BUILDING was:
Bret Hart: concept, impetus & mortar (homemade instruments, bass-banjo, solo guitars, percussion, mandolin-harp, 'Barstool-o-caster', prepared 4-string guitar
Eric Wallack: basses, Chapman Stick, slide guitar, focus
-with accompaniment and sound additions by:
on tracks 14-21
Fred Hall [RIP]: lap-steel guitar
Bob Jordan: guitarra, metal, Wurlitzer, noises
Aural Innovations: October 2003
"Bret Hart's Duets series of recordings have been well covered in Aural Innovations. The man is an enthusiastic networker who manages to arrange collaborations with a variety of improvisers, the results always being interesting and often quite magical. Bret's newest project, entitled BUILDING, expands on the duets format by including larger ensembles of musicians, all collaborating by mail. And what a debut! Check out this monstrous roster of artists from the free-improv scene: Bret Hart on mandolin-harp, Barstool-o-caster' and prepared 4-string guitar, Ernesto Diaz-Infante on electric bass and vox, Greg Segal on bowed device, guitar preparation, wind guitar, guitar, slide guitar and ebow, Eric Wallack on slide guitar, and Ethan Sklar on acoustic guitar (Sklar is new to me).
There's a lot happening here. Acoustic Blues, bubbling atmospherics, drones, spacey efx, scratching and various other string manipulation and sound creation. Avant-garde free-improv mingles comfortably with haunting soundscapes. Melody coexists with abstract sound creation. There's a 叢sychedelia for the avant-garde' aspect to much of the music, like the drugged, dreamlike, Bluesy song quality of "Corks", surrounded by careful string attacks and a Beefheart-in-space feel. "The Tcho-Tcho People" is similar, though accompanying the song are wrenching guitar, rumbling alien spacecraft efx, and general freakiness. We're treated to the John Fahey/Klaus Schulze marriage of opposites on tracks like "Dare Ye T' Attend". The ensemble go completely into avant-space realms on the 16 minute voyage, "Hello Dalai". And "Temple" is an equally spaced out mixture of cosmic and avant-garde elements.
It sounds a bit strange writing it down, but close listening reveals one of those beautiful gloms of styles and sounds that come together into a cooperative whole. And I don't mean morphing or blending or anything like that... each musician stands firmly in his own space. But each part is an integral component of the outcome. Atmospherics and mood are important elements, and combined so seamlessly with the free-improv stylings makes for a powerful listening experience. There's much here to please fans of any of the participating artists, and it's clear that Bret is really on to something with this project. I can't wait to hear what Volume 2 brings." - J. Kranitz / aural-innovations
A truly psychedelic jazz record, “Bloom Anubis” ventures out into uncharted territory, with ominous tones & sci-fi synths. Bandcamp New & Notable May 15, 2021
Gnarly punk rock from the Philadelphia duo is unhinged in the best way, an in-the-red sonic assault a la Motorhead/Stooges. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 9, 2024
Recorded after overcoming serious physical issues, joy and und radiate from every note of trumpeter Steph Richard's incredible new LP. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 23, 2024