David Lang: Warmth

Trevor Babb's debut solo recording, Warmth, is a collection of kaleidoscopic compositions for multiple electric guitars that synthesizes new classical compositional rigor with the rhythms, timbres, and energy of popular genres with which the electric guitar is so intimately associated. With three compositions by household names in minimalist and experimental music and three otehrs by younger, emerging compositional voices - including Babb himself - Warmth demonstrates the expressive versatility of the electric guitar through a plethora of traditional and experimental playing techniques in the context of meticulous compositional craft for ensembles of two to fifteen instruments. Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint was the starting point for the recording as it is one of the most well-known pnieces for multiple electric guitar.s While the piece has been recorded by guitarists many times over, Babb's performance of Reich's work is beautifully orchestrated with special attention to the blending of different sonic colors of several different guitars. The music on this recording is simultaneously meditative and ecstatic and Babb's close attention to sound color and innovative approaches to guitar playing make this record a musical thrill that constantly challenges our expectations of an electric guitar's musical capabilities.