Without Borders... by Barry Guy / Maya Homburger / Zlatko Kaucic
Zlatko Kaučič invited Maya and myself to perform a concert in Ljubljana. This meeting (2016) proved to be convivial and communicative on many levels. Other than making music we discussed our individual situations and general views including the many pressing events that continue to accumulate in the world.
Zlatko himself lives close to one of the “corridors” where displaced refugees make their agonisingly slow walk to a more hopeful future.
It is to these people that we extend our combined hopes for a resolution to their plight and dedicate this music.
As to the title of the album “Without Borders…” and the tracks : these represent resonances of our awareness that international agencies facing an overwhelming task of supporting fleeing citizens from war-torn countries, provide the essential relief whilst many politicians turn their back on the
problems.
From a 1978 poem by Herman Melville (which is also the song text for Steve Lacy’s “Art”) :
“In placid hours, well pleased we dream of many a brave unbodied scheme.”
As concerned musicians, we often dream brave thoughts to rectify world problems. In our small
way, we humbly offer this music as one part of our hopes for a resolution.
The tracks:
“Shadow Fragment” is taken from one of the parts of “The Seeker and the Search”, providing an intense introduction to the following music.
“Footfalls” I / II / III / IV : Four Duo improvisations by Zlatko and Barry . These intense pieces perhaps remind us of the inner turmoil experienced by the refugees in their quest for freedom.
They are not sound paintings however. One might also be aware of the Samuel Beckett play of the same title featuring an aged pacing woman in tattered nightwear dramatizing deterioration over four parts each separated by chimes which grow fainter in each sounding.
“Celebration”: a through composed piece for solo violin , here expanded to include Zlatko improvising a counterpoint to Maya’s interpretation.
“Peace Piece”: originally a solo bass composition, here expanded in a similar way to “Celebration” with Zlatko creating a dialogue with the bass.
“The Seeker and the Search”: This seven part composition for violin and bass has often been coloured with percussion interventions. The title comes from a project by the New York based artist Elana Gutmann where seven of her archival pigment prints are paired with written responses from authors creating texts appropriate to the images. My own input into this creative cauldron are seven pieces for violin and bass entitled “Tales of Enchantment”. Here, “Seeker and the Search” take the same seven pieces and add percussion as a third voice.
“Art” : a wonderful piece from Steve Lacy somewhat timeless in its atmosphere but intense in its
musical rhetoric. Music to open up thoughts….
