Second record by this duo flows composition and improvsation into a dreamlike continuum where jazz and new music merge.

Building on these artists' first duo collaboration, Nancali (Songlines, 1997), Dice Thrown includes pieces for piano or prepared piano and clarinets (sometimes two played simultaneously) and a solo improvisation by each musician. As the record unfolds, composition and improvisation seem to flow together into a dream-like continuum where jazz and new music meet and merge.

To reach this place, Delbecq and Houle have worked for years extending the techniques of their instruments and creating their own language of musical gestures for purposes of spontaneous musical composition. Delbecq's contemplative piano 'fabrics' draw on Cage, Ligeti, and African timbres and polyrhythms, and are characterized by unexpected juxtapositions and patternings. Houle's approach has been inspired by Evan Parker and clarinetist William O. Smith's multi-layered sonic explorations, and combines a thoroughgoing reinvention of the clarinet's expressive possibilities with an exceptional melodic lyricism. The duo's rapport results in a highly ordered yet intuitive discourse, echoes and undercurrents of other music continually opening up new directions.

The nuanced 24-bit recording was mastered to DSD, revealing a world of subtle resonance.

Track Listing

• Shaw
• Oliveira et la Sybille
• Ezerville
• Bogolandes
• C-Strang
• Apnésie
• Dice Talk
• Raccourci
• Trois pour les Gil
• Dés jetés

Additional Details

Label: Songlines

Genre: Jazz

Run Time: 53 mins

Release Date: 09/03/02

UPC: 774355153826