We here at The Hole are massive fans of John Fahey, who is firmly lodged into our shared canon, and is, by my estimation, the creator of some of the finest solo guitar works ever recorded. My pick today, Bola Sete, is like the Brazillian John Fahey. In fact, the comparison is so apt that Fahey himself makes it in this fascinating essay, which discusses their first encounters and his love of Sete’s playing.
Sete has released a bunch of albums where he is playing with a band. If you would like a taste, check out the great Autentico! (whose minimalism allows Sete to shine) or the live album Bola Sete at the Monterey Jazz Festival. However, I think where he really shines is playing solo. And this is what you will find on Ocean. Playing solo means Sete is able to play completely unbidden and free of the ‘constraints’ of conforming to other instrumentation and others’ playing, which is rarely such a good thing.
This means his music sounds like a radically individual free-form and stream-of-consciousness, but still coherently directed, sonic exploration. The songs seem to have a kind of ontogenetic quality, each sound and phrase produces new ideas, phrases, and avenues out of itself, allowing the song to continually metamorphosise. All the product of Sete’s passionate, creative, playing. And given that there is little repetition in his songs, this only further establishes the sense that he is always and constantly transcending the frontiers and horizons he has just established, even at the very moment he establishes them. Ocean is made up entirely of such explorations.
My favourite song on here is undoubtedly the stunningly beatiful Ocean Waves (O Mar). The sound is somehow both incredibly light, breezy and full of awe, while at the same time being incredly technical, quick, and intense. I think this is due to the dynamic contrasts that constitute the song, bewteen the the more comtemplative slower moments and the soaring and intensely beautiful crescendos that lead to deep releases of awe, that really brings out these feelings in full. A song that could make you weep in the right mood.
The great thing about this album is that it can function both as great background music for reading, working, or studying to, or as an enthralling journey that can maintain your intent concentration, perhaps on a walk, as it unfolds. This is in spite of the minimalism (or even boredom) you might expect from a single intrsument.
(Note: the links are to an album called Ocean Memories. Don’t worry, this is the right album. It is a two-disc reissue of Ocean, where the first is the album in it’s entirety and the second disc is unreleased tracks from the same period.)
- Rowan
Recommended Songs: Ocean Waves (O Mar), Viva Mundo Penba
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