专辑简介

This album represents an endeavor to translate individual and collective, improvised interpretations of a distinct set of visual art into aural art. The non-traditional configuration of both the orchestra and string ensemble on Two Monks, as well as the frequent appearance throughout of improvised jazz, spoken in quartet form, either alongside the orchestra or in stand-alone mode, are intended to convey an overall aural mood commensurate to impressions gained through visual interaction with a select nine of the 14 Goya Black Paintings. While the orchestra parts were composed and rehearsed, the quartet sections were completely improvised. Kenny, George, and Bruno were intentionally kept in the dark about the music until the day of recording. For these improvised sessions, hand-painted reproductions of the paintings were placed in the studio within view of all, and the players were instructed to play their individual and collective impressions of what they saw. The paintings were, in a certain sense, the fifth member of the ensemble.