One of my favorite improvisers working today, guitarist Sandy Ewen made her solo debut on wax this spring with her latest full-length album. I saw a video of her recently where she’s discussing her relationship with legendary improviser Keith Rowe (a noted influence and mentor), where she says that while lots of guitarists play “the history of the guitar” when they play, she (with Keith and other experimentalists) is playing the guitar for “the object that it is, and seeing what it does.” With her arsenal of EL wires, bolts, train spikes, and other objects, Ewen explores the guitar for what it’s made of: a hollow wood box with electromagnets and taut metal strings, to mesmerizing results. If you’re curious about the textural possibilities of the guitar once you put the pick down and start fresh, I highly recommend You Win.
https://www.wyso.org/arts-and-culture/2020-08-18/wysos-spring-2020-favorites-evan-miller
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