Ut Gret - Ancestor's Tale
SKU
33-Alt 041
Ut Gret, the project led by bassist/guitarist Joee Conroy, have been around for a very long time in Louisville, KY and has released a number of more avant/improvisational discs, but for this one, their fourth, Joee has reached back to what I assume are his roots and crafted a avant-progressive release.
The personnel & instrumentation flips a bit from song to song, but the main instrumentalists are:
Joee Conroy-fretless bass, guitars
Steve Roberts-electric piano, mellotron, organ
Cheyenne Mize-vocals, violin
Steve Good-clarinet, bass clarinet
Greg Acker-flutes
Jackie Royce-bassoon, contra-bassoon
Gary Pahler-drums
The press sheet references Univers Zero, Gong & Rational Diet, and there are also specific homages to Hugh Hopper and King Crimson, but the antecedent that came to mind the most for me was actually UTotem. They proudly reference the fact that there are two contra-bassoon solos on the disc!
"With their fourth effort the band from Kentucky gives a further convincing demonstration of their eclectic style (“pan-idiomatic” music), crossroad of different influences and contributions from experimental jazz, improvisation, folk, avant-garde rock and classical music."