Recording: DUST

Artist: DUST

Song: [set 1, second piece excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), March 23, 2016.

DUST - [set 1, second piece excerpt]

This evening's manifestation of "the quietest big band in the known world" started off as a quartet, but had seven members by night's end, each endeavouring to make as little noise as possible with their instruments. Heather Saumer put in a valiant effort here, rarely playing her trombone, instead choosing to luxuriate in the ruffled sound its bell made when rubbed across the carpet, or listening to the inside of a cowbell as if it were a seashell. Pianist Avesta Nakhaei, often a maximalist by inclination, managed to pare things back to gently-played phrases that added just the faintest bit of melodic structure to the proceedings. Beyond that, you can try and extrapolate some quiet glass-clinks, subtle sax licks and a double bass string being flossed by a hair plucked from a bow just above the noise floor of this recording.

[DUST is definitely best appreciated live and in a quiet room, so their upcoming set at the Music Gallery, leading things off at St. Dirt Elementary School's 15th Anniversary celebration, should be about ideal. As the invite to the event cheekily comments, earplugs are entirely optional.]