“One of the sharpest sessions from Nicole Mitchell in years; an album that still holds onto the spiritual depth”
Nicole Mitchell: flute, alto flute, piccolo, vocals
Craig Taborn: piano
David Boykin: tenor saxophone
Chad Taylor: drumset, percussion
Visitations (9:05)
Ritual and Rebellion (11:48)
Chocolate Chips (6:43 )
Wild Life (3:59)
Wishes (5:15)
Emerald hills (11:28)
Surface of Syrius (2:10)
Affirmations (14:57)
Peace (5:56)
All compositions by Nicole Mitchell except Wild Life by Nicole Mitchell & David Boykin and Surface of Syrius by David Boykin & Craig Taborn
Recorded on May 4th, and 5th 2009 by John McEntire at Soma Electronic Music Studio, Chicago, Il, USA
Mixing: John McEntire
Mastering: Jean-Pierre Bouquet at L’autre Studio, Vaires-sur-Marne, France
Liner Notes: Alexandre Pierrepont
Photographs: Michael Jackson, RogueArt
Cover Design: Max Schoendorff
Cover Realisation: David Bourguignon
Executive producer: Michel Dorbon
...The writing, or rather the musical cards drawn up by Nicole Mitchell for Sonic Projections carefully and continuously handle many openings and many transitions.
...It is fascinating to hear each musician circulating freely in the space of each piece, following the internal logic of the proposed forms and spacing them out, bringing in other forms inside and round about – stretching and projecting the meaning, as if to respect the opulence of things with their doubles. Each musician is himself a space and a passing place. Such is David Boykin on Wishes, leaning against the other three and giving out one of his enigmatic rewound solos; such is the transformational duo between Craig Taborn and Chad Taylor on the second half of Emerald Hills, passing completely as the interventions or non-interventions of the saxophonist and the flutist go by.
...And if a volcano can project, on demand, lava, sulfur, cinders or scoria, this music projects vision and nourishment. "That's what I love about music – the unlimited possibilities – and always restless to try something else." Alexandre Pierrepont, excerpt from the liner notes
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