from Array, REPORTS AND NEWS FROM ICMC97

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Review of ICMC concert Midnight Cabaret at Mylos Jazz Bar, September 28, 1997

Teresa Marrin

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The third piece on the program was "Improvisation," for the dynamic electronic duo of Dan Trueman on electric violin and Curtis Bahn on string bass. This strong, Princeton-based collaboration was very much in the idiom of modern instrumental art-music, with strong references to free-style jazz and other improvisatory traditions. The piece began in flautando style --very fast, fluttery, and completely unprocessed except for amplification. Then, the bass began to show a processed sound, followed by the violin a minute or so later. A kind of shapeless chaos ensued while both of them hacked around a bit; this was followed by a second section which featured sampled vocal syllables. The third section was chirpy and insect-like, followed by a fourth section which was very rhythmic and contained manysounds of tapped wood. The fifth section was a very fast flautando with quick accents, completed by a very eloquent and musical ending, which the crowd liked a lot. Highlights of the performance included some nice real-time audio processing and vocal sounds, but particularly the fine,'analog' musicianship of both Trueman and Bahn. Bahn's instrument was very interesting and clearly he was very close to it; he played it with authority and dedication. Trueman has a very novel bass technique, lots of slapping wood, slapping strings. They have an excellent vibe together and put across a polished-sounding improvisation.

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