Review: David S. Ware String Ensemble

dw
David S. Ware String Ensemble
“Threads”
(Thirsty Ear)

It may be Ware’s string ensemble, but he is still blowing horn in this group. He has three string players with him. One of which he is much identified with: bassist William Parker. There is also Mat Maneri (viola) and Daniel Bernard Roumain (violin). Drums come courtesy Guillermo E. Brown and Matthew Shipp is on hand, armed with a sonic creation powerhouse, the Korg Triton Pro X, an 88-key music workstation sampler.

However, Shipp supports the music strategically and never overpowers taking more the approach of an electric, if treated, piano. Ware appears almost as a sideman as the three string players create moody and mysterious, serpentine sounds. The album is Ware compositions for the string trio that Ware sensitively supports in his playing.