Advertisement
Advertisement

Matty Stecks & Musical Tramps: Long Time Ago Rumble

In brief:
"As commendable as much of the material here is, it does occasionally feel all rather over-pickled, and the sheer breadth of styles and ideas is as much a weakness as a strength. Dull it most certainly isn’t"

A bold, ambitious double album from Matt Steckler that reflects his eclectic tastes and interests in a wide range of music. Designed as a continuous listening concept, the two CDs weave together spoken word, improvisation, modern jazz, electronics, popular song and film scores.

At a little under two hours if you listen to the whole thing in one sitting, it’s a bit like being in the audience for a theatrical performance that tells a story, entertains, challenges and frustrates in equal measure. It is no surprise to read that composer and bandleader Stecks has written concert music, theatre and film scores, game audio tracks and also has interests in electroacoustics and multimedia.

Advertisement

The press release notes also mention that this album is a “research-based” exploration of jazz, popular, film and electroacoustic music idioms. And therein, perhaps, lies the problem.

As commendable as much of the material here is, it does occasionally feel all rather over-pickled, and the sheer breadth of styles and ideas is as much a weakness as a strength. Dull it most certainly isn’t.

Hear/buy Matty Stecks & Musical Tramps: Long Time Ago Rumble at mattystecks.bandcamp.com/album/long-time-ago-rumble

Discography
CD1: Ltar 1: Invocation; Siddhartha; Ltar II: The Gathering; MB Blues; Ltar III: Good & Evil; Modern Preternatural Rumble; Ltar IV: Pugilsim; Heads Or Tails; Ltar V: Ritualism; Begging The Beguine (48.17)
CD2: Musical Tramps (2019); Ltar VI: Phases; Wish; Ltar VII: Antiquity (Peace); The Sloth; Ltar VIII: Counter Culture; Feel My Way Forward; Shape Of Rumbles To Come; Ltar IX: Isolation; Somersault Of The Earth (55.21)

Matthew Steckler (ts, as, f, v, kyb, elec); Keith Price (g); Matt Kozicki (b); Eric Platz (d, pc); Leanne Zacharias (clo); Catherine Wood (cl); Jeff Presslaff (p, kyb); Hannah Fearn, Megan Demarest, Lenya Wilks (v). Winnipeg, April and May 2019.
Ropeadope Records RAD530

Latest audio reviews

Advertisement

More from this author

Advertisement

Jazz Journal articles by month

Advertisement

Alice Coltrane: Kirtan – Turiya Sings

Recorded in 1981 at Alice Coltrane’s Vedantic Centre north-west of Los Angeles, where she was a spiritual teacher and guru, this album made its...
Advertisement

Obituary: Louis Moholo-Moholo

With the death of drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo in Cape Town on Friday 13 June a great sadness reverberated through the jazz world. He was...
Advertisement

Arv Garrison: wizard of the six string / 1

If you mention Arv Garrison's name to a guitarist you will most likely receive a nod and a knowing smile. Garrison is well known...
Advertisement

Between Beats – The Jazz Tradition And Black Vernacular Dance

Despite its academic complexity, Wells' book contains useful information on the 19c NO ballroom, on Chick Webb and on Marshall Stearns
Advertisement

Syncopation

In the late 1940s the first wave of World War II novels began to appear. The positives were that the authors had actually served...
Advertisement

JJ 03/83: Emily Remler Quartet – Take Two

Forty years ago, George Ebbs remarked on the skill and commitment of the young mainstream guitarist, a protégé of Herb Ellis
"As commendable as much of the material here is, it does occasionally feel all rather over-pickled, and the sheer breadth of styles and ideas is as much a weakness as a strength. Dull it most certainly isn’t"Matty Stecks & Musical Tramps: Long Time Ago Rumble