Remember the skit that Steve Martin used to do on
\nSaturday Night Live<\/i>, where he and another character would
\nstare into the camera and keep repeating, “What the hell is that?”
\nThere are times I find myself asking the same thing when I listen
\nto an album for the first time – and often, the question is asked
\nin a rather negative way.<\/p>\n
But in the case of
\nBruford Levin Upper Extremities<\/i>, the latest collaboration
\nbetween King Crimson bandmates Bill Bruford and Tony Levin, when I
\nasked, “What the hell was that?” I was pleasantly surprised, and
\nasked the question out of sheer joy. While this disc will shatter
\nany preconceived notions you had about music, it contains some of
\nthe best conceptual pieces I think I have ever heard.<\/p>\n
Right from the opening track “Cerulean Sea,” you can tell this
\nis going to be a wonderfully strange trip. With Levin thumping away
\non his bass with Funk Fingers (while providing a mantra-like drone)
\nand guitarist David Torn throwing guitar loops here and there,
\nBruford pounds out his own rhythm that almost has nothing to do
\nwith what his other bandmates are playing. Strange thing:
\nit works<\/i>, and it works well. This one track alone is enough
\nto sell me on
\nBruford Levin Upper Extremities<\/i>.<\/p>\n
But wait, there’s more. Kicking into a jazz\/funk piece (and
\nwelcoming their fourth bandmate, trumpeter Chris Botti), the band
\nkicks into what could be a rebirth of cool in jazz. Funny thing to
\nnote about this track, as well as this whole album: Each instrument
\nis in the forefront equally, something that is a refreshing change
\nof pace (normally, a few instruments are buried in the mix so far
\nthat it’s damned near impossible to hear them).<\/p>\n
The key word that is the key on this album is texture, and
\nBruford Levin Upper Extremities<\/i> provides a whole palate of
\nthem for you to choose from. Whether it is the subtle touches of
\nwhat sounds like a sunrise in the Orient (“A Palace Of Pearls”),
\nLevin going nuts bowing his upright bass in a rock style (“Cracking
\nThe Midnight Glass”) or even segueing from a band dinner into a
\ncomplex rhythm pattern that would challenge even the most
\nexperienced musicians (“Etude Revisited”), this musical partnership
\nwill constantly challenge and excite you – and I have yet to get
\ntired of this album, despite multiple listenings.<\/p>\n
What is especially amazing is that Bruford and Levin can make
\nbeautiful music out of the strangest instruments. There are
\nnumerous interludes on which Bruford plays on a broken-down piano’s
\nstrings, using mallets and, according to Levin, even a garden rake.
\nThe highlight of the experimentation are the two pieces featuring
\nthe Taos “DrumBass,” a combination bass guitar and Native American
\ndrum. The gentleness of this instrument is incredibly powerful –
\nand the second interlude featuring it is further highlighted with
\nTorn’s working in a National slide guitar.<\/p>\n
\nBruford Levin Upper Extremities<\/i> is a wonderful highlight for
\nboth Botti (who already has been recording on the Verve label) and
\nTorn, whose work might be unfamiliar to many people. In fact, after
\nI heard his work on this album, I started kicking myself that I
\nhadn’t listened to or stolen a copy of
\nDoor X<\/i> from the radio station I used to work for when it
\ncame out earlier this decade. (Another classic case of
\n“If-I-Only-Knew-Then-What-I-Know-Now syndrome”.)<\/p>\n
The whole ball of wax comes together on “Presidents Day,” which
\ntakes the best highlights of some of the album’s quirks – band
\ndinner, piano raking, vocal droning – and throws it all into one
\nbeautiful mix. Incredible!<\/p>\n
Admittedly, this album may scare off the weak-hearted – too bad,
\n’cause they’re gonna be missing out on something really tasty. If
\nyou’re familiar with the previous work of any of the participants
\n(especially if you’re into the later-day King Crimson circa 1981),
\nthen this should sound like a natural progression for Bruford and
\nLevin.<\/p>\n
\nBruford Levin Upper Extremities<\/i> is not the kind of album
\nyou’re going to find on the shelves of your local Best Buy, but
\nit’s worth the trouble of going through mail-order to snag what
\ncould well be the best album of 1998.<\/p>\n