Mercereau, Nate – “Duets” – [Self Release]

sam   8/10/2023   A Library, CD

In the summer of 2020, Golden Gate Bridge engineers replaced the original chunky vertical slats on the handrail on the western side of the bridge with thinner slats.  The reason for the replacement was to lessen the air resistance of the bridge; with the replacement the bridge is calculated to be able to withstand wind gusts of up to 100 mph; previously with the original slats the estimated maximum wind was 68mph.

One side effect of the replacement was that the wind now could cause a hum as it blew through the slat openings; and not just a soft tone; people driving across the bridge compared it to a 777 jet engine overhead, and residents in the surrounding areas have been complaining.  The side effect was expected, but perhaps the volume was not

Engineers are working with computer models to try to get rid of the tones, so in the future the effect may no longer exist.

Nate Mercereau, an artist now in the LA area but a graduate of SF State, heard about the effect and the fact that it may be ephemeral, and decided to try to capture the tones, which he described as coming from the world’s largest wind instrument.  He drove up with his engineer Zach Parkes, set up an outdoor studio in the Marin Headlands overlooking the bridge, and proceeded to record nearly 8 hours of improvisational music live with the hum May 18 and 19, 2021.  From those eight hours, four tracks were produced and released, simply titled “Duet 1”, “Duet 2”, “Duet 3”, and “Duet 4”.

The result has been compared to Brian Eno’s Landscapes series, some parts of Pink Floyd’s “Echos” or the beginning of the film “Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii”, whale songs, and Jan Garbarek’s album Dis.  The bridge hum does shift as the wind changes, but is ever present, while Nate improvises swirly ambient riffs to echo the bridge.  There are no beats, and no sudden note changes; this is calm zen to peace out to.  This is not for the brain that requires lots of stimulation.

Policastro, Joe Trio – “Screen Sounds” – [JeruJazz Records]

sam   8/10/2023   CD, Jazz

The Joe Policastro Trio is based in Chicago, and in this incarnation consists of Joe Policastro on upright bass, Dave Miller on guitar, and Mikel Avery on percussion.  Playing together at least three nights a week at a Champaign bar, all the selections here are a result of the three trying out various ideas until things jelled, a process that might take only a day, or much longer.  The actual album itself was recorded in a day, released in 2017, and is their third album.

The album selections are covers of TV and movie themes that will be familiar, filtered through the trio’s sensibilities.  If you are looking for prog jazz, look elsewhere, this is for the most part straight ahead jazz.

Elle PF – “She Wrote It” – [Self Released]

sam   8/10/2023   A Library, CD

Elle PF (Pronounced L P F) is a quartet originally based in Minneapolis, this is their debut album.  Elle PF is a project of Ranelle LaBiche, who acts as songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer for this release.

This is a project about politics and women’s issues, self-loathing and depression, social frustration, rage, loss, and melancholy, all recorded in Ranelle’s basement.  A bit raw and wild, the songs still are effective at making their points.  For context, this is all pre-George Floyd.

Stylistically, we’re talking “indie” rock, but not punk. The sounds are not heavily processed, and the credits do mention “live” drums and strings.

Invasion Funk Masters [coll] – [Soul Patrol]

sam   8/10/2023   CD, Soul

Funk collection from a company based in Paris, France, this is marked as Volume 11. Released in 1998, this is 12 somewhat obscure funk tracks, all of which immediately settle into a funk groove, many of which then branch out into some tasty licks, while a few others are content to just maintain the groove (great for beds).  All the groups have entries in Discogs, but some of the entries are pretty short.  Most are instrumentals, but “Can We Rap” has, well, a bit of early rap.  First listen I thought the album was pretty minimal, but a second listen showed some interesting stuff happening.  Longest track is three and a half minutes, shortest clocks in at around two minutes.

LEMAT – “Ensemble of Organic Amazement Vol 1 and 2” – [Half Shell Records]

sam   10/31/2022   A Library, CD

LEMAT is a loose collection of artists wandering around the world as the whim strikes.  As they traipsed through Mexico, Germany and the US, they recorded the tracks found on this album.  Originally released as two EPs, both releases are collected on this CD.

15 artists are listed as contributing to the project, but the core seems to be drums, one or two guitars, and “vocals”, with other instruments contributing on an occasional basis on certain tracks.  Described as a “multi-ensemble project of psychedelic rock, freak folk and experimental music”, LEMAT tries to be several things at various times.

Swirly poppy chords with a torrent of various vowels at various pitches would be the best description I could come up with.

Track 9, “Rednaw”, is basically Track 1, “Wander”, backwards.