Jerry Granelli - V16 Project (2003) [SACD]

Jerry Granelli reunites with guitarist Christian Kögel & picks up guitarist David Tronzo & bass player Anthony Cox for the V16 Project. However, the music this band makes is markedly different than Granelli’s past 2 guitar, bass & drum lineups (News From the Street, Broken Circle). 1st off, Granelli has a hybrid electro-acoustic drum kit now, & Kögel & Tronzo are both armed with samplers (mostly for looping purposes, not sound effects) & the results are astounding. In the liner notes, Granelli claims that “this music is based on 3 vehicles: spontaneous composition, pre-composed pieces, & sonic adventure.” There’s something to be said for truth in advertising. The album starts with the only composition from outside the band, the old standard “Temptation.” Acoustic & electric guitars are introduced, looped, & layered until they sound like a virtual swarm as the tune kicks into high gear. The band works extremely well together: Cox is generally the anchor, with Granelli supplying rhythm & extra “sonic adventure” through his electronic percussion. Kögel & Tronzo are basically free to indulge themselves on all manner of guitar (electric, acoustic, slide, wah-wah, fuzz), & have sufficiently different playing styles that don’t interfere with each other. After the 1st 3 composed pieces, it’s time for Granelli to sit out for a few improvised pieces, then rejoin for some more “spontaneous composition.” In the hands of these musicians, spontaneous composition is not exactly the same as free improvisation, as there is both a strong rhythmic & melodic element present in all these tunes, & each player is a consummate listener. The tunes range from quite intense, “Temptation” & “Black Confederacy,” to the beautiful & lyrical “Family Man,” which features some fantastic slide work from Tronzo. Adventurous listeners & avant-guitar fans should definitely check out the V16 Project.
~ Sean Westergaard
Jerry Granelli’s drums open & close the 3rd release from his V16 outfit, Vancouver ’08. In between he mostly sits back & gives ground to electric strings: 2 guitars & a bass. It’s a wise choice. Guitarists Christian Kogel & especially David Tronzo are wizards of the 6 string. The Live at Ironworks DVD that accompanies this CD provides visual evidence of their tricks. Slide guitarist Tronzo applies not only the traditional steel & glass to his axe, but also “found” slides like a plastic pill bottle & small aluminum vegetable can. He dampens his strings by lodging a cork between the 5th & 6th & the 1st & 2nd strings, while wedging in a chopstick to use as a whammy bar.
The music alternates between the hypnotic (“Planting” & “Flipper”) & the aggressive (“The Truth” & “Unnamed”), belying a searching, Buddhistic wave of expression Granelli says haunts all of his music. Of the guitarists, Kogel’s work is the most traditional in nature, laying down grimy rhythm or coursing rather clean, melodic lines. In contrast, as alluded to above, Tonzo likes to load on the eccentric effects. J. Anthony Granelli’s bass, far from simply plucking away in the background, hums with an electric sweep or steps up to carry the melody itself.
The jarring “Unnamed” is one of the few tunes in which Granelli’s drums take a central role. And the diversity of his playing on the track—both rhythmically & in terms of percussive color—shows why he is considered to be 1 of the foremost drummers on the scene today. Still, this is a guitar-lover’s record, with drummer Granelli slyly pulling the warped & buzzing strings.