A meeting of rare melodicians, as two of the most musical rhythm section improvisers around disposed of the front line and claimed the bandstand for themselves.
For such an inventive pair, their meetings have been few (a handful of live engagements over the last two years, including a trio with Ned Rothenberg, and backing up guitarists Eugene Chadbourne and Joe Morris on the great Avant release Pain Pen, to name the few). They share a way of tossing phrases and fast runs, then letting sounds ring until the next move suggests itself.
But inventive pairings don't carry with them a guarantee. Ibarra kept her eyes fixed on Dresser for much of this set, but somehow seemed to miss his cues for restrain. She played loudly and moved quickly, pushing Dresser's dexterity into high gear. The bassist kept pace, but Ibarra's drumming guaranteed display of technique over discovery of shared sonorities. After a 30-minute opening piece, the duo did agree at last on a pace, and played a beautiful ringing dozen minutes more, Ibarra's cymbals and bells singing along with Dresser's expressionist strings.
The two have technique to spare, in any event, and putting it out on display isn't the worst thing to do with it. They switch-hitted and pinch-hitted, split and shifted ideas several times a minute, one rarely lagging more than a second or two behind the other. Like a well-tempered rhythm section, they sought to exhaust the possibilities of the setting, growing more complex every minute.
And when your feet pick up the vibrations of the double bass and the force of the bass drum creates a current that blows your hair back in the front row (really), you have to admit you're in the presence of something.
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