Liner Notes by PEK

The fifth performance at Third Life Studios for this part of the overall Evil Clown project. A smaller orchestra, this time 13 players, perform a pure improvisation of 50 minutes duration. To open the show, we play 4 shorter (15 minute) trios/quartets by different Sub-Units…

We get two critical kinds of prep for the full orchestra performances of PEK scores: Concise improvisations by sometimes unique small cross sections of players from the roster and pure improvisations by the largest versions of Leap of Faith to perform without a score directing the development of the work. The only direction is for each player to lay out for about 1/3 of the total duration on the full length set…

Excerpt from Bruce Lee Gallanter Review

LEAP OF FAITH ORCHESTRA & SUB UNITS With PEK / GLYNIS LOMON / YURI ZBITNOV / ERIC ZINMAN / SYD SMART / et al – Vertices (Evil Clown 9163; USA) Leap of Faith continues to expand (personnel wise) and explore (with each session), now having a half dozen discs from the Leap of Faith Orchestra. There are number of key figures involves besides the usual core of PEK, Lomon and Zbitnov, also these Boston area elders: Syd Smart (drums) and Eric Zinman (piano). The first disc includes four sub units, each with four different members. There are a few new names here as Mr. Peck continues to gather a variety of improvisers from the Boston area. The first quartet features Zinman on piano, Syd Smart on drums and two trumpets: Bob Moores and Steve Provizer. All four sub-sets sound great since each quartet just had one chance to play. Plus they sound as if they respect one another, the balance is just right and there is no stepping of toes. The second disc is one long (51 minutes) work called, “Extreme Point of Curvature”. Keeping thirteen musicians, many multi-instrumentalists, focused is no easy feat. PEK has learned how to direct the orchestra performances by keeping a clock to time certain subsections to keep things balanced and flowing. At the beginning we just hear a few players: a reed, brass or two, percussion, cello, slowly whistles, more percussion, more brass, more reeds, the odd vocals, enter, one or two at a time. The piece evolves organically and the balanced, flow and recurring are all high quality. I doubt the Leap of Faith Orchestra will find their way down to NY although we are lucky to have had a smaller (quartet & quintet) version here at DMG twice. Those of you in the Boston area I would advise you to check them out if you can. Elsewhere, you can choose one of many discs to hear them do their thing. Try one, you will most likely be knocked out.

Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery