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The Sounding Board by R J Lannan |
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RJ Lannan is the reviewer for The Sounding Board. |
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| In Absentia |
| By Kevin Keller |
| Label: Kevin Keller Productions |
| Released 10/20/2009 |
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| In Absentia tracks |
1. stillness
2. anticipation
3. reflection
4. exhilaration
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5. hope
6. struggle
7. absence
8. acceptance
9. peace
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In Search Of... |
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In February of 2008, Kevin Keller's father-in-law went on a hunting trip and vanished without a trace. I have to warn you, this is very emotional music. At first I thought it was quite somber, but no. It is moving, compassionate and evocative. In Absentia is the result of months of waiting, pining and soul searching. It is the result of sleepless nights, unanswered questions and baseless hope. Finally, it became a work of pure faith. It is a work of tenacity and fervor. It is the story of a lost loved one and it has a multitude of unanswered questions that can only be responded to by the heart and soul. The nine track contemporary recording is sad, beautiful and above all else, thought provoking. The Kevin Keller Ensemble is made up of Kevin Keller on the piano, Tom Rolland on percussion, Clarice Jensen on cello, Christa Robinson on English horn, violinist Courtney Orlando and John Pickford Richards on viola.
The album begins with the track Stillness and resounds with a single, bell-like note. It is a mournful tune and even though the title suggests tranquility, it is a song with a question. The slow, dirge-like pace finally makes time stand still. It is as if the listener stops and takes a look around. Then there's the question. Right after the first track I knew that all the tunes are Neo-symphonic in their timbre with unsurpassed beauty in their tone, and had a combination of outstanding engineering and brilliant composition.
Anticipation is one the most lighthearted tune on In Absentia. It signifies a time of hope, when nothing bad in known and it is only a matter of time. Reflection is slow, quiet, and unforgettable. The echoing strings are measured and deliberate. The song has that circular wave feel to it, like the wave made by dropping a stone in a pond. It just floats out and eventually touches everything in the pond.
Exhilaration is the most energetic track on the album, full of forward movement, like a race in the wind or an alpine ascension. It is one of the few tracks that suggests completion, a musical runner's high at the finish line. Hope is another tune on the quiet side. At this point that is all it can be. A thread, an inkling, a slight suggestion. A maybe. Keller's solo piano melody is tentative, almost cautious.
Struggle is actually my favorite track on the recording. It has an unmistakable sense of urgency and conflict. Life is tumultuous and sometimes the struggle can wear down the spirit. On the other hand, it can make the will stronger, too. You can feel the power of the skirmish in the music, the sound of discord is sometimes heard, but the sense of exigency is clearly defined by Christa Robinson's English horn and Keller's undulating piano score. With the exception of no sound at all, representing emptiness is almost musically impossible.
With the lamentation of the viola the sound of a broken heart can be discerned and empathized on the track Absence. The melancholy dirge is reminiscent of Polish composer Henryk Górecki or modern day musician James Blackshaw. There are some words that even the biggest heart cannot convey, but providentially, music is a voice for the unspoken, the void, the emptiness.
After a time, Kevin learned to recognize that perhaps he might not ever see his loved one again and the result is Acceptance. Acceptance is not surrender; it is the acknowledgment that something is. It the coming to terms of a thing. There is no defeat, no capitulation in acceptance. The tune is very sad and emotionally wrenching, but so is the experience.
Finally, the album concludes with the track Peace. Of all the cuts on the album, this one has the most memorable score. It is intricately woven of a fabric of harmony and tranquility. How Keller was able to achieve this incredibly beautiful song is beyond comprehension after such a gut wrenching journey, but he did. Elizabeth Hamilton once said, "Faith is not belief. Belief is passive. Faith is active." In Absentia is Kevin Keller's way of whole-heartily practicing his faith. This may be the most emotional recording I have ever heard. I wish I had a higher rating to give it.
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Rating: Excellent  |
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- reviewed by RJ Lannan on 1/30/2010 |
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