VHF Rec./Revolver Jesse Sparhawk & Eric Carbonara : Sixty Strings (US,2011)****
I saw harpist Jesse Sparhawk appear on various releases (Fern Knight, The Valerie Project, Timesbold, Marissa Nadler, Espers, Greg Weeks). This is the first album where I see a more fronted appearance. Jesse Sparhawk plays a Lever harp, Eric Carbonara plays the Indian 22/24 string guitar called the upright Chaturangui. On the second track there’s some additional snare drum by Julius Masri.
On the first track, “A Patient Promise”, Jesse and Eric play like one entity, developing the from a silent water with a calm tampura drone, the raga together, like the two rhythms of a shore’s waters. From arpeggio’s to lead melody, thoroughly evolving to playing partly the development of the picking lead melody together, mostly one instrument leads the other, both develop brilliantly the tune together on an almost dancing with the waves rhythm.
The second track still fits well, but is a bit more like a different sort of improvisation, in a different mode, both instruments seems to add more and more rhythmical accents, pushing a rhythm forward until a tin drum appears as well, something which does not seem so absolutely necessary in its approach, but which still fits ok with the music. The raga in this case has more strummed rhythms too. It is very good but the first track sounded brilliant.
A very enjoyable to listen to mini-album like a fusion between different areas and genres. The harp and the Indian guitar blend really beautiful.
