Open Ears
December 2001

Open Ears
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By Laurence Donohue-Greene

Deep Listening. It is what it sounds like. However, simply hearing sounds would be far from sufficient, or it at least would serve as a passive and distant step from actually listening. Many obviously share in the fact that they have heard certain sounds and specific musicians or groups performing either live or on record, but only a percentage of that audience have taken it to the more active (or interactive, if you will) level of listening. Along those same lines, there are many instrumentalists who, while playing with one another, are certainly hearing each other but are, likewise, not listening. Sounds are consequently created that in most cases may sound impressive enough on the surface, but are falling far short in more significant areas. Due to the lack of communication amongst individuals and band mates as the case may be, there is consequently a void left between the creators of sound and the audience, or potential listener(s). And a step even beyond that of listening might otherwise be referred to as “Deep Listening”.

Created and maintained as an environment that serves as a meeting place, facility, refuge, and launching pad for artists and their new work(s), Deep Listening (www.deeplistening.org) is a concept that was originated by the internationally acclaimed composer, performer, author, teacher, and lecturer—Pauline Oliveros. Oliveros has built an artist retreat (located in the Hudson Valley of upstate New York covering over 350 acres), a Deep Listening Space (an 8,500 square foot historic building for the creation and exhibition of innovative works), a Deep Listening Production company (for innovative film and music works), a Deep Listening Band (which has performed and recorded extensively since its inception in the late-‘80s), and a Deep Listening recording label that has well documented not only what listening is, but what Deep Listening is all about.

Born in 1932, Oliveros has worked at the forefront of new music composition since the ‘50s and is considered one of the world's most distinguished experimental composers, in the esteemed company of Stockhausen, John Cage, and David Tudor, amongst others. Her work in improvisation, electronic techniques, teaching methods, myth and ritual, as well as meditative and physical consciousness raising has indeed helped to change the course of American music. Emphasizing “attentional” strategies, musicianship and improvisational skills, Oliveros is leaving a legacy, which she continues to build upon, and is only beginning to be fully appreciated. In regards to her Deep Listening concept and life-long commitment to her music and compositions which have needless to say been performed worldwide, she admits that, “Thirty years ago there was a lack of interest, (but) now people are actually paying attention and are interested.” Her first home recordings date back to the ‘40s, her first composition celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and now due to this better-late-than-never public acknowledgement, she has recently created her fairly new Deep Listening record label which is now five years young.

Of the many Deep Listening Band’s (DLB) recordings, a great place to start would be with the release of their Tosca Salad(1995), a chronological compilation of the collective’s works from 1993-1995. It features Stuart Dempster (trombone, didjeridu, and garden hose) who has been associated with Oliveros since the early-‘60s when they were fellow orchestra members. Oliveros fondly recalled, in an interview, playing a bit more of the French horn in those days when the bells of their brass instruments would face one another, creating unique overtones when they simultaneously played together, a pre-cursor to the Deep Listening concept. Not only does Oliveros play her “just tuned” accordion on the recording, but she is also found on the horn that she occasionally continues to play through to present day. To round out the DLB, David Gamper plays a “just tuned” piano in addition to organ.

The music landscape provides somewhat of a seamless course for free improvisation featuring several special guests including, amongst others, the great multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee (pocket trumpet and various reeds), Joe Giardullo (flute and bass clarinet), Urs Leimgruber (soprano and tenor saxophones), Fritz Hauser (percussion), and Ben Neill (“mutantrumpet”). Half of the twelve tracks feature what is called the Expanded Instrument System (EIS) which, as defined in the recording’s liners, enables improvisers to control various parameters of electronic transformation of their acoustic performances without the use of actual electronic sounds, and which is in the words of Oliveros, “A continuing communal (music) system.” The software was co-developed by David Gamper and the use of the EIS creates a literal acoustic soundscape for the second half of the recording of pieces that are three and a half to seven and a half minute faded out excerpts of, obviously, lengthier performances.

“Dream Time” features Oliveros’ accordion with Gamper’s piano and a bowed cello-like undercurrent of sounds that creates a meditative mode similar to that found on the soundtrack to Passion (Peter Gabriel’s music done for Martin Scorcese’s late 1980s film, The Last Temptation of Christ). Evolving in slow motion, so to speak, Oliveros (accordion) and Gamper (piano) collaboratively work to make time literally stand still. Much of the Deep Listening concept as a whole works convincingly as a soundtrack to life, and some film-maker will inevitably offer the DLB an ideal and belated opportunity to contribute their music and sounds to the big screen, or so we should hope. Another featured EIS piece is entitled, “From Now On”, a vocal meditation by the DLB which is what I like to refer as “cloud watching” music, self-explanatory enough.

The first half of the EIS-less Tosca Salad features five of six tunes that range from 2-3 minutes. The Bach church organ-like opening of “Off the Beaten Tracker” is performed by Gamper on the Trinity United Methodist Church organ (built around 1900). The piece is soon complemented by background percussive effects that can be distinctly associated with such creative freethinking percussionists as Han Bennink or Matt Wilson. In regards to what the DLB characteristically creates, it is typical to hear sounds you may normally associate with different instruments altogether, let alone non-instrumental sounds one would normally refer to as sounds from experience and/or nature. “Renko’s Birthday” includes a harmonica-like sound, assumably from the accordion of Oliveros’, as well as bird-like effects behind Gamper’s subtle organ bass notes. The “Oliveros Gamper Duet”, similarly, brings forth sounds of Native American bamboo flute playing, creaking doors, and distant voices.

Dempster’s trombone and didjeridu playing technique is near identical and occasionally deceiving, as heard in the “Dempster Oliveros Duet”, in which he creates a serene and somewhat somber mood through deep long tones and circular breathing, presumably. The single piece of any significant length on the recording (i.e. over 3 minutes, as it clocks in at over 5 minutes) that does not utilize the EIS is entitled “Coming Together”, a chestnut that sticks out featuring a captivating duo between Hauser (percussion) and Leimbgruber (soprano sax). Treated as a separate entity, the DLB trio of Oliveros (accordion), Gamper (organ), and Dempster (didjeridu), then join the percussion/sax duet as a full quintet unit following in true form to one of the primary elements of what Deep Listening is truly about--moving and interacting as one.

Multi-instrumentalist, Joe McPhee, who is featured as a special guest on Tosca Salad, was also given the opportunity to record his own session for the Deep Listening label entitled, Common Threads (1996). The completely improvised session, mastered by DLB member David Gamper, features the legendary avant-garde jazz figure McPhee (pocket trumpet, tenor and soprano saxophones) along with a group of Seattle locals including Deep Listening veteran and University of Washington professor Stuart Dempster (trombone, didjeridu, and various little instruments) and his son Loren Dempster (cello), in addition to Eyvind Kang (violin, and the double steel stringed Chinese fiddle otherwise known as the erhu), and Michael Bisio (bass).

This live date also happened to also be the unfortunate day of Don Cherry’s passing (10/19/95). Coincidentally, McPhee decided to start the concert off with the pocket trumpet, an instrument he holds Cherry much in debt to since first seeing him perform live with Sonny Rollins at Birdland during the summer of ’63. The first and primary piece (clocking in at around 47 minutes) to the live recording session was, consequently, entitled “Part I: Spirit Traveler (For Don Cherry)”. McPhee smears trumpet lines as if to bow to Cherry in respect, while Bisio contributes sturdy bass lines in his first of many following collaborative efforts with the leader. Bisio and McPhee, of course, have since worked together on many an occasion both live and in the recording studio (of their many shared recording experiences after October 1995, check out the beautiful duet documented on CIMP entitled Finger Wigglers). The trio of cello, trombone, and violin then join, with all instrumentalists orbiting around one another until being blanketed into Dempster’s didjeridu with the bowing of strings supportively remaining.

The Don Cherry tribute consists of unpredictable phases or suites. In one movement, McPhee is featured soothingly accompanied by strings and trombone, as another movement spotlights Kang as a figurative voice on violin. This session also represented the first meeting between the leader and the violinist, who delayed a European tour with guitarist Bill Frisell to make the Seattle date with McPhee. Speaking, conversing with himself, whispering, laughing, running, hurting, falling, squirming, itching, rubbing, pleading, twitching—Kang wordlessly communicated each solely through his bow and instrument. McPhee then followed the emotional and exhausting path Kang had just traveled with a momentary flute-like sounding soprano sax.

At around the 30-minute mark, all the contributing instruments created a breezy wind-like atmosphere. McPhee returned to his Pocket trumpet ala Cherry, and even chartered through Lester Bowie-like territory. Then five minutes later, McPhee switched over to tenor sax (an unorthodox doubling of brass and reed instruments, indeed, which McPhee is a rare practitioner and expert of) for an unaccompanied portion which he breathily performed before bass, trombone, and the remainder of the quintet contributed. Five minutes before the “official” ending, a potential closing deceived audience members to the point of prematurely clapping (the only sign, by the way, of an audience presence throughout the recording, transfixed as they may have been.) The final five minutes, being the most intense of the journey, almost served as an allegro movement, necessary or not as it served as a separate musical entity to the preceding movements, which in itself concluded the Cherry tribute piece. The intense free for all was conveniently and deceivingly faded out with a lack of any applause, and had I not known it was a live recording, I would certainly not have thought twice about the fade itself as if it may have seemed to be a studio recording. It would be interesting to found out how it truly ended, though, and for how much longer it actually lasted.

The two following pieces, though much shorter in length, compromise nothing as far as intensity, both spotlighting the talents of Bisio in particular. “Part II: Michael’s Cipher” is a solo feature for the bassist. And the third and final piece (dedicated to the other influential figure in McPhee’s life who passed away less than a month after Cherry, McPhee’s father) is entitled “Part III: Red Enchantment (for Joe McPhee, Sr.)”. This Dempster/Bisio trombone-bass blowing, bowing and plucking extravaganza leads into the final few minutes of the recording itself with a recreation of the original orbiting feel which started off the live date with the Cherry tribute in the first place. The trombone and bass of Dempster and Bisio are eventually joined by soprano sax, violin, and cello--all coordinating into an ideal recording studio-like ending.

Featuring unique sounds, as is a common denominator with all Deep Listening recordings, one quickly learns to accept and rather not question or label what particular instrument(s) the sound(s) actually comes from. A continuous change of primary voice(s), in a handing off of the baton type manner, created rare moments of a single voice (briefly, though convincingly, with trombone and soprano sax in particular). Simple beds of sounds continuously were created by all contributors, who much of the time had a tendency to pair themselves off in twos. Ear opening harmonies resulted in the pairing off of didjeridu and bass, violin and cello, and soprano saxophone with violin. All instruments seemed to create a continually evolving backdrop for one another with colors and textures expanding and never static. At times you can hear the hollow tinkling of piano keys as if the strings were being held, or experimental prepared acoustic guitar noises like those generated by a Marc Ribot, Eugene Chadbourne, or the like. This free improvisational music uniquely carries itself off both live and on record--as, in many cases, the tendency is a live or bust experience with regards to live dates translating into listenable recordings.

Having actually previously performed with Joe McPhee, not to mention with the likes of Cecil Taylor, George Lewis, Peter Kowald, and Richard Teitelbaum, amongst others, Dana Reason proves to be more than a suitable Deep Listening recording candidate, as well. She has perfected a style as a compelling improviser, and also proven to be a top-notch performer of contemporary music from such experimental and modern composers as Sophia Gubaidulina, Elliot Carter, John Cage, and Oliveros, amongst others. Her debut recording, Primal Identity(1996) is music for solo piano and music for piano with shakuhachi flute, as Philip Gelb is found playing the traditional Japanese bamboo flute on the middle two of the CD’s six tracks. This was actually the precursor to another wonderful recording done a few years later entitled The Space Between(1998) featuring another Reason and Gelb collaboration, though also with Oliveros and the great jazz bassist who has recorded extensively for ECM, Barre Phillips.

All the compositions found on Primal Identity, with and without Gelb, are by the Canadian born pianist, composer, improviser and lecturer, Reason, who actually studied with the unique trombonist and professor, George Lewis as well as with pianist/composer, Anthony Davis. Though Gelb’s presence makes Reason produce more of koto-like effect and presence at the piano, it’s the solo pieces found on Primal Identity that prove to be, without a doubt, the highlights for this recording on the whole. Moving effortlessly between contemporary and modern classical music and new and experimental music and jazz, the pieces on the recording range from the five and a half minute jazz inspired concluding piece, “Saturday Afternoon” on which Reason is perhaps most ideally suited, to the sixteen and a half minute “Rhizomatic Truth Table”, a roller-coaster piano extravaganza Misha Mengelberg or Dave Burrell may dare have taken. The Bill Evans-like feel of the opening track, “Song of Solomon” reveals what pianists of today like Brad Mehldau and others are making efforts in with the element of different voicings. And the title track, “Primal Identity”, leaves the listener with traces of Don Pullen’s solo work (“Song Played Backwards” from his mid-‘70s, Solo Piano Album), as Reason reveals her Martha Argerich-like facility and Horace Tapscott-like depth, with a rumbling left hand successfully complementing her right’s upper register, covering and exploiting the full keyboard. Elsewhere one may even hear the intimate hints of Schoenberg’s works for piano.

As a final sampling of what Deep Listening recordings offer, the more recent Stray Light (2000), similar to McPhee’s Common Threads, centers around a single lengthy live work consisting of several movements. Recorded at New York’s Knitting Factory in February 1998, the group’s self-entitled debut recording continues the tradition set forth by Deep Listening in creating worldly and other worldly sounds that can not be specifically credited to one individual instrumentalist, but are rather resulting sounds from the combination of all participants on the recording. The ambient avant world trio, Straylight (www.straylight.ws), features a mighty threesome who together create orchestral-scale sounds. The veteran of the group, Charles Cohen, a composer and performer of electronic music since the early-‘70s, performs on the rare integrated analog performance instrument known as the Buchla Music Easel (created by synth pioneer, Don Buchla). Guitarist Geoff Gersh was a band member for the Off-Broadway production, Blue Man Group: Tubes in which he plays zither. And percussionist Jason Finkelman plays the Afro-Brazilian bowed instrument known as the berimbau, in addtion to various other traditional African and South American percussion instruments such as congas and the African fiddle known as the riti.

The five movement piece which nearly covers three quarters of an hour, starts off with a showcase for the berimbau of Finkelman’s with a sound that lies somewhere between a marimba and kalimba. Over a tapestry of sounds that resemble some of John Fahey’s latter day work, circa Womb Life (1997), the sound of twanging rubber bands and a Jews Harp are joined by single organ and bass tones, as well as jungle whistles of wildlife and bird wings flapping. With the complementing sounds of running water, everything culminates into a similar sound experience to Merle Saunder’s and Jerry Garcia’s Blues For The Rainforest (1990).

The next movement seamlessly is introduced by what seems to be one of the “Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict” (remember Pink Floyd’s 1969 recording, Ummagumma?). Adjoined with the strikingly similar high pitch of a small and highflying skyrocket, the music is led into a momentous guitar groove traveling over shakers, whistles, and worldly clay flute sounds. The minimalist guitar approach, though hard to believe but true, is unedited from the original live performance and has a Bill Frisell-ian resemblance in tone.

Finkelman’s berimbau performance gives a nod to the master himself, Nana Vasconcelos. Maybe Nana’s 1979 ECM recording Saudades served as an inspiration, training ground, or at least educational tool for Finkelman as there is a striking similarity between the first tune on Vasconcelos’ recording, “O Berimbau”, and this specific movement. After four minutes, the poltergeist-like humming sound waves subside behind the berimbau and eventual plucked guitar strings beautifully echo the single string berimbau in a subtle manner.

The Pink Floyd-like theme returns in conjunction with a Jimi Hendrix blues riff that also occurs in the final few minutes to the first piece on the recording (check out Hendrix’s coda to “Pali Gap” from his Rainbow Bridge). Hand tabla and bongo-like percussion, resembling a horse steadily trotting and even cantering enter into the sound collage before the fourth movement offers up one of the first steady and regular melodic runs and consistent rhythms. A bass line accompanies the bowed berimbau of Finkelman’s, utilizing an ever so slow and occasional bowing effect not too dissimilar from a true master of this bow to instrument relationship, free jazz violinist Leroy Jenkins. It’s as if the bow is the instrument and it is no longer how the bow interacts with the instrument but the other way around. Climaxing into an ancient tribal-like pre-battle cry from a mass of warriors, there follows sounds of cymbal splashes, wood block/marimbas, and guitar-echoing effects as such have been performed and created by the unheralded and under-acknowledged guitarist, Loren MazzaCane Connors.

Next, foot taps and marimba beats solely lead into the following penultimate movement in syncopated rhythms. Gersh adds another layer eventually, perhaps via foot pedal, before all the so-called “screws” holding any semblance of order together fall out into a blanket of random sounds leaving the final movement of the Knit performance with silence to begin the last movement. Finkelman, unaccompanied on berimbau, is eventually joined by competing effects from Gersh and Cohen as if it were a chase between berimbau, guitar, and all other sounds contributed by Cohen. The sound landscape in a matter of moments opens up to greet the music, then closes up in a blink, swallowing all the sounds like a black hole into oblivion as the forty five minutes of sound exploration have passed.

The final piece is a basic slow bass and berimbau duet conversation. With a subtle repeated guitar riff foundation and various colorful sound effects, Finkelman again reveals his perfected slow bowing technique. The strong, short, and meditative piece actually may be the musical highlight of the entire recording as a complete concept. Following a minute of silence, a “hidden” bonus track then ends the actual CD, starting with bowed string effects and electronic sounds over a deep and slowly evolving drone with contributing male mumbles that climax into a frenzy, ending the CD. Necessary or not, it certainly covers ground that was not heard previously.

Deep Listening deals with the spectrum of sounds and emotions, and ultimately our existence. It’s just a matter of being receptive and aware, as a musician and as a listener. In Oliveros’ words, “The act of listening happens in the brain not the ears. Interpreting, analyzing, and doing all of those things. It’s a lifetime process from when you first hear as a human being--one of the first senses to develop and one of the last, usually, that goes before death.” A concept for (open) ear minded people, Deep Listening is not simply an alias for a group, a recording label, and/or a foundation—it’s a concept that everyone can utilize, share, learn, and grow from.

Keep your ears open to (the) music!

For more info: www.artswire.org/pof/