Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Danny Fratina - Bb, in Isolation (January 2022)

Dealing with limitations of genre, performance behavior, and various modalities of forced minimalism, Bb, In Isolation, is an experiment in liminality, where conventionally presumed boundaries between sociality/isolation and composition/improvisation are put to test. The music only insists on a single unifying initial pitch class before giving space to each player to generate their own personal statement within the given parameters, albeit in overstatedly minimal terms.

The piece was performed by 12 musicians around the world, and, to emphasize the creative immediacy of improvisation, no compositional information was given to any musician in advance. The performance and recording began immediately after the sheet music was revealed. Inspired by the conditions imposed by the pandemic, and the new forms and formats of music-making it brought about, this piece explores the contingencies of isolated improvisation and social composition.

1. Allison, alto sax 00:18
2. Bardia, setar 03:17
3. Max, upright bass 02:31
4. Müge, piano 01:02
5. Yulia, flute 02:48
6. Ayşe, cello 03:58
7. Audrey, electric harp 02:18
8. Amy, percussion 01:35
9. Jake, electric guitar 00:24
10. Celia, viola 00:46
11. Mark, soprano sax 00:32
12. Sam, Bb trumpet 00:56

Allison Burik - alto sax
Bardia Hafizi - setar
Max Ridley - upright bass
Müge Hendekli - piano
Yulia Musayelyan - flute
Zeynep Ayşe Hatipoğlu - cello
Audrey Harrer - electric harp
Amy Salsgiver - percussion
Jake Hertzog - electric guitar
Celia Daggy - viola
Mark Zaleski - soprano sax
Sam Dechenne - Bb trumpet

Mixed and mastered by Can Murtezaoğlu
Artwork by İlkim Karakuş