Michael Draine's Twisted Vista
Rick Cox
maria falling away
(Cold Blue Music)
One of the greatest new music labels of
the ‘80s, Cold Blue has made a
remarkable return from the dead. Rick Cox’s
maria falling away is the one of the strongest
entries in Cold Blue’s initial slew of comeback
offerings, suggesting a music Brian Eno might
have sired had he recorded Before
and After Science without synthesizers.
Cox layers his prepared electric guitar,
saxophone, and clarinet into six ethereal
soundscapes, redolent of both serenity and
melancholy. Cox’s supporting cast includes
pianist Thomas Newman (composer of		Music Review Index
the American Beauty soundtrack),
guitarist Chas Smith, and Jon Hassell. Cox’s
reed playing bears the imprint of ECM
Eurojazz, while Hassell’s mysterious, breathy		Twisted Cinema
tones defy categorization. Though the digital
era foisted a glut of aimless ambient releases
upon the world, Cold Blue continues to set
new standards for music of depth and
tranquility.
www.coldbluemusic.com