American trumpeter Peter Evans and drummer-percussionist Mike Pride (also a visual artist) have been collaborating in the Pulverize the Sound trio (with bassist Tim Dahl), crossing the boundaries of free improvisation, composition and avant-rock in dynamic, genre-defying music intended to be played loud. This trio has released three albums in the last decade.

A Window, Basically is Evans and Pride’s first duo album, and it sounds different from the high-octane dynamics of the Pulverize the Sound. Pride recorded it at his sFarming Studio in his hometown, Goshen, New York, and also mixed, mastered, and produced it. Pride also contributed the inside painting, which borrowed its name to the album’s title. Evans took the cover photo.

The album features seven free improvised «Substance» pieces. Evans plays the trumpet on the first six pieces and only the piccolo trumpet on the last one. He explores the full range of the trumpet, including its noisiest, most resonant timbres, with extended breathing techniques. Pride counters Evans’ explosive attacks with kaleidoscopic drumming and percussion work, and sudden, mysterious sounds of the autoharp.

The deep affinity of these resourceful and fearless improvisers encourages them to transform these pieces into dense and immediate conversations that employ bold, unpredictable shifts, risk-taking and constant dives into raw, unfiltered sounds, sometimes on the verge of chaos. But Evans and Pride are too smart and too curious to stick only to high-wire intensity; they often enjoy an openly emotional, intricate conversation, fractured grooves, and unexpected silences.

Eyal Hareuveni

Peter Evans (trumpet, piccolo trumpet), Mike Pride  (drums, percussion,  autoharp)