The pairing of these two musicians seems almost inevitable. If there's a more minimal percussionist around than Meehan, he's beneath my radar and Sachiko has been steadily refining her empty sampler (who would've thought there was so much room for refinement!) to the point of near inactivity. Not a CDR, this disc is nonetheless released with no label name, much less catalog number, further removing it from the day-to-day. Its gorgeous package consists simply of a piece of 90-pound watercolor paper folded in such a way to embrace the CD. A jagged tear is ripped through the front. On several of the (untitled, naturally) improvisations, Sachiko finds a single tone and holds it, often for a few minutes a stretch, sometimes ever so slightly embellishing it, more likely letting it breath on its own. Meehan may come at this fragile bed with scurrying rustles, small percussive attacks that have a natural, unforced cadence, or he may construct his own delicate drone by stroking a thin dowel placed perpendicularly on the head of his snare drum. The sense of almost not being there, of, in Luc Ferrari's phrase, "presque rien", pervades the recording. That and a marvelous aura of restraint, of anti-gesturalism, are at the forefront of a number of marvelous elements. Sachiko tends to act as the bed (or, perhaps, canvas) although when, as near the end of the second track, she produces cricket-like flutters that flit from speaker to speaker, the effect is breathtaking. Meehan acts more as the commentator, always keeping his "remarks" to the point and perfectly placed. This placement of sound is yet another distinguishing feature, combined with the restraint -- holding back until the ideal moment and then not offering more than required. The disc is a wonderful exercise in just how much beauty can be generated with so few ingredients.
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