Bukowski's' often gritty prose.
Tracks 2 through 7 are the "This World of Dew Suite." Shragge, taking his inspiration from poet Kobayashi Issa's grief at the death of his young daughter, includes the angry mourning of "Rain and Mud," the bone deep sadness of "A Tiny Boat," and the anguish of the suite'sand the album'stitle tune, that gives way to the unalloyed beauty and a perhaps hopeful vibe of "There Is Always One You Can Follow."
"The Sun Coming Down" closes the disc on a ruminative, hopeful note, another tip of the hat to Bukowski. And here's wondering what the Long Beach Bard, a classical music aficionado, would think of this simple, unadornedas compact and pretty as a boutonnierefour minute flower bud of a tune.
Track Listing
Companion; This World of Dew Suite: By Rain and Mud; A Tiny Boat; This World of Dew; There is Always One You Follow; Stink Worm; Pretending Wisdom. Roll the Dice; Nothing in the Cry; It's Ours; Old Dust; Settling; Blue Bird; Sun Coming Down.
Personnel
Aaron Shragge
trumpetAaron Shragge: Dragon Mouth Trumpet, flugelhorn, shakuhachi; Ben Monder: guitar.
Album information
Title: This World of Dew | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Human Resource
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