Play of the Day : ‘Turkey Three Ways’, from Bilbo...

[Dad3353]

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[size=4]Good evening, all...[/size]
[size=4]Here is my own, personal, view of the compositions presented in the monthly BC Composition Challenge, in randomly chosen order. I hope that at least some of you may be inspired to give the pieces a listen, and perhaps vote for your favourite. All of them can be heard here...[/size]

[size=4][url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/256313-february-composition-challenge-voting/"]BC February Composition Challenge voting...[/url][/size]

[size=4]... and the 'Play of the Day' here ...[/size]

[size=4][url="http://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/turkey-three-ways"]‘Turkey Three Ways’, from Bilbo...[/url][/size]

A solitary oriental clarinet (..?) greets us with a haunting, lilting air, rapidly overtaken by the main instrumentation of bass, guitar, key stabs and drums taking command, setting a swift, syncopated pace. A Middle Eastern colour is to the fore; a brooding bass line, the woodwind doubled by the guitar and authentic Turkish cymbal splashes, with a discreet brass section for good measure. A break; the instruments celebrate in unison with a flurry of notes before resuming their onward course. The introductory theme is repeated with, again, a rupture in the cadence; however, the chase continues, but there is now a new player. A solo guitar comes to the fore with a free-flowing lead line as the band continues relentlessly to maintain the pressure with the principal riff. The solo flows on, uninterrupted, guided by the underlying chord sequence until the soloist finally faces competition from the rising backing riff, and the levee breaks. The guitar concedes, and grudgingly offers his saturated chords to the gathering. Another opportunity to shine alone is grasped, but the unison interval returns, sweeping up the soloist. Undaunted, he's back for a final fling, but this time it's certain; the unison riff is the curtain call for all to exit with a flourish. The race is over, everyone has won.
The introduction disturbs slightly, until we become accustomed to the scale dissonance and accept that we are travelling abroad. The gait is rapid, urgent; we are pressed to move fast, there'll be no stopping on the tracks. The brief interludes punctuate deftly the swing instilled by the rhythm section; the longish solo takes on Zapparesque proportions until it finally gives way. Throughout, there are flashes and sparks thrown up by the backing instruments; at no time do we tire as we progress, the variation is slight but tangible, and very effective. Altogether, a hot performance of a clear and lucid theme, almost hot enough to class as 'roasting'. Roast Turkey, anyone..? Eminently tasteful.

[size=4]The previous review was...[/size]

[size=4][url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/256527-play-of-the-day-journey-from-bleat/"]Play of the Day : ‘Journey’, from Bleat...[/url][/size]

[size=4]Until then...[/size]

[size=4]Have a nice day[/size]

[size=4]Douglas[/size]