Places & Times

Baljinder Sekhorn
Windtunnel Records
Classical | Jun 2018

Reviews

Tom McCarter
Reviewed 2018-06-15
Reviewed: 2018-06-15
Genre: Classical (X)
FCCs: none
Review: Composer & percussionist Sekhorn’s latest offering is a collection of sonorous landmarks and magical moments: percussion ensemble works that are as compelling as they are mysterious. It is also a record of some of the ways in which life and art might share a journey. He has brought together three fine percussion ensembles to present his exhilarating vision. Tracks 3-8 are all one piece but can be played separately.
If You Like: The Percussion Clique, Bob Zander, So Percussion
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Passageways (9:31) – steel pans start> uptempo percussion jam increases in volume & intensity with a fascinating interplay of instruments> steel pans solo swings & slows, reminiscent of Balinese gamelan> false stop> short burst & stop
2/ Musica Casera (12:14) – hesitant spacey start & stop> guitar joins> back & forth interplay with percussion & guitar morphs into intense hesitant jam & then mellows> false stop> mellow guitar solo goes spacey, then flamenco, then spacey flamenco> fade
Death Is An Adviser
*3/ I. any time, any place (2:24) – gongs/piano starts> space patrol, like a soundtrack for Alien> quick stop
4/ II. maybe today. maybe tomorrow (3:28) – fast percussion start> uptempo jam with piano, like a flock of hummingbirds in flight> slows and starts like they flit from flower to flower> quick stop
*5/ III. touched. not felt. (2:55) – piano starts slow like the beginning of a rainfall, then swings into uptempo jam & mellows> quick stop
6/ IV. a worthy opponent. (2:27) – piano starts> uptempo jam with heavy percussion, like armies marching> quick stop
*7/ V. now or later. (3:31) – piano/percussion strts> slow jam like circling the earth> quick stop
8/ VI. dream come true. (5:55) – piano starts> hesitant midtempo jam builds in intensity with heavy percussive notes, occasionally pausing> slow fade
9/ Sun (9:30) – hesitant percussive opening on different instruments, like an ongoing conversation> slow fade
*10/ Refuge (8:50) – marimba starts> slow melodic jam> heavy notes builds in volume & intensity, then mellows to almost quiet> slowly builds in intensity & volume> rocking percussive jam> crescendo end

Recent airplay

Passageways
(Death Is An Adviser) 1. Any Time, Any Place.
Gong Songs EtcJul 29, 2018
Passageways
NarniaJul 28, 2018
Passageways
Music CasseroleJul 28, 2018
Refuge
Old Fart at PlayJul 27, 2018
Passageways
NarniaJul 21, 2018

Charting

2018-06-18 — 2018-08-20 Classical/Experimental
Week EndingAirplays
Aug 26 1
Aug 5 1
Jul 29 3
Jul 22 4
Jul 15 1
Jul 8 2
Jun 24 1

Track listing

1. Passageways
2. Musica Casera
3. (Death Is An Adviser) 1. Any Time, Any Place.
4. (Death Is An Adviser) 2. Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow.
5. (Death Is An Adviser) 3. Touched, Not Felt.
6. (Death Is An Adviser) 4. A Worthy Opponent.
7. (Death Is An Adviser) 5. Now Or Later.
8. (Death Is An Adviser) 6. Dream Come True
9. Sun
10. Refuge