AprilCadence2013

STANLEY
SCHUMACHER AND
THE MUSIC NOW
ENSEMBLE
EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC
LAB MUSIKMACHER
PRODUCTIONS 006
AUDIO LOGO/ BONE MOAN/
POWER DUO/ WHAT’S
IN A NAME/ DYNAMIC
INTERFACE/ NOIR/ MOUTH
SOUNDS/ B MOVIE/ EAR
TRAINING/ PERFORMIN’
ARTISTE/ MACHINE
LANGUAGE 58:19
Stanley Schumacher, tbn,
vcl; Christofer Varner, tbn,
vcl; Evan Lipson, bass; Jason
Smeltzer, theremin; Professor
Musikmacher, oral arts
New Issues
119 | CadenCe Magazine | april May June 2013
This is both a very serious record and a fun record.
The fun part is clear with the opening track which is
a yell lasting all of 8 seconds. And in “Name” the ‘professor’
just names every imaginable label put on music
while Lipson improvises behind him. As the piece
goes on the others join in, clearly having fun. And, of
course, the professor is Stanley Schumacher. The point
of the piece is to show how meaningless these titles
or genres are. “Mouth Sounds” are just that. Musicians
just making all kinds of noises, mostly silly ones, with
their mouths, one of whom does a great imitation of a
trombone.
And again we have a record that is clearly
improvisational, but performed by musicians with
classical training and experience. When they get serious
about the music, what they play is definitely worth
listening to. I especially like the contrast between the
trombones and the theremin. At the end of “B Movie”
there is a lovely duet between Lipson and Smelter. This
piece is very atmospheric and could easily work as a
score for a B horror movie. And the vocalizations add a
bit of camp to the proceedings.
“Ear Training” is perhaps the most serious piece on the
CD. There is some excellent playing by all. And like all
improvising musicians, they all know when to play
and when not to play. There is some great interplay
between the two trombones, between a trombone and
bass, and all with theremin.
“Performin; Artiste” is a story about an exotic dancer,
with great bass accompaniment, very reminiscent of
some of the old Mingus pieces with voice, like “The
Clown.” While “Machine Language” uses all instruments
in interesting ways, supporting Schumacher’s
vocalizations, which, at times, reminded me of Clark
Terry’s “Mumbles.”
A strange record to be sure, but it is fun listening to
talented musicians having fun.
Bernie Koenig