Search - Fred, Trio Lonberg-Holm :: Terminal Valentine

The future may bedazzle

greg taylor | Portland, Oregon United States | 02/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Amazon's Fred Lonberg-Holm store has a brief bio. I will mention a few of the highlights. He studied composition with Morton Feldman and Anthony Braxton. He has been picked by Braxton, Peter Brotzmann and Ken Vandermark (FLH is currently a member of the Vandermark 5) to play in their ensembles. In other words, he has earned enormous respect in the free jazz/creative improv music community.

What is harder to convey is the impact of seeing him live. There are so many good young cellists starting to emerge. Part of the joy of seeing any of them is to see their technical innovations in action. And FLH is innovative. He uses various implements. The night I saw him play he used what looked to be a pencil, a paint brush and a cake icing spreader as bridges or as ways to change the effect of the bow on the strings. He can pluck strings as well as any bassist I have ever seen. But he is also a monster of traditional bowing technique.

For anyone who loves string instruments, FLH is a delight to watch. My brother and I took our 89 year old father (who has played violin all his life) to see him that night. At one point, I looked over at my dad during a bit of wild technique from FLH. My father had a big huge grin on his face. As always with the good ones, it is possible to hear the musicality of their innovativeness.

On to this review which was motivated by that concert. Right away when listening to this record I am brought up against the fact that this is a recording of a cello led trio. I am trying to think of another such trio that I know of. Perhaps Abdul Wadud has one. I am sure that there must be such and perhaps a reader or two will remind/educate me.

The results are great though. Both Roebke and Rosaly have established themselves as mainstays of the current Chicago scene. This seems to be a fairly collaborative trio. The compositions are attributed to FLH but the arrangements are a group effort. The compositions are all over the map- very tuneful, very interesting, heartfelt with an odd beauty to them.

Listen to the sound samples if you must. Better yet, buy the CD and listen to it for a few days. Best of all, go see the man play if you get the chance. This is one of the many young men and women who are determining the future of the music once called jazz. To my ears, we are looking at a compelling future indeeed."