Short Reviews [Kevin Kastning & Soheil Peyghambari - 2021 - "The First Realm"]

When I see there is a new album available from Kevin Kastning I know it is going to be fascinating and that it will take me into areas I would not have previously experienced as a listener. That is again the case here, as he has chosen as his partner for this album Soheil Peyghambari who provides both bass and Bb clarinet while kevin is on both 36-string Double Contraguitar and 17-string Hybrid Extended Classical guitar. Every time I see a picture of him with the former, I have real issue understanding how he can even know where all the notes are as it is a massively complex-looking beast. Given that he has released more than 40 albums, many of which feature that instrument, he obviously knows his way around. The instruments played by Soheil are in the lower register, which provide a stark contrast to much of that being performed by Kevin, which sometimes has a harplike quality. In his introduction, Kevin makes much of the fact that Soheil does not appear to be constrained by jazz which is something which does sometimes happen with improvisors, and having played this I can certainly understand where he is coming from as he is very much in tune with what Kevin is doing and they are bouncing ideas without ever falling into any recognizable meter or style. Apparently, at the end of the sessions they agreed that although this was the first time they had worked together it would not be the last and there will be more to come from these musical experimenters and voyagers in the future. Until then, this is a highly enjoyable album which shows what two master musicians can do when left alone with no rules whatsoever and they just follow where the music takes them.