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$12.99

Peep;
"The Joy of Being"
Knitting Factory Works KFW204
A quartet of cello (Fred Lonberg-Holm), saxophones (Michaël Attias), drums (Robert Cimino) and brass and accordion (Edward Ratliff), with compositions by all four members of the band.

"Combining elements of circus orchestra, serious improv group, and Columbus Day parade band, Peep creates skewed instrumental magic with wit and aplomb." (See the full CMJ New Music Monthly review below.)

Click on a song to hear an audio clip
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01. Lalo (5:11)
02. Au Gratin Denver (3:52)
03. Rolotundo Pentabélé (5:12)
04. Who Rota This Tune? (4:38)
05. Austin (2:46)
06. Upper Eddy (4:24)
07. Koros' Course (5:34)
08. Washington's Philosophy on Cats (4:52)
09. Ting Ting Jahe (4:27)
10. The Dirge/l'Histoire... (8:06)

Personnel:
Michael Attias, alto and baritone saxophones
Robert Cimino, drums
Fred Lonberg-Holm, cello
Edward Ratliff, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, accordion

Credits:
1,5,6,7,8 by Fred Lonberg-Holm; Jilmar(BMI)/Knit Fac Inc.(BMI)
3,4,10 by Edward Ratliff; strudelmedia(BMI)/Knit Fac Inc.(BMI)
2 by Michael Attias; Knit Fac Inc.(BMI)
9 by Robert Cimino; R. Cimino(BMI)/Knit Fac Inc.(BMI)
Produced by Michael Dorf. Recorded at Don Fury Studio. Mixed by Don Fury and peep. Mastered by E# at zOaR; additional mastering at Permanent Records.

CMJ New Music Monthly
October 1997
R.I.Y.L. Recommended If You Like

Peep
The Joy of Being
(Knitting Factory Works)
As cello-led ensembles with experimental pedigrees go, Fred Lonberg-Holm's new quartet is surprisingly accessible. Peep can serve up dense collective improvisation with glee, but the group's real strength lies in its ability to keep that "free" dynamic alive within relatively structured compositions. Part of the trick lies in Peep's way with musical genre -- "Lalo" (as in Schifrin) and "Who Rota This Tune?" (as in Nino) share the cinematic references of their titles, while "Austin" replicates the feel of a disco-era cop-show theme. The individual musicians' versatility doesn't hurt either. Saxophonist Michael Attias is equally adept at evoking R&B honking on baritone and the tremulous inflections of klezmer clarinet on alto, while Ed Ratliff switches between trumpet, trombone, and accordion as the occasion demands.

Similarly, Lonberg-Holm uses his cello for everything from rhythmic underpinning to heart-tugging tunefulness to Tom Cora-like sawing. The secret weapon here is Robert Cimino, an incisive, underplaying drummer who gives Peep its reeling, punch-drunk feel. On "Rolotundo Pentabélé," the group shifts repeatedly between loose support for Lonberg-Holm's weepy, high-register melody and a rock-solid Latin groove. Combining elements of circus orchestra, serious improv group, and Columbus Day parade band, Peep creates skewed instrumental magic with wit and aplomb. -Franklin Bruno

DATALOG: Released July 29. Web site at www.strudelmedia.com/music.html.
FILE UNDER: Genuine musicianship and genre-hopping humor.
R.I.Y.L.: Clusone 3, Raymond Scott, Tom Waits's The Black Rider.

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