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Called Out Ol' Texas is another dry recording of a dry piece from 1994 for saxophone and cello -- an improvisatory ramble, but things awaken a little in the final tracks, 'Sonata for the Inner Ear', first heard in 1999 at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (in which context it could have been quite effective), written for The California EAR Unit, a seven-piece group blending flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello and keyboards with extended drum kit and marimba. It is in three parts, Exposition, Development and Recapitulation, which each do what the books say they should, though with not very inspired material, leaving much of the central section to improvisations by each of the players. Successful improvisation must, obviously, depend on those improvising, so however much the composer wants the credit, it has to go elsewhere. Here they do quite well for her, but the best of it is still when it is all composed again in the Recap., a grand repeat of the beginning [listen -- track 10, 4:26-5:25].

Kitty Brazelton at home in New York City. Photo © 2002 Ebet Roberts
Kitty Brazelton at home in New York City. Photo © 2002 Ebet Roberts

In the end, however, everything on the CD is at a very modest musical level. Kitty's extrovert website however does make an entertaining visit!

Copyright © 15 January 2003 Patric Standford, West Yorkshire, UK

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Kitty Brazelton - chamber music for the inner ear

CD 889 DDD NEW RELEASE 68'52" 2002 Composers Recordings Inc

The Manhattan Brass Quintet, Lyris Hung, 5 string violin, Jay Kauffman, guitar, Kitty Brazelton, voice, Mat Fieldes, double bass, Danny Tunick, bongos, Chris Washburne, trombone, Danny Weiss, alto saxophone, Dan Barrett, cello, The California EAR Unit

Come Spring! (1996); R (1989-98); Sonar Como Una Tromba Larga (1998); Called Out Ol' Texas (1994); Sonata for the Inner Ear (1999)

BUY THIS DISC FROM AMAZON

KITTY BRAZELTON

COMPOSERS RECORDINGS INC

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