RVANews

UTV.chamber: The First Letter

Aaron Williams — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:45 +0000

With 11 tracks and some of the coolest CD packaging ever seen, UTV.chamber’s freshman release, The First Letter, is an exciting new way to experience the band. The record contains fresh sounds even to the spoiled listeners of Richmond, Virginia, its music equally as progressive and original as its industrial cardboard case.

The band stands apart before it plays a note with unique instrumentation; Marcus Tenney (tenor saxophone), David Hood (alto saxophone) and Mary Lawrence Hicks (flugelhorn) stand on the front line with Reginald Chapman (bass trombone) and Paul Willson (guitar) adding to the drums of Devonne Harris and percussion of Stuart Jackson. Chelsea Temple adds vocals on eight of the tracks, but listen carefully as sometimes her voice is only used to add to the already complex textures of unison lines.

Leader Reginald Chapman calls himself a “collage artist.” His passive vision enables the eight unique voices of the band to combine into an even more unique collective voice. While Chapman is the creative leader behind many of the compositions, he says they really come from working together, free improvisations, and just spending time together playing music.

The personnel in UTV.chamber came together through friendship as opposed to some intricate plan. The band boasts jazz, classical, and rock musicians and all of those experiences have led to a diverse album with every track bringing something entirely new to the table. Self labeled as avant-pop, the album blends instrumental pop hooks that will stick in your head, with sections of freer improvisation that enable voices as different as Tenney and Willson to explore their ideas.

Listen to "Penultimate Knob":
[audio:http://media.rvanews.com/04%20Penultimate%20Knob.mp3|titles=Penultimate Knob|artists=UTV.Chamber]

“Follow Your Bliss” is ready for mainstream radio play complete with a catchy chorus, incredible Marcus Tenney solo, and simple chord progression.

“Lessons in Unrequited Love” gives off a much more classical chamber ensemble vibe. John Cage comes to mind as the bass trombone loosely ties together prepared piano, a drum set ostinato and Willson playing percussive guitar. Not a second later, Tenney begins repeating a smooth theme. The drums cue in a through-composed fanfare with a loose canon feel.

The joy abruptly ends as the bass trombone covered in a heavy effect lays down a thumping bass line. Bouncing back and forth between the fanfare and the far more aggressive section, the journey finally descends into a loose chaos. Every percussion instrument imaginable plays off of Chapman and Willson until an abbreviated fanfare finally leaves the listener comfortable.

"Black Belly Dove" is a throw back to the band's origins. Chapman leaves character and plays more like a horn player; the lack of a bass voice leaves extra freedom for exploration and Harris’ drumming pushes all of the horn players to new creative heights.

The First Letter does a great job of capturing the band. Recorded almost entirely in complete takes over two days at Lance Koehler’s relaxed and homey Minimum Wage Recording, every member of the band sounds at ease. It has a live feeling but with the clarity of professional recording and mixing.

It is an entirely different listening experience than the band’s regular home at the Black Hand Coffee Company. Koehler masterfully captures the subtle complexities of the horn players that are often missed in the venues of Richmond. Additionally, mutli-tracked vocals, vocal effects and other techniques used on the horns add an entirely new dimension to the sound of the band.

While this album only scratches the surface of all the things that UTV.chamber has and will explore, it offers a fresh way to hear them play. With their potential as individuals and as a unit it will be exciting to see what the future holds for them.

Track Listing: Calculation Theme; Zoe; Black Belly Dove; Penultimate Knob; Lamplighter; Follow Your Bliss; The First Letter; Lessons in Unrequited Love; Homegrin; Earth; Old Man Theme

Personnel: Reginald Chapman, bass trombone; Chelsea Temple, vocals; David Hood, alto saxophone; Marcus Tenney, tenor saxophone; Mary Lawrence Hicks, flugelhorn; Paul Willson, guitar; Devonne Harris, drums; Stuart Jackson, percussion.

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Using, exploring, and championing the vastness

Dean Christesen — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:50:35 +0000

Use The Vastness (UTV) is doing something right. Still only a new project by bass trombonist Reggie Chapman, the band is quickly finding its sound and its musical niche. It's postmodern music from a postmodern generation, yet it urges our scatterbrained youth to slow down with long and thoughtful group improvisations and tantalizing orchestrations.

At a special recital at VCU's James Black Recital Hall yesterday, the group delivered one of their finest performances yet. The hall has a character all its own. (Musicians and audiences will debate whether it's a good or bad character) The space that used to be a church has high ceilings, a large stage, and church pew seating, and you never forget where you are while watching a performance. Put a unique band like UTV on the stage and a memorable set ensues.

The band's instrumentation is a curious one. Led by Chapman, the ensemble consists of Marcus Tenney on tenor saxophone, David Hood on alto saxophone, Mary Lawrence Hicks on flugelhorn, Chelsea Temple on vocals, Devonne Harris on wurlitzer, and Brett Ripley on drums. All ranges of the sonic spectrum are covered, but in unusual ways. Chapman's trombone often fills the bass role, and sometimes Ripley's bass drum alone provides the low end. All other instruments run the gamut; melodies and inner voices are played by all.

The set began with a free improvisation, whitenoise from a radio as the catalyst. Harris's wurlitzer played a note that bled in and out of the radio's fading static. The hall lent reverb to each sound that entered: Hicks's trumpet clinking against her vest's metal buttons, a mallet striking a drum's rim, a radio DJ's voice quickly tuning into static.

Tactfully segueing into their rendition of Minus The Bear's "Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse," recent trumpeter-cum-saxophonist Tenney demonstrated his quickly achieved facility on the instrument, accompanied only by Chapman's bass line. The other horns entered, and the piece began to bear semblance to beautifully orchestrated chamber pop.

The drum kit is the instrument that seems the most out of place, but Ripley makes it work with unconventional ways of playing. After all, everyone in the band is a remarkable time keeper, freeing Ripley to create textures to counter or add to that of the horns.

"The First Letter" welcomed Temple to the stage. Her clean and straight-toned voice sang a wordless melody, wandering and tone row-ish, while the rest of the band illustrated looking into a deep abyss, their dark harmonies mystifying. Harris's keys had trouble peeking through the lush texture of the front line, but when they did, they only enhanced the moment.

"Calculation Theme" had an indie-rock sensibility to it in Temple's simple melody. (One would only have to replace the array of horns with an acoustic guitar) But the band thrives on this kind of thing. The drama in the chorus's lyrics -- "I wish we were lovers..." -- was heightened by the intensity in the horns, keys, and drums.

The first of two Indian-inspired pieces was Ravi Shankar's "Asato Maa." The piece took on so many lives in its various sections. Electronic tanpura began with its buzzing drone and the section built with the addition of saxophones, a chain link dragged on a floor-dwelling drum, a stately melody declared by Chapman and Hicks, Harris toying with a harmonica. The piece ended in a group vocal chant with Chapman securing the bass and Hicks -- surprisingly -- just above him in harmony.

Chapman's notable No BS! Brass contribution, "Brass Scene Kids," was converted into a UTV tune with the addition of vocals. The trombonist displayed his quick chops that people are accustomed to hearing in the brass band. A couple brooding breaks improvised among the band came off as slightly cliché, and one impromptu section before the final chorus wore thin. The ending forgives all, though, in a moment of intensity that stands up to even No BS!

"Penultimate Knob," aptly placed in the set, began with an unforgettable theme between tenor sax and bass trombone. There was an unevenness to Tenney's line, but drums kicked in with a straight beat just in time. The tune was filled with room for Chapman to play. His ability to alter his tone is respectable: he's capable of imitating the smooth portamento of a fretless bass and the vibrating harshness of a chain saw where it sees fit.

The tanpura drone returned for the final piece, Ripley's "Blue Raga." In one of the most stunning moments of the evening, Chapman's trombone -- muted with a Harmon mute, stem in -- and Hicks's flugelhorn -- played into a metal mixing bowl on a chair -- imitated a sitar with striking accuracy. The music developed with the entrance of Ripley's strong doumbek playing creating a multi-metered phrase. Smoothly and effectively, the four horn players split two and two into the wings, clapping the tala and chanting, while Harris mused on the wurlitzer.

In just over an hour, UTV played a set of great variety and execution. Their music was dynamic, creative, and thought-provoking, and there's not much more to ask for than that.

Use The Vastness is: Reggie Chapman: bass trombone; Marcus Tenney: tenor saxophone; David Hood: alto saxophone; Mary Lawrence Hicks: flugelhorn; Chelsea Temple: vocals; Devonne Harris: wurlitzer; Brett Ripley: drums, percussion.

Set list: Free improvisation, Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse, The First Letter, Calculation Theme, Asato Maa, Brass Scene Kids, Penultimate Knob, Blue Raga.

View more photos from the recital

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