Best of 2017 – Christian B. Carey

Best Chamber Portrait CD and Best New Recording Artist 2017

Scott Wollschleger, Soft Aberration (New Focus, 2017) Longleash, Passage (New Focus, 2017) Scott Wollschleger’s compositions are written in an amalgam of different styles, onto which he puts a personal stamp, creating pieces that are full of savory surprises. Wollschleger’s debut portrait CD on New Focus, Soft Aberration, contains five pieces that show his eclecticism toContinue reading “Best Chamber Portrait CD and Best New Recording Artist 2017”

Best Recording 2017 – Tyshawn Sorey’s Verisimilitude

Verisimilitude Tyshawn Sorey Tyshawn Sorey, drums, percussion, composer; Cory Smythe, piano, toy piano, electronics; Chris Tordini, bass Pi Records PI70 Tyshawn Sorey has had quite a year of musical accomplishments. After recently finishing up his doctorate at Columbia, he succeeded Anthony Braxton on the faculty at Wesleyan University, won a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, and receivedContinue reading “Best Recording 2017 – Tyshawn Sorey’s Verisimilitude”

Best Chamber Recording 2017

Terry Riley and Stefano Scodanibbio The Dark Queen Mantra Del Sol String Quartet; Gyan Riley, guitar Sono Luminus On this Sono Luminus CD, Terry Riley’s chamber works are superlatively performed by Del Sol String Quartet. Joined on the title piece by the composer’s son, guitarist Gyan Riley, the group navigates an array of rhythms,Continue reading “Best Chamber Recording 2017”

Best Orchestra Portrait CD: BMOP Plays Peterson

Wayne Peterson Transformations Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose, conductor; PRISM Quartet BMOP/sound 1053 Composer Wayne Peterson (b. 1927) served as one of his generation’s fixtures on the West Coast music scene where, in addition to several other academic appointments, he elevated the composition program at San Francisco State to prominence. Despite fineContinue reading “Best Orchestra Portrait CD: BMOP Plays Peterson”

Best Rock Recording 2017: Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s Luciferian Towers

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Luciferian Towers Constellation CD/LP/DL Canadian instrumental post-rock leftist collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor brings something old and something new to the musical anti-fascist fray on Luciferian Towers, their latest recording for Constellation. They are still angry at the political establishment (as are many of us). But they are REALLY angry.Continue reading “Best Rock Recording 2017: Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s Luciferian Towers”

Best Drone Recording 2017: Lee Plays Gibson

Randy Gibson The Four Pillars Appearing from The Equal D under Resonating Apparitions of The Eternal Process in The Midwinter Starfield 16 VIII 10 (Kansas City) Andrew Lee, amplified piano Irritable Hedgehog Composer Randy Gibson is best known for his compelling experiments with intonation. R. Andrew Lee is the go-to pianist for Wandelweiser and minimalist-orientedContinue reading “Best Drone Recording 2017: Lee Plays Gibson”

Best Pop Recording of 2017: Björk – Utopia

Utopia Björk One Little Indian Björk’s latest album is her longest (clocking in at 72 minutes) and her most daring yet. On past recordings, cadres of female musicians with fierce chops held sway – employing French horns and strings. This time out, a dozen Icelandic flutists are the ensemble of choice. Alongside them isContinue reading “Best Pop Recording of 2017: Björk – Utopia”

Rebekah Heller – Metafagote (Recording review)

Metafagote Rebekah Heller, bassoon and electronics Tundra, 2017 (digital release) Bassoonist Rebekah Heller, a member of ICE, released Metafagote, her second solo album, in 2017 on Tundra. Featuring premiere recordings of four works written for Heller by Rand Steiger (Concatenation), Dai Fujikura (Following), Jason Eckardt (Wild Ginger), and the title composition by Felipe Lara,Continue reading “Rebekah Heller – Metafagote (Recording review)”