Out Of The Blue

Reviewed: 2019-07-24
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: A world music duo focusing on presenting a new experience in collaboration. Even though they are both essentially percussionists, their genres are initially worlds apart. This unique and stimulating intersection between Chao Tian, playing the yongqin, a Chinese dulcimer, and Tom Teasley on all things percussive, was a wonderful match.
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
If You Like: Anna Guo, Toumani Diabate, Nana Vasconcelos, Marius Preda, Collin Walcott
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
**1/ Boiling Water (5:23) – percussion starts> uptempo duet> slows to stop
***2/ Silk Wave (5:09) – drone drum starts> midtempo duet builds to uptempo> quick fade> pause> fade
*3/ Oriental Alley (2:26) – percussion starts> midtempo duet swings uptempo> builds in volume & intensity> quick stop
**4/ Sunrise in Sichuan (2:53) – donggin starts strong> uptempo duet with shifting percussion> slow fade
5/ The Harvest (3:41) – percussion starts> uptempo duet> quick fade on percussion
*6/ Chang ‘An (3:45) – malleted cymbals start> midtempo duet> crescendo & fade
**7/ Jungle Train (4:32) – percussion starts> uptempo duet>
8/ Full Of Questions (5:47) – percussion startsmidtempo hesitating duet> slow fade & a cymbal
***9/ Cuju (3:28) – percussion starts> midtempo hesitating duet> swings to fast tempo> slows to fade
10/ Haggling Peddler (4:54) – percussion starts fast> fast tempo duet> fade
**11/ Rolling Walnuts (3:22) – percussion solo starts> midtempo duet> swings uptempo> percussion solo to fade
12/ Kong Zhu (5:46) – percussion starts> uptempo duet> slows to fade