Better known as a sideman for the likes of Sam Rivers, Gil Evans and Charlie Haden, Joseph Daley has lately turned to conducting and arranging, making some very intriguing and original sounding music. This time around, he mixes strings and orchestra and uses percussionist Warren Smith as the star of a five piece “Wispercussion.” Smith gets allowed to display the range of vibes, marimba, tympany, gongs and drums in a variety of settings that range from bowed Bartokian to moody Hitchcock and even some clever playful pizzicato.
Some macabre sounds evoke dark images with Agu Dixon’s cello and Bill Cole’s reedy nagaswarm on “Shadrack” while in contrast you get a collection of lovely and exciting themes from Charles Burham’s violin during an extraordinary “Doretha and the Blues.” Very sophisticated and deeply thought out music, it’s a soundtrack begging for a movie to accompany.
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