David Torn - Cloud About Mercury
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Music CD Cover
Artist: David TornBrand: TORN,DAVID
Edition: Music CD
Format: Original recording reissued
CD Release Date: 2001-05-08
Music Label: Ecm Records
Soundtracks:
- Suyafhu Skin.../Snapping The Hollow Reed
- The Mercury Grid
- 3 Minutes of Pure Entertainment
- Previous Man
- Network of Sparks: The Delicate Code
- Network of Sparks: Egg Learns To Walk.../Suyafhu Seal
Free Music Notes for Cloud About Mercury
Free Music Review: Miles Davis Meets King Crimson On The Moon
Hit: 5 Stars
David Torn probably eats Frippertronics for breakfast. On "Cloud About Mercury", Torn is guitarist extraordinaire and primary composer (with just two group exceptions). Make no mistake about it, though - in between the atmospheric intro and outro, this is a group effort through and through. Was it Torn's original idea to assemble this particular collective? Or was ECM just giving him some "business-friendly" collaborative options? Twenty some years after the March 1986 sessions, it simply doesn't matter. This is great music-making that makes for endlessly great listening, not to mention frequent studious inspections of air-worthiness.
Mark Isham was the heir apparent to Miles Davis in the 80's (before any of us really knew who Wallace Roney was), willing to play acoustic (or minimally treated) trumpet in diverse electric settings, showing off his technical panache along with considerable writing chops on projects like his Windham Hill debut "Vapor Drawings" (1983), Group 87 (1983-85), "Stiletto" with Michael Shrieve (and Torn) on RCA Novus (1989), and a small but substantial scattering of releases under his own name on Virgin and Columbia throughout the 90's. Isham was no doubt a co-inspirator to current contenders for the throne like Dave Douglas (who was probably about 23 when this record was made). His crystal clear trumpet smear here in the glare of Torn's eclectic conception stands in stark contrast to some of the movie soundtrack fluff that he would subsequently make, but hey, you gotta put food on the table too, right?
Bill Bruford plays outstanding electronic percussion here and everywhere, but that doesn't mean there's no acoustic kit within ear's reach. His monstrosity on anything he cares to touch continues unabated. The batterie is in good hands anytime Mr. Bruford is in the house. (Never have heard him play piano - does he? He's such an excellent composer in his own right - wonder what he writes on - marimba perhaps?)
Tony Levin is not constantly there in the mix, but when he is, it is a presence to be reckoned with, as usual. There is an otherworldly kind of plasticity to his mega-phat (as in "admirable") low end. Could be the Stick - could just be him. In fact, if Adrian Belew or some other cosmic brother of his were here as well (or in place of Isham), it would be very hard not to call this unit Son Of Latter-Day King Crimson.
Is this a perfect 5-star album? Well, if you're a perfectionist, probably not. But I can't hear anything out of place, no playing that is less than well executed, and no section, solo or ensemble, that does not delight in some way. There's a rugged grittiness to the whole, which is not entirely out of character for ECM ship's captain Manfred Eicher, but that is certainly ballsier fare than we're used to hearing from that label (not counting some Pat Metheny or Terje Rypdal albums. Can I get away with using that word here?). If you dig this platter and crave more of the same, or thereabouts, Stiletto by former Santana drummer Shrieve has him in place of Bruford (turns out fair), Andy Summers of Police-fame alongside Torn (both shred), Isham as noted above, and Scandinavian heavy Terje Gewelt where Levin was (4 stars). For an extra dose of Levin's Stick on display where you'd least expect it, right there next to the late lamented Michael Brecker, check out the final track on the all-around commendable Steps Ahead album Modern Times from 1984 (5 stars).
Reviewed from the original 1987 domestic (US) CD release, which sounds fairly clean to these highly tweaked ears. Guessing that means the freshly re-mastered edition from 2001 must sound immaculate. Can I raise my stars to > 5 once CAM's been re-added to the collection? Apparently I'll try just about anything, as do these four amazing musicians.
Cloud About Mercury Poster
No description available.Genre: Jazz Music
Rating:
Release Date: 0000-00-00
Media Type: Compact Disk
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