In a sense, there’s never been a more unlikely combination than the vibraphone of Harriet Riley, created in the 1920s, and the fiddle of Alex Garden, an instrument from the 1500s. Yet together, these two musicians have been creating a musical dialogue spanning centuries that continues on Sonder III. While the album’s title relates to “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own,” it takes two truly unique musicians to bring this stylistic hybrid to life.
Rather than a collision of musical palettes, they find ways to merge worlds, creating a fascinating and fulsome hybrid. Exchanging leads, the two find ways to blend their styles to generate a sound unlike anything else today. While the fiddle of Garden may initially take the lead on Selenophilia, they weave a magical spell where the worlds of folk and jazz find common ground despite palettes and colours about as far apart as one could imagine. Aided by the bass of Stevie Toddler, they seamlessly stitch together a collage, shadowing and shading each other along the way. They also seem to share a love of language, developing titles for these compositions as creative as the songs themselves, with “Selenophilia” coming from Greek and being a love of the moon.
Feeling the comfort and happiness of Nytophilia (a love of darkness or night time) comes through as they dance and scamper through a song bearing more resemblance to jazz than folk but wending its way down a road that doesn’t show up on any maps. Moments merge in ways that allow both to shine without dominating the proceedings. They seem to be two of the most sympathetic players working today. While Solipsism may be the view that the self is all that can be known to exist, the two play with an urgency and understanding that generates ways for both to flourish. From an urgent opening where the fiddle leads into the vibraphone, they seem to play as if their minds and hands had merged into a single being.
The skilful arrangement of parts, known as Concinnity, is clearly on display as Garden’s violin lays out a sombre lead. Yet quickly, Riley’s vibraphone lays out circular shades that lead the two into something more spirited and alive without overplaying their hands. By the song’s end, they are back to the beginning, sombre yet somehow more shaded.
Throughout these pieces, the two illustrate the ability to find the subtleties and sonics that create music of the highest level. They play with a confidence and beauty that tugs at the heartstrings. With Sonder III, Harriet Riley and Alex Garden illustrate how new forms can evolve from the ability to merge unlikely combinations…they create unparalleled magic.
For Sonder III, Harriet and Alex decided to work with legendary local artist Molly Hawkins who created 9 original artworks, six of which make up the CD design.