Piano Spheres: Vicki and Scot Ray: YAR
Music Style: New Music
A special free event for Pasadena ArtNight! Grammy-nominated pianist Vicki Ray is joined by her brother, guitarist Scot Ray, for an evening of improvised music in response to an art installation by Christine Nguyen on display during the concert.
Vicki and Scot Ray: YAR
“Yar” is a nautical term referring to a particularly fleet and nimble craft. It is also a synonym for “yes” (besides being “Ray” spelled backwards). Both meanings reflect the open and natural manner in which the music establishes itself and unfolds. With Vicki drawing on a rich vocabulary of prepared piano techniques (plus melodica and stylophone) and Scot augmenting the sound of his electric slide guitar with an array of electronic processing devices, the improvisations included on this CD focus on a specific bandwidth of musical expression, yet they are at the same time expansive and seem to leave nothing out. As everything, at least to the mystic, scientist, or artist, is contained in each present moment, including the outer and inner cosmos, so in each moment of spontaneous music making the totality of music itself is contained. This beautiful necklace of musical moments is at once confidently sensitive, texturally nuanced, sonically fascinating, darkly introspective, and starkly ritualistic. The subjugation and control of Scot and Vicki’s instrumental virtuosity in the interest of meaningful music is exemplary, yielding nothing less than a deeply affecting and rewarding listening experience. This is music, music of the moment, music that is timeless, music made via the free playing of a brother and sister, music that emerged from the coming together of many causes and conditions, including many non-music elements, for the benefit of our ears, our lives, our world.
– Alex Cline
