Leap of Faith Orchestra
Hyperbolic Spirals V1 & V2
Excerpt from Bruce Lee Gallanter Review
“… This set is from just three months ago and it is extraordinary. It is well recorded with some expensive gear and balanced just right. The music here has a ritualistic vibe which is often mesmerizing. The blend of several layers of percussion, metals bowed & banged, synth, vibes is like a dream unfolding. The Metal Chaos Ensemble may be one of the best unrecognized units to emerge in a while, they are certainly in top notch form here.…”
Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
Excerpt from Bruce Lee Gallanter Review
“… It takes a while for a somewhat anticipated buildup of the wind instruments to occur, but when it does, it’s huge. Mixing with the chimes and splashes of sound from the metal, it’s really quite moving when it reaches its zenith..…”
Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
Hyperbolic Spirals – Volume 1:
Leap of Faith / Metal Chaos Ensemble
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, Somerville MA
– 12 September 2015
1) Asymptotes – 36:32 (MCE)
PEK – clarinets, saxophones, double reeds, metal, theremin, KS-20, aquasonic, game calls, voice
Andria Nicodemou – vibes
Matt Samolis – bowed cymbals, flute, metal
Kevin Dacey – metal, percussion
Yuri Zbitnov – drums, metal, voice
2) Ordinate Approaches – 33:44 (LOF)
PEK – clarinets, saxophones, double reeds, metal, voice
Glynis Lomon – cello, aquasonic, voice
Steve Norton – clarinets, saxophones
Yuri Zbitnov – drums, metal, voice
Hyperbolic Spirals – Volume 2:
Leap of Faith Orchestra
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, Somerville MA
– 12 September 2015
Transcendental Plane Curves – 51:05 (LOFO)
PEK – clarinets, saxophones, double reeds, hulusi, metal, theremin, KS-20, aquasonic, game calls, voice
Glynis Lomon – cello, aquasonic, voice
Steve Norton – clarinets, saxophones, metal
Andria Nicodemou – vibes, metal
Matt Samolis – bowed cymbals, flute, metal
Kevin Dacey – metal, drums, percussion, aquasonic, piano, hulusi
Yuri Zbitnov – drums, metal, voice
Review by Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
LEAP OF FAITH/METAL CHAOS ENSEMBLE – Hyperbolic Spirals Vol. 1 (Evil Clown 9079; USA) This disc consists of two sets from two different ensembles with some shared members, all recorded in one evening (September 12, 2015) in Somerville, MA. The Metal Chaos Ensemble are first and consist of PEK on clarinets, saxes, double reeds, theremin, synth & game calls, Andria Nicodemou on vibes, Matt Samolis, Kevin Dacey & Yuri Zbitnov on drums, metals & percussion. Dave PEK, founding member of Leap of Faith, organized the Metal Chaos Ensemble during the past year or so and now have some ten discs out on the Evil Clown label. Each performance they do, whether live or PEK’s studio is recorded and soon released. This set is from just three months ago and it is extraordinary. It is well recorded with some expensive gear and balanced just right. The music here has a ritualistic vibe which is often mesmerizing. The blend of several layers of percussion, metals bowed & banged, synth, vibes is like a dream unfolding. The Metal Chaos Ensemble may be one of the best unrecognized units to emerge in a while, they are certainly in top notch form here. The set here by Leap of Faith features the regular quartet: PEK on reeds & metals, Glynis Lomon on cello, Steve Norton on clarinets & saxes and Yuri Zbitnov on drums. Their set on this night starts out quietly, slowly and builds in intensity as it evolves. The quartet version of Leap of Faith came out of retirement over the past year and have been playing more and more both in the Boston area as well as a short trip to New York during the past August (2015). The rare but occasional vocal outbursts come when we least expect and often signal an eruption and a change in direction or increased intensity. A bit scary at times! This is yet another colossal set so don’t miss it!
Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
Review by Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
LEAP OF FAITH ORCHESTRA [PEK/ GLYNIS LOMON/STEVE NORTON/ANDRIA NICODEMOU/YURI ZBITNOV/MATT SAMOLIS/KEVIN DACEY] – Hyperbolic Spirals – Volume 2 (Evil Clown 9080; USA) The Leap of Faith Orchestra has cornered the market on the sounds of the subconscious. The orchestra, comprised of woodwinds, cello and a vast array of percussion instruments and beyond, creates a sound that is otherworldly and mesmerizing. Scrapes and clangs of metal, a hybrid cry of rooster and human, fill the opening sequence to Hyperbolic Spirals Vol 2 with a palpable tension.
The first 20 minutes is all texture and a diffused soundscape. However a culmination of chimes around the 10 minute mark seems to signal a new movement: the mood lightens, the clouds lift, and the pulse quickens. It takes a while for a somewhat anticipated buildup of the wind instruments to occur, but when it does, it’s huge. Mixing with the chimes and splashes of sound from the metal, it’s really quite moving when it reaches its zenith. The orchestra is the concept of PEK, saxophonist, percussionist, and visionary of the uncompromisingly free Leap of Faith quartet from Boston. The core band, is Glynis Lomon on cello, Yuri Zbitnov of drums, and Steve Norton on saxophone, along with PEK. The larger orchestra is the inclusion of another group of PEK’s called Metal Chaos Ensemble, which includes Andria Nicodemou, Matt Somalis, and Kevin Dacey on an incredible array of percussion instruments. How LOF works is that there is typically three sets to a show: a guest artist, LoF and then a combined set. This is the combination of PEK’s two groups and was recorded live at a church in Somerville, MA in September 2015.
Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
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