Massimo Falascone - Variazioni Mumacs CD

Massimo Falascone - Variazioni Mumacs CD

(Downtown Music Galley)This is a concept disc which was organized by Massimo Falascone on saxes & compositions with lyric by Bob Marsh. There are more than a dozen mostly Italian musicians involved most of whom I don't know except for Alberto Braida on piano and Giancarlo Locatelli on clarinets. Bob Marsh, who I recall from his work with Jack Wright, plays violin, cello and narrates as well. There are some 32 shorter pieces here which flow into one another seamlessly. There are also layers of sounds, static and soft voices swirling together. Bob Marsh has a strong, serious voice (Ken Nordine-like) but only speaks a few lines at a time. There are a few other voices who speak in French and Italian and are well-woven into the ongoing tapestry of sounds. This more like a radio play and is successful at creating a mood and story although I don't know what the voices are saying when they are not in English. Rubbed strings, an ancient typewriter, tapes and sound sculptures are involved and well-selected to create the overall tale. What I dig about this is how well it works even though it is not so much about the music as it is about the way it speaks to us. - Bruce Lee Gallanter

(Babysue) Massimo Falascone is part of the experimental underground in the world of music. He has played and recorded with a whole slew of artists around the globe and has recorded numerous albums. Falascone plays saxophones, composes electroacoustic music, writes music for the theater, documentaries, and installations. He also teaches, conducts workshops, and classes. And yet...his name is probably only known to a relatively small segment of the population most likely due to the fact that he chooses to focus on strange experimental stuff instead of commercial music. Thus, as you might expect, Variazioni Mumacs: 32 Short Mu-Pieces About Macs is a strange and curious spin. This album does indeed feature 32 compositions...all of which would be far too peculiar and abstract for the casual listener. It's almost impossible to really describe these pieces, you just have to hear them and draw your own conclusions. Folks who only like catchy hits are warned to stay away...far away. Folks who appreciate the stranger side of music...will find a wealth of material to appreciate here. Truly mind expanding and slightly surreal. - Don Seven