By CJ Ru
Posted: June 14, 2019
“… the music propelled forth with all the unadulterated joy and funk of a dust cloud erupting through a shaft of sunlight as squealing children leap into piles of freshly threshed hay.”
“… the players revivify with throbbing, red-blooded immediacy, a spirit of spontaneous adventure, as if inventing anew on the spot. This sparkles through its recordings and utterly captivates in live performance.”
“Biber’s Battalia crowned the jewel-studded hour with its mad mélange of rousing percussive thrust, melting fever-dream chromaticism, pensive, prayerful devotion, and a tender, soft-smiling, westering-sun wistfulness. At one point, Doug Balliett inserted a sheet of paper between the strings of his double bass so each bow strike evoked the weary rasp of a battle-slackened drum. Pizzicati snapped across the ensemble with Bartókian bursts of pizzazz. With all the curious toys and tools of its cabinet in full display, ACRONYM’s artistry in this perfect showcase closer drew rapturous applause and cheers.”