BY SAMUEL COTTELL
‘red planet’
Elsen Price (double bass)
Self-produced, 2014
An album of music for solo double bass, at first, might seem like a strange concept indeed. We often think of the double bass as the instrument that grounds the orchestra, or provides that walking line in a jazz setting. But it is not often that it gets an outing as a solo instrument. Enter Elsen Price, whose self produced album ‘red planet’ is a feast of solo double bass, incorporating a number of musical influences from various genres and creating a strikingly varied mixture of new music.
On this album, Elsen creates a ‘tonal descriptor of the last days of Earth’. Fittingly, the images of a lone double bass player in his final moments are conjured in my mind and there is a mix of impending doom as well as moments of lamentation and nostalgia. Elsen encapsulates this concept in a number of curious ways, including extended techniques on the bass along with the use of loop pedals to create the feel of an ensemble, with the double bass as the centrepiece and primary vehicle for expression. The pieces on this recording contain deep thoughts and a kind of introspective, philosophical view on the impressions of the last days of earth, rendered through music.
The album opens with‘final moments’. It begins with a rhythmic pattern turning the bass into a percussion set. A distorted growl can be heard in the depths as a haunting musical theme emerges and slides downwards as though falling. Elsen’s playing here is stylish, suave and seductive as lyrical lines twist and turn throughout, unfolding with striking urgency. Elsen extends the musical palette by recording himself coughing in ‘lost life’. This is an effective addition to the spectrum of sounds and adds another texture to the bouncing pulse established on this track.
‘the sky is falling’ is a spritely and energetic track that has some reminiscence of Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumble Bee’. Here, Elsen takes the top range of the bass and makes it sound like a viola. A pulsating ostinato that climbs and falls gives the piece a dancelike quality and again the use of percussion is effective. What is intriguing about all of this is how Elsen manages to use the bass as a one man band, which turns this into much more than just a solo, but the crafting of an intriguing aural landscape.
On ‘view from the moon’, Elsen’s playing has a delicate and tender touch where he coaxes the more mellow upper register of the bass, gently molding the melody into existence, but there is still a gritty earthiness to it. There is a sense of melancholy on this track; at times there are moments of a quasi-Bach Cello Suite vibe and Elsen demonstrates his virtuosic technique; displaying fluid and insightful legato across the whole range of the instrument.
The individual tracks on the recording function as stand alone pieces, but also work well as a collection in what you could loosely call a suite, provide interesting listening for adventurous musical explorers and for those who just enjoy a good melody. The addition of liner notes might have provided some interesting background context to the music, but then again, the music does speak for itself. It is rare to hear a solo bass become a whole ensemble unto itself and there is a fascinating ethereal space created within this recording.
This album shows the signs of someone well versed in their own musical language, drawing on a wide range of musical influences. Combine all this with someone who has a refined control of their instrument and a very exciting tonal palette is produced. Overall, the music engages your ear on an emotional and intellectual level, as the best music does, and considering the album was recorded, edited and produced within the scope of 10 hours, it makes for some thought-provoking listening.
You can purchase ‘red planet’ at elsenprice.bandcamp.com/album/red-planet. Read more about Elsen Price here.
Image supplied.
