''Stringology'' is an album by cellist

Diedre Murray Diedre Murray is an American cellist and composer specializing in jazz and musical theater. She also works as a record producer and curator. As a performer she has worked with Leroy Jenkins, Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, Henry Threadgill, Muha ...

and bassist

Fred Hopkins Fred Hopkins (October 11, 1947 – January 7, 1999) was an American double bassist who played a major role in the development of the avant-garde jazz movement. He was best known for his association with the trio Air with Henry Threadgill and St ...

. It was recorded at

Sear Sound Walter Edmond Sear (27 April 1930 – 29 April 2010) was an American recording engineer, musician, instrument importer and designer, inventor, composer and film producer. He was considered a pioneer in the use of the synthesizer and an exper ...

in New York City during September 1993, and was released in 1994 by

Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

. On the album, Murray and Hopkins are joined by guitarist

Marvin Sewell Marvin Sewell is a blues/jazz guitarist, who has been called maybe "the greatest guitarist you've never heard of". He was born and grew up in Chicago, where he attended the Chicago Musical College at Roosevelt University. Since 1990, he has been b ...

and percussionists

Ray Mantilla Raymond Mantilla (June 22, 1934 – March 21, 2020) was an American percussionist. Discography As leader * ''Mantilla'' (Inner City, 1978) * ''Hands of Fire'' (Red, 1984) * ''Synergy'' (Red, 1986) * ''Dark Powers'' (Red, 1988) * ''The Next Step ...

and Newman Baker. In an interview, Murray defined "stringology" as "a language of string playing, a new language, a contemporary language," and Hopkins added: "We take what we know, where we come from, and where we are right now, and then, we put it all together and more ahead of that too."

Reception

In a review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Ron Wynn called the music "loose, unpredictable, exciting fare," and wrote: "Their mastery of their respective instruments results in some superb duets with Murray's higher-pitched bowing and Hopkins' plucking and answering lines making remarkable statements. The group explores calypso and tango variations, as well as outside dialogues, inside movements and a concluding blues tune that turns that form upside down. This material is sometimes challenging, sometimes humorous, and never conventional or staid." The authors of ''

The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled by ...

'' stated that Murray "trades too heavily on certain rather limited ideas and these... can't quite be made to last the pace."

Track listing

"Old Nancock" composed by Fred Hopkins. Remaining tracks composed by Diedre Murray. # "Doo Wop" – 6:00 # "Zebra Walk" – 7:26 # "Calypso" – 6:49 # "Glass Walls" – 8:14 # "Relay Replay" – 7:10 # "Systems" – 8:40 # "Minute Tango" – 5:12 # "Old Nancock" – 2:50

Personnel

– cello, strumstick *

– double bass, strumstick *

– guitar, dobro *

– congas * Newman Baker – drums, spoons

References

{{Reflist 1994 albums Diedre Murray albums Fred Hopkins albums Free jazz albums Black Saint/Soul Note albums