Set by Dana Jessen and Taylor Brook
Bassoonist Dana Jessen and composer Taylor Brook team up for a collaborative album length electro-acoustic work, Set, that combines through composed (Songs) and improvised sections. Much attention in the composed sections is devoted to an exploration of a range of extended techniques on the bassoon that Jessen has cultivated. The improvised sections are framed by guidelines that Brook provided and computer improvisation that accompanies the instrumental soloist. In these ways, the boundaries between composer and performer are blurred. Set is Jessen's third solo album and newest addition to the canon of works she has cultivated that blur the lines between composition, improvisation, and interpretation.
Set was released in 2023 as part of the New Focus Recordings catalog and can also be found on Bandcamp.
“Her playing is both forceful and controlled, her tone and intonation impeccable. And while the extensive technical vocabulary she’s developed is a point of interest, it never overshadows her essentially melodic and deeply musical sensibility.” - Daniel Barbiero, Avant Music News, 8.2.23
Relevant Tones Podcast: Set album feature and interview with Taylor Brook and Dana Jessen, 8.8.23
