Brown / Flutes - No Era [CD]

Award-winning Areon Flutes, now in their fourteenth year, make use of the entire flute family and beyond in their second release with Innova, No Era. The trio of Jill Heinke Moen, Kassey Plaha, and Meerenai Shim each take their turn on alto, piccolo, and bass flute, respectively, in addition to flourishes of other surprise "instrumentation." The result is a fusion of sounds that can be at times soothing, melancholy, funky, joyfully vibrant, or when used in a less traditional manner, overtly dissonant, puzzling, fractured, and otherworldly. The album features post-minimalist pieces by San Francisco-based composers Sahba Aminikia, Ryan Brown and Danny Clay. "Broken Birds" by Danny Clay turns the concept of "flutes as birds" on it's head using unconventional flute textures along with call bells, wine glasses, and slide whistles, creating an unforgettable soundscape of un-birds. Sahba Aminikia's "Bade Saba" for flute trio and film accompanies a 15-minute excerpt of a mesmerizing documentary by Albert Lamorisse of Iranian landscape, people, and culture. In "Get Go!" by Ryan Brown, the influence of math rock is apparent through Brown's use of flutes as a drum kit. All three works were commissioned by Areon Flutes. This is Areon's fourth release, and Aereon Flutes are proud to be Miyazawa Artists.