Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Strange Arts (2024)

STRANGE ARTS is the debut album from trumpeter/composer Ian Carey's ensemble WOOD METAL PLASTIC, and his seventh album as a leader. The 7-piece group, which features stellar musicians from across the San Francisco Bay Area's creative music spectrum, tackles a challenging array of Carey's intricate compositions, which bridge the worlds of chamber music, straightahead jazz, and free improvisation, ranging from lush harmonies and counterpoint to spiky modernism. The title refers to Carey's exploration of the aesthetic connections between his music and the eclectic creations of his father, the visual artist Philip Carey, who passed away in 2022, and their shared fascination with density of detail and the areas where the organic world meets the artificial.

"The abiding musical personality of Carey’s seven-piece ensemble is that of chamber jazz. The tension that results from guiding it into modern jazz and free improv territory is what makes Strange Arts so engrossing. When the influences of modern jazz hit, they resonate like streaks of sunlight through a cloudy sky. And the free improv influence causes an enticingly slow unraveling of structure, in that way a drop of blood gracefully spreads through a pool of water." —Dave Sumner, Best of Jazz on Bandcamp March 2024

“[Carey] has come a long way, and his new album is easily his most ambitious and finest… The songs are all originals, and what makes the music interesting is that violinists Mia Bella d'Augelli and Alisa Rose and cellist Jessica Ivry not only provide a silky backdrop but also are cut loose to do their thing. Ian's pieces were influenced by his father's artwork, and five of the seven musicians are women, giving the works a special intensity. Be sure to give this one a listen.” —Marc Myers, Jazzwax

"Trumpeter Ian Carey is a heady composer who often writes music reflecting his anxieties and preoccupations, turning angst and obsession into potent creative fuel. Strange Arts is a chamber jazz project that isn’t afraid to shake up the room. And in exploring the aesthetic confluences between his musical proclivities and the work of his father, the late prolific graphic artist Philip Carey, he’s gotten out of his own head and into a fascinating new space. His seven-piece group melds a jazz quartet with a string trio, and his writing effectively integrates all the elements rather than treating the strings as melodic sweetening." –Andrew Gilbert, San Francisco Classical Voice

"An exploratory excursion into a mix of chamber music, post-bop, and free improvisation... If Carey is a new name for you, his cred is considerable. ... The fruits of expert schooling and versatile experience on the bandstand are on vivid display here on Strange Arts, strange indeed but remarkably compelling as well." —Jim Hynes, Making a Scene

Personnel: Ian Carey, trumpet; Kasey Knudsen, alto saxophone; Alisa Rose & Mia Bella d’Augelli, violins; Jessica Ivry, cello; Lisa Mezzacappa, bass; and Jon Arkin, drums. All compositions by Ian Carey, SixAv Music (ASCAP)



Tracklist:
1.01 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Rain Tune (10:48)
1.02 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - I Still Remember Clyfford Still (6:47)
1.03 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Set for 7: Chorale (4:39)
1.04 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Sink/Swim (9:50)
1.05 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Set for 7: Ostinato (5:04)
1.06 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Set for 7: Nocturne for Solo Violin (3:17)
1.07 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Set for 7: Unforeseen (CGBG) (11:11)
1.08 - Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic - Set for 7: Alien Anthropology (7:02)