On first contact with
The Velocity of Hue, two surprises. One:
Elliott Sharp on an Emanem CD. This free improv label is known for its roaster of mostly European artists (the few Americans are associated with free jazz). So to see such a rambunctious American with a rock and blues background on the label is rather unusual. Two: the 14 tracks are all solo improvisations on (gasp!) acoustic guitar. But the shock is pretty easy to get over with once you hit the "play" button.
Sharp has tailored three handfuls of short virtuoso pieces (only four of them cross over the five-minute mark) that draw from the blues, the folk fingerpicking tradition (
Leo Kottke), East Asian playing (sounds like a lot of Chinese traditional pipa music in these fast cyclical motifs), and something indescribable that is pure
Sharp. Emanem has released solo acoustic guitar albums before, by
Derek Bailey,
John Russell, and
Roger Smith. This one is very different and could appeal to a considerably larger audience. Because through all the extended techniques (including some preparations) and improvisation, the music remains strongly anchored in the blues. It has that distinctive modal feel and the longing melodies that keep you coming back to it. Highlights include the fast-paced "The Skeptic," the short but touching "The Face of Another," and "Recognition," where
Sharp plays his modified Godin Duel Multiac bottleneck-style. Definitely not what you'd expect from either
Sharp or Emanem,
The Velocity of Hue is like opening a present you thought you had guessed; after the short disappointment of not finding what you expected in the box comes the thrill of realizing it's much better.