Hamid Drake, Sylvain Kassap
Heads Or Tails
LabelRogueartGenreJazz & Improvisation
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Two different duets between reedman Sylvain Kassap and percussionist Hamid Drake – one live, one studio – recorded six years apart, but sounding wonderful together in this double-length package! The first section is live – and features some very long, open improvisations – with Kassap on a range of clarinets, mostly in the bass range, plus chalumeau as well – as Drake opens up his drum kit with that special sort of magic that's made him a key percussionist in the legacy of rhythm-free drummers like Andrew Cyrille or Pierre Favre. The studio tracks are shorter, but no less beautiful – and have a way of conveying a lot with just a little, thanks especially to some surprisingly soulful expressions by Kassap. Titles include "Sharp Bend", "Wood Splinters", "Mutual Respect", "Black Walnuts", "Heavy Traffic", "Of Course", and "Sharp Light".
Release notes
CD 1 recorded live at the France Musique at Studio Theatre d'Alfortville, France, for Radio France on February 5th, 2007, by Bernard Legac and Yann Fressy. CD 2 recorded at Studio de la Beaune, in Montreuil, France, on February 22nd and 23rd, 2013, by Jean-Marc Bouchez/ When I put these CDs on I knew immediately that from the first time I had heard them together until the time of these recordings their art, their voices, their intense empathy/telepathy for one another had grown to an almost…
| 1-1 | Mutual Respect | 24:37 | |
| 1-2 | Black Walnuts | 8:06 | |
| 1-3 | Wood Splinters | 7:46 | |
| 1-4 | Refreshing Storm | 4:48 | |
| 2-1 | Heads Or Tails | 4:32 | |
| 2-2 | Everyone Holds Its Breath | 4:12 | |
| 2-3 | Downtown Riots | 4:27 | |
| 2-4 | Sharp Light | 3:37 | |
| 2-5 | Stubborn Old Folks | 6:06 | |
| 2-6 | Sharp Bend | 3:14 | |
| 2-7 | Stone's Sparks | 4:00 | |
| 2-8 | Blasting Heat | 6:30 | |
| 2-9 | Two Sides Of The Same Coin | 4:46 | |
| 2-10 | Deeply Affected | 3:43 | |
| 2-11 | Embroided Silk Scarves | 5:33 | |
| 2-12 | Heavy Traffic | 6:39 | |
| 2-13 | Of Course! | 2:25 |
- Sylvain Kassap
- Clarinet, Chalumeau
- Hamid Drake
- Drums, Frame Drum
- Steve Dalachinsky
- Liner Notes
