Innova Records presents new ideas in contemporary music, melding jazz, classical, folk and thoughts in the inner regions of gray matter. Here are a couple creative releases.
Matthew Barnson brings three collections of his writings together in this album, a three part “The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying,” “I Crossed the Samuel Beckett Bridge at Dusk” and the seven piece suite “Vanities.”
The Yale Orchestra under the baton of Gerhard Richter produces stark and foreboding stringed atmospheres, tensile harmonies whirring up a dark storm and finally releasing in a collection of hissing slashes. Fanny Wyrick-Flax’s flute joins with Hannah Lash’s harp for feels like a trip to Ireland with a mix of Gaellic tones and verdant harmonies. Cello, vibes and marimba by Hannah Collins and Michael Compitello respectively are able to sway as on the joyful “Sarabande,” skip during “Vertigo” or hover with a stagnant pulse like a Javanese traditional tune on “Air (Towards the End)”. Moments that brood, smile and reflect are created to stimulate the imagination.
Composer David Liptak has a pair of opuses interpreted by pianist Eunmi Ko. One has her with a creative McCormick Percussion Group conducted by Robert McCormick, and a 9 piece “Constellation” has her in solo format.
By herself, Ko displays a clear and warm touch, creating delicate spaces on “Orion,” Ripples for “Collomba,” chiming during a stately “Argo Novus” and flowing on the nocturnal “Lyra.” The teaming with a percussive collection at times creates sounds akin to traditional Javanese music as they bump along for “Rapid and Light” while Ko and company get ominous on a long shadowed “Dark and Mysterious.” Sounds of a story.