Mike Bullock, Andrew Lafkas

Two contrabass players here, Andrew Lafkas, of whom I not really heard I think and Michael T. Bullock, of whom I did hear before, and know as someone who likes his improvised playing to be minimal - to say the least. I think Bullock at times also uses electronics, but I am not if he uses any of that here. Its not mentioned on the cover, nor the fact that this is perhaps a live concert. I do however think this is a live recording, however one with no audience, but a direct-to-track recording of two man playing their contrabass, without any overdub or without any electronic interference. For forty-three minutes and twenty-four seconds they move elegantly through their material. Slow gestures, minimal changes, all colored in light grey tones. Moody improvised music. They play their instruments 'the way it should be' and not a resonant boards of woods which produce any sound. They use bows to play the strings (how odd that may sound perhaps these days), but occasionally also seem to pluck it or play it with objects. A very 'silent' piece, slow moving, minimal gestures. It seems recorded in a hall of some kind, so natural reverb becomes part of the proceedings. A great CD of improvised music by two excellent players. (FdW)