Music for clarinet and bass clarinet by composers Daniel Lentz, Peter Garland, Jim Fox, Michael Jon Fink, Rick Cox, and Michael Byron, performed by Marty Walker. Performing with Walker are noted new music champions William Winant, Wadada Leo Smith, Susan Allan, Rick Cox, Amy Knoles, David Johnson, and Bryan Pezzone. The music runs the gamut from a lush work for ten pianos and ten clarinets to a technically thorny solo and includes just about everything in between. Although the individual pieces are on their surfaces quite different from one another, they share a certain commonality—an embrace of music’s inherent sensuality. Critics have described Walker’s playing as “masterful,” “flawless,” and “true artistry.”

All the music on this album, with the exception of Song(s) of the Sirens, was writtten specifically for remarkable clarinetist/bass clarinetist Marty Walker.

As Is Thought/Aurora, for bass clarinet, harp, and vibraphone, is like a miniature concerto in its structure, contrasting solo bass clarinet phrases with tutti lines.

Song(s) of the Sirens, a work for clarinet, piano, and woman’s voice, gradually and systematically builds in texture, harmonic richness, and melodic continuity as new musical elements grow on earlier elements, which reappear and cascade upon one another via digital delay processes.

Among Simple Shadows, a haunting work for two bass clarinets, trumpet, and piano, slowly undulates with spare wind textures and muted rushes of piano tremolo.

Dancing on Water, a rhythmically quirky two-movement piece for clarinet and marimba (4 hands), alludes to fragments of Mexican folk music as it develops its melodic and rhythmic cells.

Elegant Detours, for solo bass clarinet, develops an ascending three-octave figure from puffs of quiet pointillism through raucous sweeps of the instrument’s full range to a final exclamation of loud sustained tones.

On Tuesday, a gently rhapsodic four-movement work for bass clarinet and the rarely heard contra-alto clarinet, has a somewhat eerie feel to it, due in part to the unique combined timbre of the two clarinets’ in their lowest ranges.

REVIEWS:

“[M]ild-mannered, soul-filling collection of contemporary ‘meditations’…think Satie and Morton Feldman, and you come close to the overall mood. Delicate textures prevail…the thinking-listener’s slow lane.” —Michael Barone, Minnesota Public Radio

“Each piece carries a quiet charm that immediately draws in the listener’s attention. If, like me, you have a soft spot for the clarinet’s melancholy, you won’t want to miss this disc, shimmering like light ‘dancing on water.’” —Incursion Music Review (Canada)

“The blissful voice-music of Daniel Lentz, the plotted-out ellipses of Michael Byron, Jim Fox’s expansive impressionism, Michael Jon Fink’s lonely, romantic grace-of-few-words and Peter Garland’s percussion-slanted Native American leanings all juxtapose with different aspects of Walker’s interpretative approach…. Dancing on Water reaffirms Walkers excellence as an interpretative musician, providing a set of multiple masques—or masks—for him to excel in.” —Misfit City (UK)

“If people are best known by the company they keep, then clarinetist Marty Walker is blessed indeed. He keeps wonderful company with an excellent series of composers…. [B]oth the playing and the recording quality are sparkling.” —21st Century Musicmagazine

“Recommended to adventurous and enquiring listeners everywhere.” —International Record Review

“Walker’s playing is warm and enjoyable, especially on bass clarinet.” —All-Music Guide

“Marty Walker is an excellent, polished, expressive performer.” —Blow Up magazine (Italy)

“Dancing on Water turns out to be a showcase for the Cold Blue composers…. Walker plays in a number of different trios and duos, as well as solo, and is clearly a talented player. The composers are gifted too, and although there’s a continuing overall mood of quiet and space, part of the CDs appeal—beyond the virtuoso playing—is the array of music on show, and the interaction of the varying instrumentation.” —Rupert Loydell, Tangents (UK)

“Mostly quiet, delicate, floaty and melancholy, this 2001 collection of clarinet-led acoustic music does not hesitate to swerve into a lengthy and quirky hair-shirt workout once or twice. Featuring works from six different composers, including Daniel Lentz, Peter Garland, Jim Fox, Michael Jon Fink, Rick Cox and Michael Byron, and headed by Marty Walker on clarinets, this music aims to please–and please it does. Breathy spoken female vocals, pleasantly tinkling piano, melodic yet moody clarinets of every kind, digital delay, soothing harp, tooting trumpet and moody vibes—it’s all here, a ready and willing snack for your hungry, night-loving eardrums.”—Arcane Candy

“Marty Walker on clarinet and bass clarinet turns in outstanding performances.” —Downtown Music Gallery Newsletter

“Marty Walker’s playing is always expressive and enriching, but the way he plays clarinet/bass clarinet makes Dancing on Water a delight for the jaded consumer of luxury goods as well as for the occasional seeker of timeless beauty.”—I Heard a Noise webzine (Romania)

“Daniel Lentz’s Song(s) of the Sirens more than lives up to its title. I’ve enjoyed this piece for over 20 years on the Montagnana Trio’s old LP and this version is every bit the equal of that one. This seductive and erotic work might make Ulysses reconsider and embrace the Sirens. This alone is worth the price of admission. It’s involved enough for academic study, pleasant enough for salon music. Thank goodness Lentz has avoided the retentiveness of so many contemporary classical composers.” —Richard Grooms, The Improvisor

“Some beautiful playing, an excellent recording.” —Rubberneck (UK)