Australian-born, New York-based cellist Will Martina, recognized for his work in Greg Tate’s Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber and Jason Lindner’s Breeding Ground, is joined in this varied and adventurous program by pianist Lindner and drummer Richie Barshay. The suite-like “Snake Monkey Cow” travels through three distinct moods, with the cellist flaunting his considerable bowing skills along the way. “Fade in Two Ways” is buoyed by Martina’s deep pizzicato basslines, while the freewheeling “Instant This” showcases Lindner’s daring improv chops. The evocative “Casuarina Sands,” an ode to a childhood swimming hole in the composer’s native Canberra, is a lyrical delight. Martina closes on a sparse but dramatic note with an unaccompanied rendition of Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child.”
Originally PublishedWill Martina: The Dam Levels
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