Hz of Gold by Devin Gray feat. Andrea Parkins & Frank Gratkowski

 

From time to time, I love imagining certain line ups and catch ups and even bands that consist of certain musicians. In many fields – and modern composition, improvised music and electronic experimental music – there are always musicians that to your instinct could work together beautifully. And quite a number of those constellations actually can work together and do the work together.   

Rataplan Music which is based in NYC is releasing a new album by a trio that consists of Andrea Parkins, Frank Gratowski and last but not least Devin Gray.

Hz of Gold is a spectacular album and there are many reasons behind it.

To put it under the label or file: improvised music would be an understatement, omission or an error in many ways too.

The fact that it is difficult to categorically label this material works only to its advantage. There is so many different elements to it and improvisation is only one of them. Take a pinch of free jazz, fuelled by experiments and ethnic music, electroacoustic music and musique concrete that blends itself with everything and anything in terms of compositional approach and production too.

Those three musicians have been working together as far as I know since 2015, a steady element of the Berlin scene and you can feel how much they understand and how diversely they communicate with each other through musical idioms they operate with and on.

What is even more appealing and inspiring about this album – is the sense of discovery you can feel seeping through every track. I wouldn’t necessarily use the term ‘’veterans’’ in terms of their vast experience but Andrea, Frank and Devin are present in their creative process in a way that it makes the whole album sound fresh and exceptionally harmonious in terms of how everything here is so complex on one hand and straightforward tableaux in terms of how is it laid out to the listener.

In terms of production it has all the important aspects of being transparent – acoustic instruments and refined – electronic side of it.

It’s a nice reminder that experimental, improvised and composed music can still surprise and work its way towards some great representation of joy that music can bring. An excellent album

Hz of Gold

Andrea Parkins- electronics, accordion & wurlitzer

Frank Gratkowski- saxophones, flutes, & clarinets

Devin Gray - drums & percussion & herz

Hz of Gold delivers an immersive experimental listening experience where electronic processing, extended instrumental techniques, and collective compositional improvisation shape the music’s frequencies—appealing especially to fans of avant-garde jazz and electro-acoustic inspired magnetic improvisation.

Listen for abstract soundscapes and noise-infused textures by way of live sample processing, extended techniques, micro-tonal longitudinal wave bends, subtle compositional leads, and non-idiomatic dynamic improvisations. Their free-flowing rhythmic punctuational exchanges push the music’s frequencies ahead with energy and coloristic effects. This trio is made of 3k Megahertz of Gold.

Gray, Parkins and Gratkowski first started playing as a unit in the Berlin underground scene. Since 2015 they have continued to hold highly inspired biyearly trio appearances. Their joyful collective experiences as modern global human musicians and artistic experimentalists allows their creativity to flow like currents.

Total Running Time: 45.05

Recorded May 30th, 2021 by Guy Sternberg at Lowswing Studios, Berlin.

Edited, Mixed & Mastered by Zach Herchen & Devin Gray

Graphics, Logo and layout: Jussi Jääskeläinen (Kobaia Design)

All compositions by Devin Gray (VonerMusic-BMI)

Many thanks to Andrea & Frank for the wonderful energy and gracious spirits!

Produced by devingraymusic.com for Rataplan Records NYC (RR016) 

credits

releases March 6, 2026

 

https://rataplanrecordsnyc.bandcamp.com/album/hz-of-gold

https://www.sowiesoberlin.com/

Listening party!!! Listening party