Precession by Chuck Johnson
Recorded in September 2018 whilst preparing for a European tour, Precession is a bridge between Johnson’s acclaimed 2017 album “Balsams” and its 202 followup The Cinder Grove. Here, Johnson presents a 40-minute live recording meditation.
Artist track notes:
“'Nodal' features something that I would often mix into my live set during that time: a pre-recorded organ improvisation which was later used as the main track in “Raz-de-Marée” on The Cinder Grove. The organ provided a useful metric grounding and harmonic element for the steel guitar to interact with. I would often follow that section with a very exposed passage for the steel, as I do here on 'Axial'. With the loops and effects lowered in the mix I would improvise within the restrictions of Arvo Pärt’s 'tintinnabuli' harmonic language.
The chiming effect, plaintive chords, and relative silence compared to the density of other parts of my set would help me to re-center during a performance, and to exist very much on each note, within each moment. I would revisit this harmonic palette in the composition 'Red Branch Bell,' which I consider to be the centerpiece of The Cinder Grove."
The result is an enthralling stepping-stone between these two essential works and a glimpse into the genesis of The Cinder Grove.
This cassette release is limited to 500 copies.
Music published by Sruti Music c/o Mute Song (ASCAP)
Credits
Chuck Johnson | pedal steel guitar, tape, treatments
Mastered by Jeffrey Yellen
Front cover “Die Lichtmaschine” by Johannes Schebler
License
All rights reserved.
Composer, musician, and producer based in Oakland, CA. Recordings available from Western Vinyl, All Saints, Thrill Jockey, VDSQ, Longform Editions, Three Lobed, Kompakt, and more.
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