H-Alpha - Red Sphere
SKU
SKIRL009
H-Alpha is a NYC/downtown all-star trio of Briggan Krauss-baritone and alto sax, Ikue Mori-laptop, Jim Black-drums and percussion. All three of these musicians have numerous interesting/great/teriffic projects under their own names or in association with others. This is 17 short to medium length tracks, that range from just under a minute to 8 minutes, but most of the tracks are 5 minutes or less. This group is quite powerful but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are loud - there's a lot of quieter parts that are quite intense, even though they are not loud.
"H-alpha, from NYC, presents the vibrant language of contemporary improvised music in all of its glory. Briggan Krauss, Ikue Mori, and Jim Black, three indisputable legends of improvisation, provide a powerful lesson in this art form. 'Red Sphere' is incredibly rich in compositional sensibility while still embodying the excitement and surprise of music created in the moment. Saxophonist Briggan Krauss is perhaps best known for his longtime role in Steven Bernstein's "Sexmob." His careful dedication to the extreme edges of saxophone technique and to electro-acoustic sound research is unparalleled. Jim Black, a familiar voice to Skirl listeners, is one of the most renowned percussionists and musical presences in the world today. Ikue Mori, making her Skirl debut, is a true pioneer of both "downtown" music (as a member of DNA) and live electronic music - as the first improvisor to use a drum machine as her primary instrument, and as an early adopter of the laptop as a vehicle for live performance. "Red Sphere" is a stunning example of the fantastic beauty of contemporary improvised music from NYC at it's finest."