Brìghde Chaimbeul (approximately pronounced Bridja Campbell) is a Scottish bagpipe player (one might also say “piper”) who has been propelling this ancient instrument into the realm of contemporary music for a few years now. She joins here with the Montreal saxophonist and composer Colin Stetson, another ace of musical originality and a proponent of sonic nonconformity.
Their meeting dates back a few years before the release of All the Light in the World, in episodic collaborations on each other’s personal projects. This time, the sharing of inspirations and artistic visions is happening for the first time on a complete album, and the result is exciting.
The two artists create enchanting panoramas that pulse with an absolutely fascinating inner vital energy. Through ostinatos often adorned with long, floating, lyrical lines, the dramatic effect is striking. Neither of the two instruments is confined to a fixed role. Sometimes it’s the saxophone that glides over the bagpipe’s beats, other times it’s the opposite. Occasionally, the two engage in a chase of swirling arpeggios, or conversely, challenge each other to see who can hold their sustained note the longest.
The repetitive Minimalism of Steve Reich meets the mesmerising Highlands and its stunning landscapes, with the expressive power of cinema.
In the interview he gave me about this album and its launch on September 11 at the Outremont Theatre in Montreal, Stetson told me that he felt he had only scratched the surface of the musical possibilities of this contemporary saxophone/pipe pairing. That seems very true to me. We are therefore eagerly awaiting a possible second installment.
