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Review 
"While greater fame continues to elude guitarist Carl Weingarten, his multidimensional style-borrowing liberally from artists as diverse as Brian Eno, Ry Cooder, Bill Frisell, Leo Kottke, David Sylvian, and Robert Fripp-continues to shape instrumental miniatures that are more akin to cinematic soundtracks than songs per se. For a look at where he's been and how he's developed, his recent compilation disc Hand in the Sand is a good place to start. The latest stop on his evolutionary path, Local Journeys, is also well worth a listen.
The eleven original compositions on Local Journeys all have their own kind of pulse-often subtle, but almost always there. Bassist Michael Manring and percussionist Brian Knave are Weingarten's constant companions throughout the disc, with keyboards and cellos adding further shape here and there. Manring seems able to fit into almost any context-more textural here, to be certain, and in direct contrast to his more funk-laden work with guitarist Henry Kaiser and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith's Yo Miles! project-and, like Weingarten, he can sometimes be found building multiple layers of bass which enhance the colour without weighing things down.
The overall mood of the album is one of dark beauty. There are brighter moments, as on the more propulsive title track, but even then there's a sense of unresolved mystery that unifies it with the rest of the album. "How Many Doors?" blends a subtle reggae rhythm from Manring's bass and Knave's congas, even venturing out of the minor keys that define the lion's share of the recording, yet it remains enigmatic and somehow less than clearly defined.
Some artists view their instruments as ends unto themselves; others view them as means to an end. With Local Journeys, Weingarten clearly sits in the latter camp, more interested in the broader aural potential of his instrumental palette. An album that is as much about freeing the imagination as it is engaging it, Local Journeys is a graceful addition to Weingarten's gradually evolving body of work."
--John Kelman | AllAboutJazz.com
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| Copyright © Multiphase Productions 1996-2008 All rights reserved. |
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MUSICIANS
Carl Weingarten electric slide guitars, dobro, ebow, efx
Brian Knave drums, percussion, found objects, electric percussion guitar (2)
Michael Manring acoustic and electric bass, ebow
Robin Bonnell cello (1, 8, 11)
Marcie Brown cello (7, 9)
Jessica Ivry cello (6)
John Baker piano, synthesizer (5, 8, 10)
George Gousis keyboard, samples (6)
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