Friday, February 8, 2013

Gary Joseph Hassay, Sonkei

If you do not know the music of Gary Joseph Hassay, you probably should. He plays alto sax, sings quasi-Tibetan chant on occasion and has a conceptual view of avant jazz/improv that marks him out as distinct and original.

I've covered his music in my blogs and on Cadence and I was happy to hear a 30-plus minute live improv he did with drummer-percussion Tatsuya Nakatani live at a gallery in Easton, Pennsylvania some time ago. Sonkei brings together two Asian-sonic-sounding adepts in some pretty profound music.

What sounds like a bowed gong, somber drum beats, vocal and alto sax--with sonically rich timbres--make for what is a very fascinating, ritualistic kind of avant. Things get more busy and turbulent towards the middle and then subside back into gong sounds and cosmic quietude.

You can stream this improvisation, a part of an official release on re:Konstrukt, right here:

Sonkei by Gary Joseph Hassay on Mixcloud

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