To sit and dream with music as my guide, this I did during Brent Arnold’s album-release concert of Night, Exquisite at Rockwood Music Hall in December. My favorite way to hear music is live, especially for the first time. To sit naively and be greeted by something entirely new, a new sound, a new idea can be special and I consider these moments as one-of-a-kind and hard to forget. I wasn’t disappointed as four cellists joined Brent to create one dense cello sound; thanks to Raymond Sicam III, Isabel Castellvi, Meaghan Burke and Loren Dempster. Since Brent’s music is one cello that is looped and layered, it was interesting to hear and see it as collaboration among several performers. Neat that he recorded these melodies on various trips across the country and around the world to return home and put them together to create an album and then take them apart again for a live concert with friends. Between songs, Brent would briefly tell of his travels and inspiration for each song; the concert becoming much like sharing a scrap book of his adventures. Some songs were quiet and dreamy like the title track, “Night, Exquisite,” with its own hushed pulse, but others had a gentle groove like “King of May.” I was surprised by “A Ghost in the Library” when Brent sang a falsetto line with his cello- so sweet to hear a voice after all the bowing and plucking and such an ethereal moment, I couldn’t help but be a bit teary-eyed. As a whole, the concert had a contemplative feel with a touch of sweet melancholy, but not without its brighter, hopeful moments- much enjoyed! Kudos to the bread-making cellist/composer!
-Sally, Winter 2013
