AMN Reviews: Jessica Pavone – Clamor (2023; Out Of Your Head Records)

When considering women who have innovated, actress Hedy Lamarr comes to mind. In addition to being famous for her film and stage roles, she was a tinkerer. Along with composer George Antheil, she received a patent on frequency-hopping wireless communication. This technology went on to be influential – though arguably not used exactly as disclosed – on modern Wifi and cellular network protocols.

On Clamor, Jessica Pavone recognizes the contributions of women over the centuries in three long-form pieces. Based on a written score that leaves room for improvisation, the result is an amalgam of chamber music and experimental improv. Joining her are Katherine Young on bassoon, Aimée Niemann and Charlotte Munn-Wood on violin, Abby Swidler on viola, Mariel Roberts on cello, and Shayna Dulberger on double bass. Pavone also contributes viola.

Neolttwigi level-sets the album with droning and wafting strings, slowly moving in a subtly rhythmic fashion. The tones employed go beyond those of a conventional string ensemble and alternate between the pastoral and harsh with a healthy dose of disquiet. Pavone and the group seem to be reflecting on and wrestling with a tension between anxiety, purpose, and joy.

The high point of the album is the two-part Nu Shu, which includes Young’s uncompromising bassoon work. She generates gritty and textural passages that are loosely followed by the string ensemble. In turn, they create sonic environments within which she’s able to solo with extended techniques that stretch the confines of her instrument. Again, the piece involves a great deal of tension that broods, bordering on the mournful.

Bloom rounds things out with more customary string work that evokes early modern classical. Over time, it evolves into slightly discordant droning and sawing. While slow-paced and frequently dissonant, the piece tends to be more uplifting than its predecessors.

Clamor is another release in the growing Jessica Pavone discography that is a must-hear for anyone who appreciates a fresh take on a handful of old-school instruments. If anything, she proves that you do not need technological manipulation in order to innovate. And innovate she does, not unlike the women she honors.