On their self-titled debut, Spoke tackles an impressive range of musical expression. The album starts out boldly, with a performance of Pisces which highlights the group’s willingness and ability to go in any direction and improvise confidently as a unit. The album continues with Spoke’s tribute to Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, Blabber Battle, which relies on their skill in playing together as much as it does in the individual virtuosity. Blabber Battle is also part one of two-movement suite dedicated to Spoke’s personal superhero, the soon-to-be infamous, Slow Onset Man – a hero to relieve our perceived need for speed. Check out the second movement to learn our hero’s fate. Spoke pauses from their program of all originals to feature a song little known on this side of the globe, the Chinese pop hit, Wo Yao de XingFu. This exceptionally well-crafted gem allows the group to feature its melodic, thoughtful side over a deceptively tricky rhythmic pattern. Clearly not afraid of a challenge, Spoke has also registered the first recording of Wood’s composition HAF, which is a euphemistic acronym for Hard As F…..! The group then changes gears to function like a chamber ensemble with the delicate textures created by Hunter’s muted horn, Loomis’s arco bass and Wood’s flute on Deed By Delusion. Seamlessly they move on to give reign to their love for freer improvisation on the lyrical Chances Are and finish the album with the pensive mood evoked in Loomis’s chorale, Shepherd.
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