Scott Fields, Christangelfox

[Nate Dorward]

This is the first disc of Fields I've got my hands on, so I'm not sure if it's at all typical of his work--I get the impression from the liner notes that it's something of a departure for him. It's a single hourlong piece of music, performed by Fields (on nylon-string guitar), clarinettist Guillermo Gregorio & cellist Matt Turner. It's mostly fairly quiet, at an unhurried pace, & is based entirely on a single scale. The three musicians also have an array of percussion to work with--pieces of scrap metal, wood & stone to tap away at. Fields speaks of how the music is influenced by Asian musics, & I can see that (the gamelan-like percussive clinking & clacking). The music unfolds gradually without a sense of climax or large scale argument, though there's a central 8-minute episode which gets a little more urgent, with a pulsing series of guitar chords. I liked the disc--maybe it's a little too self-sufficient to really cut deeply, but it's nonetheless a fascinating soundworld which doesn't sound like what anyone else is doing. I guess I could best describe it as somewhere between Braxton's calmest moments (those lyrical clarinet ballads) & aspects of Gavin Bryars (say "Allegrasco" on After the Requiem). Worth hearing.

[Derek Taylor]

Haven’t heard this one, Nate. But based on what you wrote about it, I think you would probably also enjoy HORNET’S COLLAGE (Nuscope) - same basic instrumentation w/ Francois Houle and Jason Roebke (on doublebass) mixing moments that are strikingly tuneful & chamber-y with more acerbic ones. Beautifully arid recording too, one that brings out the wood grain tones in the three instruments. I have about a half dozen of Fields discs & like them all to varying degrees, though I rarely find myself pulling them from the shelf. Also interesting are: FIVE FROZEN EGGS and DÉNOUMENT. Still trying to get my ears around his new one with Jeff Parker on Delmark. He's pretty fascinating to hear in person, very understated demeanor & a wry sense of humor with a predeliction for the grotesque.

[walto]

I agree with Derek's post. I've heard three Fields' recordings and, while I'm not crazy about them, I love Scott.

[Nate Dorward]

Hm what's the duo with Jeff Parker like? Is it primarily composed or improvised?

[Brian Olewnick]

My only exposure to Fields' work is "From the Diary of Dog Drexel", a 2002 disc on Rossbin with Carrie Biolo, Kyle Bruckmann, Franco, Greg Kelley, Stephen Dembski and Gregory Taylor. I found it largely too dry and academic for my taste and said as much in an AMG review. Oddly enough, Fields pasted into his website anyway, so I have to give him some credit!

[Nate Dorward]

Good for Fields--a man after my own heart. (I feel better about getting a seriously meant, carefully written negative review than a badly-written, halfbaked rave.) Hm, I suspect the Dog Drexel CD must be rather different from the new one, which is rather pretty--not "dry" at all--though the sheer length of the piece places demands on the listener.

[Derek Taylor]

Nate, it’s compositions- 2 short ones by Parker that bookend four longer ones by Fields- with improv figuring in heavily. The titles of Fields' pieces mimic ‘untitled’ paintings where the media used are named instead (ie. “Untitled, 2004, Dried Blood on Gauze, Elastic Strip with Adhesive Backing”). The Parker tracks are pretty and lyrical with a somber underbelly. Fields' ‘tunes’ are craggier, more dissonant & less intiutive, lots of string crinkling and distorted flanging with interludes of bonafide chords and even the occasional filigree melody. It’s these I’m still trying to get my ears around; they feel a bit too discursive, jumbled & monotonous in places. “Untitled, 2001, Soot on Slate” is an exception more in line with Parker’s pieces. Fields pens the liners (he once told me: “Delmark pays for them so why not collect the cash myself.”) in a free-associative style that reminds me of Cecil’s UNIT STRUCTURES musings. Like David stated, I think this is one that’s likely to grow on folks, but the question is will they give it the consecutive listens required.

[Nate Dorward]

Yeah I suspect the "requires patient listening" goes for Fields in general, is my impression. Dan Warburton tells me he can't get past the clink-clank homemade percussion on the new one, & I'll agree it's darned odd but I kind of like it.