TzadikFree improvisation meets the Korean shamanistic tradition in this historic and groundbreaking band that includes kayagum virtuoso Sang-Won Park, guitar legend Henry Kaiser and the enigmatic Charles K. Noyes on percussion. Digitally remastered for the first time direct from the original two track tapes, this is the complete 1983 double LP release by one of the most evocative and successful bands blending East and West. This historic and important classic recording is finally made available again and now sounds better than it ever has before.
PersonnelHenry Kaiser: Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Charles K. Noyes: Drums, Percussion, Saw
Sang-Won Park: Kayagum, Vocals, Tanso
Brian OlewnickWhen not freely improvising with the likes of Derek Bailey or horsing around with inspired covers of avant rock classics, Henry Kaiser spent a great deal of time investigating the music of various non-Western cultures, often seeking common ground between native plucked instruments and American blues-based forms. Here he teams with the Korean kayagum master Sang-Won Park and percussionist Charles K. Noyes for an improvised session that refers equally to Eastern traditions and the avant-garde. The kayagum is a kind of 12-string zither, its bended-note properties often strikingly akin to blues guitar inflections. Kaiser wisely defers to Park, allowing him to lead the improvisations and thus keeping them largely within a serene, flowing framework. All of the selections tend toward the quiet and contemplative, with no flashy pyrotechnics or purposefully abrasive playing. Each musician instead contributes in a relaxed manner, sitting out when appropriate, commenting when the occasion requires. Invite the Spirit is a fine model of how this sort of international meeting can succeed with neither "side" attempting to overpower the other, but rather simply having a lovely, understated conversation. Recommended.