Metzger uses a modified banjo, strummed, picked with a plectrum or fingers, and bowed(!), to produce improvisational, trance-like, altered ragas. Tension and release are deployed via dynamics, rhythmic excitement, cleverly developed repetition, and subtle fills. He is a masterful musician who absorbs the listener through his own absorption in the music, and control of musical narrative. I recommend his album Deliverance, which can be sampled at Amazon UK. It is improvised and thus rough-edged as one might expect, but the lengthy tracks demonstrate the communication of musical ecstasy of which Metzger is capable.
I had the slightly surreal experience during the post-concert taxi ride home of hearing Madonna on the radio. It was as if the curtain had been replaced, obscuring a world of wonder and leaving me stranded in a blandly humdrum, colourless world. Viva Paul Metzger and those few like him, who can draw back that curtain for us, for a fleeting moment.
2 comments:
More Japanese than Korean, but this reminded me of Butoh. Have you had a chance to see or do much of this style of dance? Just saw an amazing piece by the Sankai Juku company here in the Bay Area. It might be old hat for you, but totally seems like your thing!
I'm guessing you're commenting on the Byungki Hwang... I've not done any Asian dance, and not seen much, but I am curious about it. Butoh, however, may be a bit Po-Mo for me (although I checked out some clips of Sankai Juku and they looked pretty cool) :-)
This is more my thing, dance-wise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6yC7GjqZk
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