A warm, organic and soothing record, the oddly titled Kensho No Show showcases Milwaukee-based bassist Drew Rittgers playing the Chapman Stick. All eight tracks were recorded live with just Rittgers and his Stick, save for an overdubbed bass part on "Sonata 10-98," the album's starkest piece. Influenced by Tony Levin (of course), Jaco Pastorius, Alphonso Johnson and Steely Dan, Rittgers effortlessly coaxes beautiful, guitar-like sounds from the Stick with deep resonance. He also spends time in Milwaukee's Quark Quintet, which plays off-kilter, Middle Eastern-tinged space music. During a progressive music showcase in that city this summer, Quark Quintet appeared first on the five-band bill (which also included Kopecky, Far Corner, Dimension X and Strange Land), and then Rittgers and other members of the quintet gave solo performances between band sets in another corner of the club. When Rittgers pulled out the Stick for the first time, a crowd gathered around him in a half-circle, gawking at the instrument in amazement and mesmerized by his elegant playing. Brief (about 31 minutes) but effective, Kensho No Show is the work of a man who truly understands the capabilities of his chosen instrument. (Now he just needs a web site so he can get this disc into the hands of people who'll want to hear it.)
Track Listing:
1) See Seven Triangles
2) Mother's Day
3) Duet
4) Sonata 10-98
5) Lab on the Moon
6) Free From the Moon
7) No Need of Virtue
8) Parting Thoughts
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