mysterium: Press/Interviews

This reviewer heard drummer Eric John Eigner’s Mysterium project around five years ago, about the same time as picking up on guitarist Adam Caine’s Pipe (TrueFalse, 2005). Both these trio releases were thrill-rides that aurally assaulted with an instrumental and compositional mix that leaned heavily on their respective leaders. Their playing field was bounded by a stylistic mélange of free, funk and psychedelia. Since that time Eigner has come up with a bigger roller coaster, make that amusement park, and An Electric Soundpainting Septet joins him with Caine, a threeperson horn section, electric bassist James Ilgenfritz and soundpainter Evan Mazunik. As Eigner explains it, soundpainting is composer Walter Thompson’s compositional sign language that structures improvisation; John Zorn’s game pieces are brought to mind, but this sounds more organized and yes, even danceable. Eigner continues to draw on multiple stylistic influences and the horn voicings that trombonist Sam Kulik, altoist Jeremy Danneman and tenor man Lorenzo Sanguedolce achieve gives Eigner and Mazunik access to a much wider sound palette. This allows for the delightfully quirky carnival atmosphere of “The Eulipon Dance of the 5,000 L.B. Man”, the horn-fest that is “A Tale of the Lotus Eaters” and all manner of funky brews and butt shakers. At the heart of this release, though, is the phenomenally tight electric bass and drums rhythm section that keeps these tunes moving in a powerfully linear fashion. Eigner and Ilgenfritz make for such a solid foundation that even some of the more esoteric sounds that Caine and the horns conjure up in apparent response to the soundpainter’s gestures and each other fit perfectly well into the overall context. Caine’s scorching lead ability is much in evidence but he also shows a more lyrical side as he expertly blends and converses with the horns. This is great art with an even greater beat.

Each week I get at least one disc that surprises me with how amazing it is, no matter how well or little known the musicians are. This is the third disc by Eric Eigner's band Mysterium and this is this week's hidden treasure. The first two discs by Mysterium were fine and freer in sound, but this is something else entirely. I only knew of a couple of these players before this: Adam Caine, James Ilgenfritz, and Eric Eigner who has played at DMG on occasion, but it doesn't really matter, when it's this good! 

What is soundpainting you might ask? Good question. Walter Thompson has been conducting/directing in his own way for more than a decade and he calls what he does "soundpainting". I caught Walter doing it a couple of times in the past year (just last week with Anthony Braxton, co-conducting on 4/18/09) and it is always a blast to watch and listen.

This music doesn't really sound free at all. On the opener, "Hocus Pocus," James is playing a strong, dark yet funky groove on his electric bass with the horns and guitar swirling around that great central rhythm. One by one each horn takes a short hot solo with Adam playing shrewd, slow counter-melodies underneath. Each piece is built upon a different rhythmic scheme with the horns and guitar adding different elements and soloing in short spurts. On "1,000 Little Mutinies" Mr. Caine plays  a phrase which the horns soon pick up and repeat while the rhythm team plays around and against the beat. "Wile E. Coyote" is fast tempo, tight, with the horns wailing in circles intensely. I like the way Adam's guitar is used more for keeping the bass and drums focused while the assorted horns sail on top. The sound is often reminiscent of 70's style British jazz rock with a number of hypnotic melodies repeated and slowly mutated. It is difficult to tell where or when the soundpainting is going on but the results are stimulating nonetheless. Adam Caine is often the secret weapon taking short solos here and there but mostly adding different shades with gravitational properties. Another unexpected delight from the vast and ever-changing downtown network.

Billed as an electric sound-painting septet, Mysterium are a group of young musicians from New York City who embrace progressive jazz fusion and alternative, somewhat punk rock sensibilities. They've adopted the techniques of sound-painting pioneer Walter Thompson, using a conductor -- in this case Evan Mazunik -- employing certain cues and operative sign language to make music that embraces both improvisation and thematic motifs. While very much youth-oriented and edgy, Mysterium are forceful and direct in their stance, industrial and somewhat futuristic, holding steadfast to the mean-street, big-city sound of busy metropolitan life. A principal member in terms of the overall sound of the group is trombonist Sam Kulik, while alto saxophonist Jeremy Danneman and tenor saxophonist Lorenzo Sanguedolce are secondary in most instances. Electric bass guitarist James Ilgenfritz, electric guitarist Adam Caine, and drummer/leader Eric John Eigner surround the ensemble with a buzz and kinetic rhythmic force that are driving, while on occasion frenetic. As spontaneous compositions, a track like the dense free rock of "Paddy Whack" certainly lives up to its title, while "Harlequin" is loose and dislodged and "Damsel" is churning and solemn, adding to the stark imagery the band is attempting to portray, and succeeds with on many levels. The Eric Dolphy-like alto sax Danneman wields on "1,000 Little Mutinies" perfectly contrasts with a militaristic march theme, and "Tired Ol' Sisyphus" is established as a sustained and steady distended reggae. The tromping beats and silent passages of "Hocus Pocus" and the energetic, steaming hot beat with squawky horns during "Presto Chango" both seem to imply some sort of magic gone awry, as heavy bass from Ilgenfritz and an angular sax counterpoint break up the spell on the latter cut. Everyone will delight in the humor of "Wile E. Coyote," a musical portrait of the Road Runner cartoon character perfectly rendered in smeary, confused, and plotted-out trombone-based swing continually stopped and started -- it's absolutely hilarious. The group also pays tribute to the sly and obfuscated music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk in its mutated epilogue piece, "The Eulipion Dance of the 5,000 Pound Man," with more march rhythms juxtaposed against lyrical sax lines and a thorny, primal guitar à la John Scofield. Mysterium certain proffer up a unique concept and individualistic sound that are probably best heard live, where you can see the ringmaster putting this band through its paces. They are far from a three-ring circus, but retain an elusive and unpredictable quality that makes you always want to hear much more of what they are capable of.

The Mysterium Project is the brainchild of drummer Eric John Eigner that utilizes a rotating cast of musicians in different combinations. On An Electric Soundpainting Septet, the Project’s third release on Eigner’s Eavesdrop Records, the septet creates the end results through the process of “soundpainting.” Based upon the work of New York-based composer Walter Thompson, this process is the “universal composing sign language” for musicians to “compose live art in the medium of structured improvisation.” With such an abstract description, one might think of Muhal Richard Abrams, John Zorn, or Peter Brotzmann’s work with various visual cues to their respective orchestras. Not so here. In fact, while the music is very busy with its slinky grooves, stacked horns and bustling solos amidst all of the action, the results are actually quite accessible. 

The initial Funk of “Hocus Pocus” makes the most of the varied hornplay while the forceful “1,000 Little Mutinies” is spurred by Caine’s guitar. Eigner is certainly the driving force and his beats stoke the proceedings from the heart of the engine room, with march time coaxing “The Eulipion Dance of the 5,000 Lb. Man,” swing driving “Wile E. Coyote,” a showpiece for Kulik’s trombone, or others like the waltz Funk of “Tired Ol’ Sisyphus” or the swirling hi-hat/snare patterns on “Damsel.” While the horn soloists turn in decent, if not necessarily memorable, solos, Caine proves to be the most interesting ingredient. Caine’s nasty, distorted lines embolden the drum-n-bass notions of “Preston Chango,” while his thorny prickles spark the potent “Harlequin.” While this “soundpainting” concept is high-minded, the music does not come across as complex as it might appear, as the performances are quite cohesive. As a whole, though, while Caine’s work and a few of the backdrops prove memorable, neither melodic conceptions nor specific solo spots (other than maybe Caine) make a lasting impression.

Based on the "Soundpainting" improvisation technique of Walter Thompson, the pieces by this septet sound very composed, and even well arranged. Mixing many jazz styles into one very coherent whole, making this a quite entertaining ane enyoyable album. With Eric John Eigner on drumset, James Ilgenfritz on electric bass, Adam Caine on electric guitar, Sam Kulik on trombone, Jeremy Danneman on alto sax, Lorenzo Sanguedolce on tenor sax, and Evan Mazunik as the soundpainter.