Chen/DeGruttola/Kaiser/Lyuh/Winant – “Megasonic Chapel” – [Fractal Music]

Naysayer   7/1/2015   A Library, CD

Stunning, superior 80 minutes of exquisite musicianship. Henry Kaiser and William Winant went to South Korea to learn about and how to play Korean court music and Shaman music. Its effect was dynamic, bringing Kaiser to see connections to Morton Feldman. Their teacher Soo-Yeon Lyuh, a master of the Korean two stringed haegum, introduced them to many styles of Korean music. Jump to San Francisco. She shows up, they decide to put together a show and a recording. Call in Danielle DeGruttola on cello and Tania Chen on piano and the music happens. Kaiser plays a number of guitars and harp guitars. Chen starts out on piano. Winant is subtle in his percussion. DeGruttola elicits nuanced play on the cello. And Lyuh sets up a unique voice with the haegum playing against, around and with all the others. Nothing is ever dominant or domineering. It is thoughtful, meditative and simply some of the most gorgeous improvisational sounds you will hear.