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Our Lady, Windsor
and The Waterless Sessions
It can be very useful to jam with somebody and let the chips fall where they may. Sometimes that's structured by an idea or a lead sheet. Sometimes that's making music without any plan whatsoever. Either way can be worthwhile if the players are in a kindred mindset.
When I improvise, I'm more liable to get into a flow state than at almost any other time making music. I love that. It's wonderful to dissolve into what you're doing. That experience is not exclusive to music, of course. Selflessness can happen in many settings. But I like that when it happens while improvising there's a recording on the other side.
Our Lady, Windsor and The Waterless Sessions were early free improvisations with my friend Ken Hallowell, who's a musician and writer. We recorded them under the band name, "Swans Reflecting Elephants" (inspired by Dali's painting). These two albums were made without access to good recording equipment; I believe they were recorded on my phone. Waterless in particular is low audio quality.
In addition to being lo-fi, these recordings are dissonant and highly abstract. That is on purpose--we wanted to explore these sounds together. And because we listened to each other and improvised collaboratively, there are some affecting moments in these strange, foreign soundscapes.
Both albums were recorded in Windsor, Maine. The Waterless Sessions were recorded in a house that had no running water because it had been shut down for the winter. The album covers were paintings that we made. I made the painting for Our Lady, Windsor and Ken made the painting for The Waterless Sessions.
See also Illustration, an early free improvisation I recorded with Camden Smith.
Our Lady, Windsor
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6
The Waterless Sessions:
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6
Track 7
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