ATROPOS (Spain), July 2000
The virtuoso percussionist,
musicologist, writer and, based on his disclosure on this disc, sensational
keyboardist Ed Macan returns to the current independent music scene with the
second album of Hermetic Science, Prophesies.
If in '97 we witnessed an extraordinary
event within the progressive genre with their debut, which distinguished itself
largely by the magical musicianship evident in the vibraphone and marimba
playing, '99 brings to us this pollinated seed that has blossomed beyond
expectation. Ed continues to utilize only a rhythm section as accompaniment.
Andy Durham (who also appeared on the first disc) and Nate Perry occupy the
roles of bassist. Restless investigators of their instruments, they do not
conform to the role of mere constructors of more or less complicated rhythms.
They create ambiences and sensations of a profundity and sentiment worthy of
the greats, and not only of progressive music, but of the most serious and
respectable jazz (of Pastorius and Mingus, and all that which is "there in
the middle").
For his part Matt McClimon acts
as "musical translator" between the bassists and Macan with his
"talking" drumming, recalling, for me, Mark Lavallee of Lands End,
the major new drummer of the nineties. He incorporates chromatic voicings that
are ideal for the sometimes surrealistic moments of Hermetic Science.
Naturally, it is Ed Macan who stands out
among the many excellencies of this group. To his marimbas and vibraphones we must
now add keyboard playing of a superlative manner and taste. And not just any
keyboards: as a good fan/devotee of the genre, Ed utilizes Hammond organ, ARP
string ensemble and Micromoog besides his forte, the Steinway grand piano.
If in the review of the first CD we
explained that utilizes the marimba in the manner of a keyboard-like sound,
imagine this same facet in combination now with vintage keyboards from the
seventies. It surpasses words. The album is a continuous surprise from the
first second of listening.
The first track, Rush's "Jacob's
Ladder" (6:46), with the marimba as absolute protagonist, carries all the
melodic weight of the original song. This indeed is a genuine cover, offering
new and unexpected perspectives on the track. "Intrigue in the House of
Panorama" (4:19) would be the continuation (in the vein of spy music of
the sixties) to "Fanfare for the House of Panorama" from the first
disc. A cut with a lot of swing and parallelisms with Lionel Hampton or the
Modern Jazz Quartet (without doubt Ed Macan is the Milt Jackson of
progressive!), it permits the good taste that can obtain in the chamber rock of
Hermetic Science to come into evidence. As we can verify in the main
composition of the album, Prophesies: A Suite in Six Movements (41:10). Words
fail us. This represents the grand synthesis of Macan to date. Chamber
progressive, Rock In Opposition (at times with a nod toward Henry Cow), free
jazz, contemporary . . . All serve to help re-create this tremendous suite
which necessitates many listenings (I might say limitless) in order to extract
its full essence. From Bartok to Emerson (is there so much difference? . . . ),
lyricism and compositional artifice combine in a display of progressive
harmony.
And in case this is a bit outside (I
don't know that anybody on the planet thinks this), a "little" bonus
track: Tarkus (18:48), interpreted in its entirety by Macan as a classical
piano piece, in his own arrangement, live at the Shannon Center in California
in 1992 (long before the release of his debut CD). Here we now witness the
completion of the circle from one musician who not only conveys the same effect
as the original version with a solo piano, but also transmits to us his love
and passion for this timeless music. If Keith Emerson ever listens to this
interpretation, not only will he return to the path of good music, but also he
will comprehend all that he has given to us in progressive materials. Ed Macan
is now preparing his second book, covering ELP, and after listening to his
adaptation/tribute, I do not doubt that it will be something worthy of being
read.
Prophesies is the culmination of
Hermetic Science's two year quest. Then I said that their first release
"borders on the historic." Fine, this now is history.
J. J. Iglesias
