Misere et Cordes

Misere et Cordes: Au Ni Kita

by Glenn Astarita
September 1, 2001

“Misere et Cordes” signifies a quartet of French guitarists who cleverly meld an amalgamation of electro/acoustic-based discordant musings with experimental inclinations that often parallels some of the work brought to fruition by guitarist, Derek Bailey and others of note. Here, Pascal Battus performs on “surrounded” guitar, which encompasses amplified percussion, e-bow, radio and electronics, whereas Emmanuel Petit utilizes the acoustic and Dominique Repecaud handles electric guitar duties while Camel Zekri multitasks between classical guitar and various electronics. Throughout, the artists’ ...

Misere et Cordes: Au Ni Kita

by Mark Corroto
July 1, 2001

Conditionally free improvisation has gestures and flow systems that is, at times, predictable and limiting. Often noisy sessions based on blowing and energy have obstructions that can lead to impatience. Misere et Cordes is neither overly boisterous nor overtly zealous. The musicians open your ears (and mind) to a fresh experience.

This ‘guitar’ quartet record combines all aspects of a guitar sound, save energy thrashing. It approaches improvised sound from an almost minimal philosophy, defaulting to a “less is more ...