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  • The Power of Light

    MW787

    Artist: Oluyemi Thomas, Henry Grimes

    Label: NotTwo Records

    Recorded live at the Modern Formations Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA on July 1st of 2006. West Coast mystery man and reeds wizard, Oluyemi Thomas, has an ongoing project called Positive Knowledge with his wife & collaboator, Ijeoma Thomas. Each of their six discs is special, the essence of free music and positive knowledge. In the past decade, Oluyemi has also been collaborating with a number of other heavy free- spirited players like Alan Silva, William Parker, Eddie Gale and Sunny Murray. After a 35-year sabbatical, contrabass great, Henry Grimes has returned and is is fine form. Henry has kept pretty busy since his return in 2003, but can only be found on a handful of Cds so far. This duo is a wonderful thing and was well chosen, as each of these players specializes in cosmic spirit music. This disc captures their entire live one hour set, a suite that flows organically from one section to the next. In each section, Oluyemi solos on a different reed and each one is great. In between each solo by Oluyemi, Henry also takes a number of enchanting solos, sometimes with Oluyemi backing on mysterious percussion sounds like gongs, cymbals and hand percussion. Each solo by both of these men is a gem to behold. On Fractured Flow, they erupt intensely with some explosive bass clarinet and burning bowed bass. Oluyemi has a way of reaching deep into himself and talking through his horn. He often sounds as if he is animal talking in its own native language, speaking directly to those wh...