Sunday 12 May 2013

Steve Lawson & Daniel Berkman - Finger Painting review

Steve Lawson & Daniel Berkman - Finger Painting


Steve Lawson has a habit of recording ever note he plays, which has been shown in the past to archive some fascinating improvisations, both alone and with other like minded performers. Ever one for challenging projects, solo bass player Lawson has collaborated on “Finger Painting” with Daniel Berkmanwho is here featured playing electronic percussion, ukulele, Gravikord (a 24 string, electric, double bridged harp) and synthesisers, from sessions orchestrated by San Franciscan singer Artemis, who can herself be heard on these recordings.
To provide some background, Lawson has played 10 improvised shows withBerkman which have been recorded and are to be released as a 10 album, 11 hour download, USB stick or “best of” 2 CD set. One show has already been released as “Accidentally (On Purpose)” in January 2013. This particular set features pieces differing greatly in mood and texture. “Antidote to Everything” has a wraithlike feel which gathers momentum from gently dripping bass lines to roasting shards of looped and treated distortion. The percussion, always lying enigmatically under the surface, is the vehicle over which the whole improvisation rides. “Towards the Sun” opens with dolorous tones shifting steadily over otherworldly soundscapes. Gently picked phrases break the layers of sound, creating music that would not be out of place in a cathedral setting....
Steve Lawson & Daniel Berkman – Finger Painting

No comments:

Post a Comment