Leap of Faith (2015 to Present)
Emergent Properties
Excerpt from Bruce Lee Gallanter Review
“… With so many fine discs under their collective belt (more than 100), how do they continue to release such genuine gems?!? The legend of Leap of Faith continues…”
– Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
Emergent Properties:
Leap of Faith
Evil Clown Headquarters, Waltham MA ‐ 10/5/2016
1) Relations Across Scales – 59:47
PEK – oboe, dulzaina, contrabassoon, sopranino, alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, [d]ronin, daxophone, theremin, aquasonic, ms-20, crotales, bells, sirens, electronics, voice, walrus samples
Glynis Lomon – cello, aquasonic, voice
Drew Wesley – guitar, electronics, metal, voice
Reverend Grant Beale – guitar, electronics
Yuri Zbitnov – drums, metal, wood, crotales, bells, [d]ronins, voice
Bruce Lee Gallanter Review, Downtown Music Gallery
LEAP OF FAITH With PEK / GLYNIS LOMON / DREW WESLEY / YURI ZBITNOV – Emergent Properties (Evil Clown 9120; USA) Featuring the three core members of Leap of Faith: PEK on reeds, double-reeds, theremin & percussion, Glynis Lomon on cello, aquasonic & voice and Yuri Zbitnov on drums & metals plus Drew Wesley & Grant Beale on guitars & electronics. It should come as no surprise by now that Dave PEK records and releases each and every studio and live session from Leap of Faith and all of their offshoot units. It seems relatively rare for Leap of Faith to include a guitarist, let alone two guitars but this is what we have here. This is a studio session and the guitarists take their time to come in, adding flourishes a few at a time. The first section features layers of percussion, metals & cymbals, as well as bellowing lower reeds and perhaps aquasonic (a bowed vase of sorts). The guitars slowly weave their sound into controlled chaos which is both intoxicating and somewhat disorienting. It takes a little while to step back, but I do hear a certain sectional development, which is punctuated by the crash of a large gong. In one segment midway, the cello, double-reed(s) and electronics blend into an intense, hypnotic mirage with a calm center. Much of this long section midway is restrained yet filled with some strange nuanced sounds: drones, hums, bowed strings and percussive fragments. This not Euro-style insect music or that Downtown diversity which draws from many influences or genres. Under-recognized master-drummer, Yuri Zbitnov is in fine form throughout much of this, taking a most impressive solo on one point. There is one section late in the piece when all five members do some vocal weirdness with some echo added. It is another ridiculous high point, certain to make some smile and others perhaps wince. With so many fine discs under their collective belt (more than 100), how do they continue to release such genuine gems?!? The legend of Leap of Faith continues…
– Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
Raffi Photos
