Two musicians—and a burning fire. Upstate NY-based drummer Chris Corsano joins SF experimental guitar wizard Bill Orcutt on Play at Duke, a newly released live performance taped at Duke University last year, capturing synergy only possible for two confident, qualified instrumentalists that have played together for a decade. Reminiscent of drummer Rashied Ali’s epic free jazz experiments created in counterpart with just one other musician (e.g. Duo Exchange with saxophonist Frank Lowe in 1973 and Interstellar Space with John Coltrane in 1974), the music confesses its simplicity immediately, and yet somehow expands and evolves over time into fireworks far more explosive than what one could imagine from just these two ingredients.
For more like this, seek out The Flower School, a new album by tenor saxophonist Zoh Amba with Corsano and Orcutt recorded earlier this year at Hyde St Studios in SF. Also check out Orcutt’s American primitive guitar improvisations on Jump On It, released in May.
