Cheap Lakbay (Music) (Susie Ibarra) Price

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Customer Reviews of Lakbay

Folkloriko, her latest, represents a significant departure. Lacking the manifest gorgeousness of several of Songbird Suite's songs ("Azul" and "Passing Clouds"), it seeks to achieve a different effect and response. This is almost jazz "program music," analogous to, perhaps, The Moldau by Smetana. With this ambitious disc, Ibarra seeks to present a sound picture of what a day in the life of a Filipino immigrant worker might look (or, perhaps better, feel) like. Thus, it is seldom conventionally "pretty," although hardly ever is it less than heartfelt and arresting.

One thing that immediately stands out is violinist Jennifer Choi's timbre. Often harsh, even almost grating, she approaches the sound signature of both clarinet and piccolo. Not always instantly appealing, her approach, perfectly apposite in context of the thematic material, slowly grows on the listener, finally winning him over. The addition of an entirely sympathetic Wadada Leo Smith on three selections not only broadens the soundscape, it also ups the vigor ante almost off the scale.

Containing songs that would seem only marginally related to Filipino immigrant experience (e.g., "Awit Sa Trabaho," sounding suspiciously like an American Indian anthem, and "Ang Sayaw," a mesmerizing waltz), Folkloriko nevertheless scores big. Perhaps these songs have an intimate connection to Filipino music, perhaps not; in any case, they nevertheless wonderfully conjure immigrant sensibilities. With "Palengke" things begin to go in a noticeably "out" direction. Fine by me. This and the three subsequent songs represent some of the more daring sound configurations one might encounter in modern jazz, esp. the violin-trumpet duet featured on "Palengke," a virtuoso-yet-totally-approachable number, if ever there was one.

A word about Craig Taborn, who seems to be popping up almost everywhere. Relegated to a supporting role throughout much of this disc, when he finally gets a chance to shine (on "Paniniwala"), he makes the most of it, displaying not only monster technique, but an entirely engaging neo-romantic modernist approach to this solo piece.

The deeper one ventures into this entirely remarkable music, the greater the rewards. Surprising instrumental conceptions blend with equally unexpected timbres to produce a unique sound signature, which, despite its alienness, eventually wins the listener over by virtue of its sonic splendor.

A note on the cover art, which features a riveting image of two obviously WASP young women casually though artfully perched on the hood of what looks like a late forties Chrysler in front of a California Central Valley orange grove. Somehow this image, seemingly 180 degrees opposite of Filipino immigrant labor concerns, magically captures the vibe of what's happening here, if only by odd juxtaposition.

All in all, this is simply a spectacular disc, rocketing the already meteoric career of Susie Ibarra even higher into the stratosphere.