David Crowell: Point/Cloud review – minimalism that sparkles with joy

(Better Company Records)
The New York multi-instrumentalist, who has played with Philip Glass and Steve Reich, shows great flair for making minimalism rich and harmonically complex

Crowell has been an in-demand musician around New York for more than a decade – playing saxophone, flute and guitars with the likes of the Philip Glass Ensemble, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Steve Reich and in his own outfits Empyrean Atlas, Spirit Stout and Eco-Tonal – but Point/Cloud foregrounds his work as a composer. Here he delegates performance duties to several very different ensembles – other guitarists, a percussion troupe, a singer and cellist – to create a diverse suite unified by a singular vision.

Minimalism is often robotic, repetitive and melodically stunted, but Crowell’s minimalism is wonderfully rich and harmonically complex: busy arpeggios sketch out dense, extended chords that constantly mutate and move in unexpected directions. The three-part title track, like Pacific Coast Highway, is a piece of baroque flamenco with Daniel Lippel multitracking multiple electric and nylon-strung guitars: it’s apparently inspired by Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint, but also nods to Vini Reilly and John Fahey.