They really are Hurricane Bells. Back in 2018 Peter Shenai cast five bronze bells based on 3-D shapes derived from the formation assumed by Hurricane Katrina as it approached New Orleans. Byron Wallen has built their tones into a large-scale composition dedicated to the hurricane-devastated city which, after pandemic delays, is now reaching fruition.
A brief poetic prelude from Wallen concluded with the ringing declaration that New Orleans rises again! Cue a suitably bouncing beat for the first section, drummer Zoe Pascal visibly enjoying his hook up with bassist Menelik Claffey.
There followed a richly conceived fifty minutes or so of compelling music, in which it was hard to believe there were only five players on stage. The bells stood resplendent next to Jonny Mansfield’s vibes and he used both at times to augment the rhythm, as well as soloing strongly. The composer’s trumpet contributions covered many moods with the aid of a range of mutes, and brief interjections on shells, and Daniel Kemshell’s guitar negotiated some complex writing with aplomb as well as taking the improvising lead on command.
Together, they deployed a range of textures – guitar blending with bowed bass, vibe figures underpinning a full-throated trumpet solo, bells summoning the next theme. The piece as a whole does not evoke the hurricane directly but does have the filmic qualities – a wide-screen epic, to be sure – that make it clear that momentous events, good and bad, have transpired. It concludes with a nod to New Orleans surviving against the odds, with the evocative Bells of Hope.
Large-scale, indeed, but slimmed down for this performance to suit the set times allowed in Cheltenham’s excellent Parabola Arts Centre. We heard enough, though, to make one eager to hear the further realisation of this project. A recording is due soon, which ought to lead to more chances to hear the whole thing live and revel in Wallen’s full creation.
