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The raga is a platonic ultimate for the guitarists who based the “Takoma faculty” and people who have adopted of their wake whereas both donning or forswearing the American Primitive mantel. It’s a type to be aspired to, however not essentially achieved. Some have delved deep into Hindustani and Carnatic music whereas acknowledging that they’ll by no means be taught sufficient to grasp the custom, and others have simply appended the phrase “raga” to a tune title and perhaps recruited somebody to drum alongside on some tablas.
Joshua Massad and Dylan Aycock have sufficient research between them to understand how removed from the formal mark the music on Two Improvisations lands. Aycock’s earlier recordings underneath his personal title and as Discuss West attest to his grasp of guitar lore. And Massad, who splits his time between Oklahoma and India, has hung out learning with tabla grasp Zakir Hussain. They’ve beforehand recorded one ultra-limited cassette, however this album is their first vinyl launch. Its unemphatic title tells you what they did to make the music, however not how uplifting that music is.
“One” (both sides incorporates one numbered monitor) is as spontaneous as music will get. Aycock walked via the open door of a home the place Massad was already enjoying, sat down together with his 12-string guitar and joined in. After an preliminary flourish, the 2 settled right into a speeding fingerpicked cadence. The guitarist began releasing one flight of spare, lyric fancy after one other, every foray rising like a chook driving an updraft of wind. Massad responded by adjusting the pitch of his hand drums up and down, however he by no means let the groove flag. Slightly than attempt to catch lightning twice, the duo waxed reflective on “Two.” Massad took the lead on sitar, stirring buzzing whorls of sound round Aycock’s extra relaxed strumming and his brother Jesse’s pulsing synthesizer. This spacey music isn’t notably devoted to any custom, nevertheless it imparts an authentically transcendent spirit that may’t be faked. [Scissor Tail]
—Invoice Meyer
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