Inside Voice / Outside Voice

Featuring Michael Bisio on contrabass and Timothy Hill on voice & guitar. This disc came in the mail last month and I was intrigued since Michael Bisio is one the best contrabassists of the ongoing Downtown Scene. No doubt that you should know his work with Matt Shipp, Joe McPhee and Kirk Knuffke. Guitarist and vocalist Timothy Hill is someone I don't know much about Timothy Hill although he has recorded with Pauline Oliveros and Iva Bittova. Mr. Hill also has a solo record out from 1998 that I've never seen. The duo here do several cover songs by John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, as well as a three of jazz standards and a couple of originals. Trane's "Wise One" (from the 'Crescent' LP) opens and it has a prayer-like vibe. Mr. Bisio's bass is at the center with Mr. Hill's humming, chanting, overtone singing wordless voice softly pulsating above the bass plus some minimal acoustic guitar fragments adding near the end of this piece. The duo cover "My One and Only Love" and do a lovely, tender, laid back version of this popular standard with a superb bass solo from Mr. Bisio. "Transfigure" is an original instrumental and it features some haunting contrabass. Bisio has a wonderful warm and enchanting sound on bass so this is what we hear above everything on this disc. Bisio's bowing is another enchanting part of the duo's sound. There is a song written by Henry Grimes called "For Django" on which features some of Mr. Hill's haunting overtone singing, another delightful part of this magically disc. This CD closes with another standard, "For All We Know", which features Mr. Hill's somber, solemn vocal at its most tender. I like that this entire disc is most subdued as if it was a soundtrack for a religious ritual or ceremony. Timothy Hill's voice reminds me of Tim Hardin at times, one of the finest 60's folk singers who worked with several jazz musicians as his backing. A true gem.