adobe by Thollem

Presented in the order it was performed, Adobe represents an intimate conversation between two musicians. Many of the musical concepts are based on mathematic forms (ex. dactylic hexameter); however, those forms were only frameworks to support spontaneous creations. Because of the mathematic influences, the project was originally called Math for Poets, but after listening to the recordings, it was clear to me that the project was more about the setting. The place was New Mexico with its dynamic landscape— sometimes lush, sometimes stark, and sometimes bleak. The adobe house where I stayed during the recording session held people as warm and loving as any home you could imagine. Food from the table or a hat from the head, giving was the official language of the Villa home. If you’ve ever gone to an unfamiliar place and found home, that is at the core of this recording. More than a mere formality, the cover art is as much a part of the music as the notes and rests. To that end, Adobe represents art in its innocence and its complexity. The project provided an opportunity to connect and express all that makes us human.

Thollem is a perpetually traveling pianist, keyboardist, composer, improviser, singer-songwriter, activist, author and teacher. He’s spent most of his life living on the road throughout North America and Europe. His work is ever-changing, evolving and responding to the times and his experiences, both as a soloist and in collaboration with artists across idioms and disciplines along his travels.

thollem.com