The last time I visited Tim-Brady-land was when I reviewed his excellent 1998 release, Strange Attractors. I said it then and I'll say it now: this guy is a massive guitar player! His chops are the kind of thing most guys would go down to the crossroads for. But Hellish skills are one thing -- there are other virtuosic guitarists in the world. What makes Brady so unique is the way he doesn't let showmanship usurp sensitivity. 10 Collaborations is a testament to the philosophy of musical restraint. Yes, each track is a collaboration. On one track Brady might be the composer of a piece that he performs with other musicians. On another, he might perform a solo work written by someone else. On still another, the music might be the result of live improvisation between Brady and another instrumentalist. In each case, ego and flash will inevitably give way to ensemble and substance.
It all starts out with "Doubling", a hyper-fast chromatic melody for electric guitar and harpsichord, which lasts almost five minutes. Yes, performing this complex, extended line in unison requires virtuosity from both performers, but the fact that it comes across so seamlessly, as if from a single instrument, is a result of a true melding of minds. This is modern chamber music at its best! The blending of old and new sounds works so well because the performers understand their instruments well enough to coax out mutually flattering timbres. While 300 years ago Brady might have played Viola di Gamba, the fact that he, in fact, plays a Paul Reed Smith Standard electric guitar hardly seems to matter.
Another impressive performance is Brady's rendition of "Vampyr!", composed by Frenchman Tristan Murail. Originally composed for Parisian avant-garde guitarist Claude Pavy, Mr. Brady's approach is more rock 'n' roll pyrotechnics than not, yet the subtly crafted work benefits from this new, fiery interpretation. Like hearing Eddie Van Halen play Webern, there's a distinct energy that comes from this blending of passion and intellect.
A final track worth mentioning is Jeremy Peyton Jones's "18 Guitars". While the pieces is (obviously) intended for an ensemble of 18 guitars, Brady and Jones have reworked it for solo electric guitar and tape. In this respect it recalls the collaborative work of Steve Reich and Pat Metheny, but this is a very different piece. As layers of quasi-tonal figures build into big textures and impressive contrapuntal madness, only to subside into peaceful droning, the power and grace of the electric guitar becomes evident. This is the instrument like you've never heard it. Big and bold? Yes! But also expressive and nuanced. Anyone who's serious about the future of the electric guitar should hear these 10 Collaborations.
|
