Short Reviews [Tu-Ner - 2023 - "T1. Contact Information"]

Markus Reuter (Touch Guitar, Soundscapes), Pat Mastelotto (Drums, Electronics, Vocoder), and Trey Gunn (Warr Guitar, Fretless Warr Guitar, Vocoder) have been at the forefront of experimental improvised music for decades, all being influenced heavily by the work of Robert Fripp. Reuter and Mastelotto are two-thirds of the incredible Stick Men, and all three are consistently touring the world in one band or another. Somehow, they managed to find four days together in June this year for them to rehearse and then record semi-prepared pieces and several full improvisations. The band’s chemistry has deep roots and connections are made quickly so large slabs of music appear unedited, and they were out on the road promoting this new band only two months later. The sessions have been cut down into seven pieces (only time will tell if there is more to come), and a total playing time of just under two hours. The sounds being created are other worldly and fit in well with the album artwork, which looks like some pulp science fiction from the Sixties. Pat’s drums are instantly recognisable of course, but with Markus and Trey both playing different styles of touch guitars they are creating sounds which are not normal and could well be coming from keyboards and with no bass, the bottom end relies on one or the other creating perfect accompaniment to whoever is leading the melody. This is not something which is easy to listen to, and is more out there than Stick Men, but there are some definite similarities with Anchor and Burden. Tu-ner includes Trey, but Markus and Pat are also active together in Tuner, so it is no surprise (especially given how much they play together onstage) that this music feels far more rehearsed than was possible given the time available. This is not music for those who want to feel safe and warm, but if you want to hear boundaries being broken then this may well be for you.