Indies Rec.
Tara Fuki : Auris (CZ,2006)***°
airplay: Tr.4, “Slady” 5 min
Tara Fuki is a songwriting and arranging duo consisting of Andrea Konstankiewicz, violoncello, vocals, zither and hang and Dorota Barova, violoncello and vocals, with guests : The Vertigo Quintet adding drums (11), bass clarinet (11,10), trumpet (6,11), fender Rhodes (11), and acoustic bass (11), with Jahanguir Nazir on hangs, tabla, kanjira and vocals (2,5,6), Martin Alajam, guitar (1), Tomas Vesely, piano (3,9), and Ales Hyvnar, darbuka (1) on occasional moments.
Classically trained, their songs are perfectly combined with spontaneously played and arranged chamber music. The sophistication of the group continues to surprise me, also with this new release. Not one track is similarly arranged, and yet all hangs so fluent together like in a perfectly compiled menu, where one warm dish is presented after the other, full of change and switches, always building up further the taste and apetite for it. You really have to listen very attentively to notice all that is going on, because very subtle and sophisticated arrangements are built up by closely cooperative harmonies, with an attention that is unique and can only be obtained and maintained by classically trained musicians that maintained on a high level for long enough to be able to be creative with it, (-something which I noticed more often with some of these Czech bands than anywhere else-). The cello’s not only build up the rhythms with a double bass like attitude, they are also bowed simultaneously, always keeping a warm middle. Some small surprises I discovered after some attentive listens are a flamenco guitar theme with almost Indian percussion on “Lej,Lej,Lej”, some steelpan participating on several tracks, a beautiful acapella vocal harmony on “Mily Moj” that is so well arranged and with such a wide range expression, there seems to be much more happening than just few voices ; so much are they intertwined giving the same effect as if being played by a combination of more instruments. “Ty I Ja” also adapted some Indian vocalist in the background. “Czerwone Jabluszko” uses many more rhythms, including some with semi-dub effect, very modern, following an almost studio-perfect strictness in rhythm like that of electronic sounds and rhythms, while I guess they are partly made from cello sounds and acoustic sounds, still I have no idea if it isn’t more than this ; it is complex enough to be convincing with its modern effect, and is enriched with additional cornet. “Majili” is again almost entirely built from vocal arrangements, including breathing and other sorts of vocal use, mingled with a bit of cello and zither ; it is so much dreamy and hypnotic you have to listen carefully to hear all the details, not to be dragged away in the dream state of it. Last track has some jazz improvisation with additional trumpet, bass clarinet, introduced at first by some Fender Rhodes. I am sure there will be much more to hear with more listens.. I can only say this is another great release by the band.
