Sean Friar - Shades (2024) Hi-Res

Saxophonist Jeffrey Siegfried explores new possibilities for his instrument’s dynamic and versatile voice on SHADES from Ravello Records. The title work, Shades, composed by Sean Friar, is a dark and capricious piece, pairing bursts of musical complexity with unsettling stillness. The album also includes Candlewood by Gala Flagello, water-witching by Nicholas Cline, and Λήθη – επιβεβαίωση – ἀλήθεια [Homage to C.P.] by Joan Arnau Pàmies, all of which were composed specifically for Siegfried. The works are inspired by the natural and supernatural worlds; Siegfried aims to express the ineffable through saxophone techniques like multiphonics, which require careful control of the embouchure, fingering, and air-pressure. The resulting music is hauntingly beautiful and deeply compelling.