Guitarist/composer Samo Salamon finds himself on three creative projects, all sounding completely different from each other, united by a theme of inquisitive exploration.
Salamon plays guitar and conducts an 11 piece band that includes horns, percussion, strings and electronics with an emphasis on loosely crafted pieces with ideas to run with. Saxes duet unaccompanied leading into an edgy “Opening” before drumming clippetty clops and the horns puff on “Lost In Rhythm.” Askance strings and Monkian piano dominate “The Free Suite Part II” and fragments like pieces of a puzzle shuffle around on “The Free Suite Part III.” Lots of sounds thrown against a wall like al dente pasta.
Salamon plays electric bass and loops with Achillle Succi/as-bcl, Bojan Krhianko/dr and vocalist Eva Pozenel for a mix of punk rock, jazz grooves and mayhem. Screaming voices and alto saxes team with Posenel’s soft “me” chants on the throbbing “Ego Trip” and tapes join with picking and grinning on “My Furry Little Friend.” Succi’s bass clarinet gurgles and gargles to Salamon’s nice bass line on “Black Saturday,” with some nice melodies present on “Home” and a funky joy present on”Mr. Stewie,” while things get hectic and chaotic on “Punk’d” and “Gotta Love.” Pads needed for all of the bumping around.
Playing both 6 and 12 string guitars, Salamon creates a free chamber mood with violaist Szilard Mezei and drummer Jaka Berger for six themes. The most cogent is “Mr. Ornette” that has guitar and viola creating a gypsy mood with Berger. Otherwise, you get lots of stringed dots and dashes during “The Seventh Hour” and spacey rumblings on “Free Piece” while Asian atmospheres create a warm mood for “Rise and Fall.” Abstract paints with water colors.