26: Cello

I was going to do another week of a Steven Wilson decade, but decided to hold off a bit. I’ll get back to SW2000 shortly. But in the meantime…

In global news this weekend, we saw the country of Columbia take a stand against immoral behavior and refuse the “return” of their fleeing refugees. We then saw the effect of financial bullying as the threat of tariffs caused Columbia to back down. We also saw the influx of misinformation about this. Columbia has been accepting deportation flights for years in an agreement with the previous administration. The current administration sent a private plane - with people in shackles - with no advance notice. That is what the denial of entry was about. Protocol. But this is what America has come to. Bullying a small, poor country. Smacks of schoolyard behavior, which is no surprise. I’m afraid we’ve got several years of this ahead of us.

On that note, perhaps someone can explain to me the benefits of allowing PFAS chemicals in our drinking water besides costing corporations less to manage and thus increasing their profit margin? I’m old enough to remember the foul stench of waterways and smog in New York City. I lived in Beijing for a number of years, and I’ve seen, firsthand, the effects of unchecked corporate pollution. It’s not good. The EPA has been nothing but a good thing for the people. Perhaps, as I understand, not so much for the corporations though. What must Kennedy (and the Keep America Healthy crowd) think about that?

In personal news, I’ve been approved by my insurance for the next round of infusions and I am now scheduled through the beginning of August. For some reason they denied the first attempt, but all should be good for now. I’ve also decided to seek a second opinion, no matter how long it takes to get in. I’ll look closer to Boston, where perhaps more medical innovation is happening.

Two days later, and the second opinion visit is booked! Not ‘til May - but still…l I found this Neurologist, whose blurb includes: Neurological development or impairment in artists, writers, poets, musicians, craftsman, actors.I was immediately hooked, and thankfully he takes my insurance and is seeing new patients! At least in theory, I meet several of those criteria!

One of my favorite musical instruments, tonally, is the cello. It can be incredibly mournful or as bright as a sunrise. Perhaps that’s because it fits neatly within the tonal range of the human voice. One mostly hears the cello in classical settings - within an orchestra or as a member of a string quartet or some such group. Occasionally there’ll be a standout performer like Yo-Yo Ma who will raise awareness of the instrument - and even in Ma’s case, greatly expand what people expect from a classical performer. For example, he’s now performing with the Silk Road Ensemble bringing music and musicians from all over the world together. Today’s listen was off of this playlist - but the monitor was off, so I could be in the dark with the lights and thus I didn’t watch any of the videos.

In many ways, Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble have created a perfect analogy for DEI in action. The music is quite diverse, drawing from a multitude of cultures and times. The band shows equity by having all members with equal footing on stage, and is quite inclusive of differing instrumentation and ethnicities. I’m a little on a tear about this today because of my horror about what the racist and misogynist administration is doing to our institutions and procedures by attempting to eliminate DEI programming. I think you’ll agree that the sum of the parts of Silk Road is cohesive and quite wonderful - even if you don’t find the music quite to your taste. There is nothing here not to accept gladly. The input of the French-American (of Chinese descent) cello master along with the vocals of deeply soulful vocals of Rhiannon Giddens (if you want to experience the horrors of slavery in song, listen to this - also, I’m in love with the sound of that fretless baritone banjo…), backed with Middle Eastern percussion, Chinese pipa, what seems like Irish fiddling, and the trappings of string quartet prove that the more culturally immersive, the better. There is joy up on that stage. That’s nothing but a good thing. If we remove DEI from music we get this or this. Or for god’s sake, a dose of this. You don’t get this…

Finally, I want to say that many of our perceived freedoms here in America were fought for by culturally, sexually, physically and ethnically diverse people united to stamp out repression in all forms. The fact that so many of the people who have benefited from these hard fought battles have now voted against that very thing makes me incredibly sad and fearful. The very same people who spit upon poor Ruby Bridges and poured soda on people protesting for their right to sit at a lunch counter are back, and convincing people that those hard won rights are an affront to their white male superiority. These anti DEI programs are not about removing hatred and discrimination, as VP Vance states. They are about a subset of humanity regaining its alleged place on the top of the food chain. It’s the first step towards repression, not a great opening of doors. There’s a reason this type of policy and this president is supported by openly racist groups, and it has nothing to do with the cost of eggs or gas.

Today’s listen was the spectacular album Exsolve by the wonderful Jo Quail. Do me a favor before moving on, and watch this 10 minute video. Performing at a rock festival, completely solo, with only her absolutely badass electric cello and an array of loopers and pedals, Quail creates an unearthly music. The track in that video is from the Exsolve album - which is almost completely a solo record. A few guest guitar parts and some wordless vocals add to the mix on a few tracks - but this record is a tour-de-force for Quail - whom I discovered thanks to the musical largess of Giacomo and Eraldo from Rare Noise Records on the record Rosebud. I’ve since purchased everything she’s done and followed along with interest. Aside from her solo looping shows she premiered an orchestral (of sorts) piece at the predominantly rock and roll festival, Roadburn, called The Cartographer (and then gave us the performance to watch for free), and is now incorporating vocal loops into her oeuvre. Now, to be fair, Quail is not the first Cellist to venture into the realm of metal music. Let’s never forget the contributions of Apocalyptica and others to that genre - but Quail is not simply rehashing old metal tropes. She’s creating new music that appeals to head-bangers and also to more introspective listeners like me. That’s completely unique. She plays with myriad people, guesting on albums by artists as diverse as Norwegian Folk band Wardruna and Irish Post Rock band God Is An Astronaut.

Most of Exsolve (like the video posted above) is done with looping devices. Quail plays, and then plays on top of herself. She adds percussive touches by slapping the fingerboard, basslines and leads with fingers and bow and creates fully fleshed pieces of music. Over three tracks, totaling more than 40 minutes of music, we range from quiet and peaceful lines to moments of music that spit venom and fire. This is no small feat. The snarl that Quail drags from her instrument at the end of the track Causleen's Wheel is enough to set even the most adventurous on an edge. This is a deeply engaging record, and really worked for me during my morning light / sound therapy routine. I’m only sorry that it took me so long to use this piece of art for it.

Next up on the innovative Cellists list is Abel Selaocoe - who Wendy and I travelled up to Portland Maine to see this past autumn. We were absolutely blown away. We saw this group, and I listened to this concert this morning. Please be forewarned - this is another DEI listen, deliberately muddying the predominantly white waters of the classical music world. It’s important - and if you can’t find joy, wonder and interest in this music I fear for your humanity. Certainly, I’m not expecting you to call this your favorite thing, or even the best thing you’ve ever heard - but it is fascinating, innovative and damn inclusive. In fact, Selaocoe says that one of the goals of his music is to “seek out what binds us culturally”.

What we are listening to is a renowned cellist from South Africa, with a UK based string ensemble that seems to have heritage in the Asian world (India), an electric bass player from Ireland and a percussionist from the western part of Africa. They are playing a mixture of traditional classical music (Austrian Joseph Haydn), folk songs from Scandinavia and the music of Africa. All tossed in a blender. It’s wonderful to behold. As I said above, this is music that is bubbling over with joy and exuberance. The packed house, when I saw them in Portland, was grooving and rocking, despite many of them being classical season ticket holders to the theater and seemingly having no idea what they were in for. The video linked above is from a Jazz festival in Cologne, Germany. This is clearly a great example of the borderless nature of great music. And another reason why I hate genre classification in music. Where do you file this music? What would Shrevie do? (Thanks to my old friend Toby for reminding me of this movie!)

Now, Selacocoe (who also seems to be a really nice guy - listen to him during the song breaks…) is clearly a master of his instrument. He bangs, plucks, bows and caresses his beautiful cello and elicits wonderful sounds. He also manages to do unimaginable things with his voice. This concert also has some amazing playing from everybody else involved. The string trio (the Manchester Collective - who have released some great music on their own), drummer and bass players are exemplary. I did not watch this video, which made me a little sad, because I’m sure there were smiles plastered on all faces involved which would have enhanced the experience, but really - listening under the lights was nearly enough. Take the time to give this a spin. I’d be interested in knowing what you think. I know a lot of the music I post about is pretty far outside the general listening practices of the casual listener, but this concert should be in almost anybody's wheelhouse!

You might have noticed me harping a bit on DEI in this post. That’s because the current administration is doing everything it can to remove it from our consciousness. However, let’s not forget that the overall concept of DEI is not just about race, ethnicity or sexuality - it also includes age, disability and socioeconomics. Its aim is to create a level playing field, which, yes, might offer opportunity to those who are not always of the paler hue, but is not there to elevate the non-capable to do a job. The LA fire chief is a capable person, who happens to be a woman and gay. That’s good! If she actually screwed up her job - which she didn’t - then she should lose it, as should any straight white male. I’ve seen people on social media happy about the funding halts to government programs, because they think it will remove DEI programming (or actually believe that removing DEI is what it’s about). So I harp on DEI in music because, as I mentioned (in a tongue in cheek manner) above, the lack of diversity in music would be exceptionally harmful.

I believe that all people of all genders, sexualities, races (etc) should have ample and equal opportunity to excel, express and explore. This should not be a threat, and yet to many fragile snowflake minds, it is. And frankly, the right are using straw man arguments to convince people. I can literally guarantee you that not a single person has decided to dress up in another gender’s clothing - sometimes for years - and live their life in that manner in order to see Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) take a dump. No child will willingly embrace the disdain, bullying and threats that come hand in hand with being gay or trans by choice. (Of course there are a rarified few who will game the system, but the majority of LGBTQIA+ people are just trying to live their best lives. As are the majority of immigrants and even white males.) Once again, the crazies have taken over the conversation. Take a step back and listen to some good music, created by people of all types. I’m going to quote George Clinton here (he’s talking about the interconnectedness and healing that music brings, in case you can’t figure that out). I also take it to understand that the healing I’m experiencing by my choice to immerse myself in music has been accurately foretold by Dr. Funkenstein himself.

Now this is what I want you all to do:

If you got faults, defects or shortcomings

You know, like arthritis, rheumatism or migraines

Whatever part of your body it is

I want you to lay it on your radio, let the vibes flow through

Funk not only moves, it can re-move, dig?

The desired effect is what you get

When you improve your interplanetary funksmanship

It looks as though the financial freeze on grants has been lifted, at least in part. (One of the benefits for me, I suppose, of writing each blog entry over the course of a week is that I get to “live” update the chaos.) The freeze on programs until they rescind all DEI activities, however, remains in effect. But we are seeing the effects of public outrage to illegal policy enactment. Let’s make sure to keep it up. Hold these fuckers accountable to the constitutional law they claim to be so enamored with (unless it conflicts with their goal - then it’s fine to ignore or overturn).

I listened to part of the Kennedy confirmation hearing today, and one point of note - A republican senator, whose name I didn’t hear, started his questioning by deriding the democrats and the left in general. He then went on to cry that we just don’t get along any more. The rampant hypocrisy of his verbiage reminded me of how much I actually hate the political process now. The hearings themselves, of course, are a joke. We already know that lying under oath is par for the course with politicians these days. Witness the lies of Kavanaugh and Coney-Barrett on overturning Roe as proof. And lying on the campaign trail is also common. Project 2025 is underway. Prices remain high. Division is rampant. And, as usual, blame is being tossed around, while no accountability is being taken. Lies. $50,000,000 in condoms to Gaza? Really? Who in their right mind would believe that? (Oh, and let’s not forget the suggestion to other regional countries that they just take in the displaced Gazans - leaving the land for Israel to reclaim, and the economic burden on others. All of you who didn’t vote democrat because you disagreed with Biden/Harris on the way to handle the Israel/Gaza crisis - as I did - I thank you for allowing the ascension of someone far worse. For the region and for the USA in general.) If we could just start with some truth telling and accountability I’d be grateful. And before you get your knickers in a twist, while I do think the current administration lies more often and far more egregiously, lying is part and parcel for all politicians these days. We, the people, need to demand more from those we elect to serve us.

I have some sort of eye infection, and will be heading off to Urgent Care shortly. The big issue is that they (whoever they are) don’t like - as mentioned in an earlier post - to infuse you when you’re on antibiotics. So I will have to get permission from my neurologist sent to the infusion center. Hopefully it will all work out. I haven’t mentioned it, but I’m actually monocular due to a blood clot in early 2001. Anything that happens to my eyes freaks me out. Thankfully, this infection seems to be limited to the blind side. Funny story about that… When I was applying for a driver’s license in Jordan, I had to take a vision test. Normal process. Of course, I couldn’t make out any of the symbols (not letters but open circles - I had to point which direction the opening was, as language was an issue). Someone explained that I had had an eye trauma, and the guy from the license place - who clearly wanted to issue me a DL - telegraphed all the correct answers. I was then referred to as having “super eye” on one side, and “trauma eye” on the other. It’s been almost twenty years, and I still use that terminology when referring to my vision. I got my license, and drove merrily all over the country. **EDIT TO ADD** It is a stye. No biggie.

Next up we have Shannon Hayden, and her album Solid State Cello. I have no idea how I stumbled across this, but it’s been in my collection for longer than any of the other titles listed in this post. It’s been years since I gave it a spin though. I don’t remember it at all. I liked it enough at one time to buy several more of her releases though.

Hayden, on this release, is (I think) doing more overdubbing than looping. She also adds some guitar and voice into the mix. Yet she occupies a similar space with Quail - while sounding nothing alike. Hayden seems far more rooted in the classic sound of the Cello, which is great. She wrests beautiful noise from her instrument, much more reminiscent of the sounds you expect when listening to the Cello. The first track, Angel Machine opens with some snarling bass lines before migrating to beautiful upper register arpeggios. The next cut, Blown Away, has a percussive presence - made by hitting the strings with her bow. This is when we first hear her wordless vocals enhance the music. All in all, there is more of what you might expect, sonically, from the cello - and seem deeply rooted in the classical tradition of playing - while exploring new worlds of electronic manipulation. Her tone is rich, the cello is deeply resonant and the recording is beautiful but compositionally, this record seems a tad lacking. There are rarely any real “tunes” that I can discern - but that doesn’t phase me. She’s making a recording to explore the beauty and range of the instrument and to try something new. In that she succeeds utterly. This was an introspective listen. Nothing made me jump out of my seat, or made the lights do anything untoward, but the time was pleasant nevertheless. Highly recommended for fans of the instrument and great music in general. Just as an aside, I’d pay good money to see a Quail/Hayden duet gig somewhere…

Now, Hayden plays a cello constructed in the 1800s, albeit augmented with electronics and pedals. Jan Heinke, on the other hand, created a brand new bowed instrument he called the Stahlcello. A rather tenuous connection, but still, it’s got cello in the name so it fits. He released a couple of albums on Don Li’s Tonus Music label (remember them?) before passing on in 2022. I’m listening to this record, Singularity, for the first time now. Let’s give it a go shall we?

One of my favorite guitars is this one. It’s a metal resonator guitar, designed to throw sound further during the pre-electric days. It’s a staple of the blues and country music of the south. Here’s Luther from the North Mississippi Allstars on one. It’s got a deep rich tone, but is instantly recognizable as a guitar. The Stahlcello, although it uses a bow, has none of the depth and feeling of the cello. (Stahl, in case you didn’t know, means Steel in german, so Stahlcello is steel cello - which is an apt description). Listen to the tone of Shannon Hayden’s cello on this track, or this one. It’s beautiful. The Stahlcello is just not. There’s nothing overtly wrong with it - it is just not compelling to me - at least as a solo instrument. There’s not enough you can do - musically - with it. I appreciate, truly, the idea of creation and the understanding that instruments, as we know them, are not static and can be reformed to create new sounds. Here are two great players (Samantha Fish and Jonathan Long) playing on an oil can and a cigar box (respectively). There have been many other inventions - some wildly successful and others not so much - over the course of time. Remember, at some point in time, the Banjo - so often seen as a symbol of white country/bluegrass music - was derived from African instruments. So, all this to say I have no innate problem with Heinke’s creation, I just don’t think it holds up to solo work.

I made two and a half tracks on Singularity before giving up. It did not hold my interest at all. I moved on to another record featuring Heinke and his Stahlcello - but this time in a group setting. Ania Losinger, another Tonus Music stalwart, is a dancer. She dances on a sound board called Xala. I imagine that seeing her perform live is a very interesting thing. For the Lugano Session Losinger and Heinke are joined by marimba player Mats Eser. Together they create a meditative, percussive journey that would have been extremely well suited to a late night light show. It was not the pick-me-up that I usually have in my morning routine. But not a bad (or even boring) listen. Just not the right place or time. Kind of a downer way to end what I thought was a really interesting musical week.

And finally, I just want to add that I am horrified by the tenor of 45/47’s speech after the horrific plane crash in Washington yesterday. All bets are off, it seems. Division, blame and obfuscation are going to continue to be de rigueur for this administration. He blames the problems on DEI (of course), while providing no concrete evidence - just a “because I’m smart I know.” He pushes off any impact of the firing of so many people at the beginning of his term to blame the practices of the previous administration - and the one before his first presidency. All while quoting verbiage that comes directly from his own policies. He blamed disabled people. He blamed the previous administration, despite there being no air collisions during their tenure. He blamed. That’s all he does. (To be fair, I don’t think this was his (or his administration’s) fault - it was a horrific accident, perhaps exacerbated by staffing issues.) But I’m horrified that the tone of the moment was one of anger and blame - when people lost their loved ones. This is not what the country needs. It’s not what anybody except a childish hateful person wants. And that’s not who I want to be running my country. I’m embarrassed.