When one keeps glancing at the “elapsed time” while listening to the opening track on an album to
see how much longer it has to run, that’s not a good sign. Alex Coke’s New Texas Swing,
which was actually recorded in the Netherlands, is full of sound and fury, but its significance is
lessened by unrelenting waves of clamorous intercourse.
Not to discount anyone's sincerity -- these are four accomplished musicians who undoubtedly
believe in what they are doing -- but I find it hard to relate to music that uses a club instead of a
scepter to hammer home its point, however valid it may be. Drummer John Betsch is the worst
offender, although in his defense that’s probably the way Coke wanted him to play, loud and heavy-
handed. Coke is no slouch at the raucus game himself, often going over the top with assorted
squeaks, squawls, honks, growls and undetermined sounds borrowed from the lexicon of Pharoah
Sanders, David Murray, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Peter Brötzmann and any number of others.
When he’s not using those ploys, which isn’t nearly often enough, Coke seems a capable
improviser from the Coltrane / Brecker / Lovano school. He plays tenor most of the way, flute on “The
13th Floor.”
Tina Marsh sings and/or scats on every track, for the most part wordlessly in the manner of
Norma Winstone or Judi Silvano. As far as I can tell, there only bona fide lyrics appear on Charlie
Haden’s “Human Being” and Huddie Ledbetter’s tongue-in-cheek “Out on the Western Plains.”
The response to Marsh’s vocal gymnastics lies in the ear of the beholder and depends on one’s
musical comprehension and taste, as indeed does his or her reaction to the enterprise as a whole.
As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The New Texas Swing I
heard was more often chaotic than swinging, but others may not perceive it that way at all.
Contact: CreOp Muse, P.O. Box 3215, Austin, TX 78704. Phone 512-448-3485.
Visit CreOp and
Alex Coke on the web.
Email CreOp
or Alex Coke.
~ Jack Bowers
