Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email


2016 April 11 • Monday

The 408th Soundtrack of the Week is Les Stances à Sophie by the legendary Art Ensemble of Chicago!

The first tune, "Theme de Yoyo", has an irresistible groove with exciting soloing by AEC and the powerful voice of Fontella Bass ("Your head is like a yo-yo / Your neck is like a string").

After that comes the jazzier, somewhat Ornettish "Theme de Celine", again with fine soloing and just as great though not so groovy playing from the rhythm section.

Things get gentler for the next two tracks, both "Variations Sur un Theme de Monteverdi". Presumably this is based on something by Monteverdi though I couldn't tell you what it is.

There are also two "Proverbes" tracks, the first being a spacious and free sounding piece featuring the trumpet and the second being spikier and again featuring Fontella Bass on vocals.

The other two tunes, which both sound free and feature lots of percussion, are "Theme Amour Universal", which also sounds throws in some kind of unusual reed instrument as well as flute, and the much longer "Theme Libre", a high energy free jazz blow out.

Pretty amazing record. Soundtrack music can really be anything.