Vicki Brown
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Vicki Brown

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"Intriguing sounds from Tucson based violinist"

Hailing from Tucson, Brown is a violinist who has played with several luminaries from that hallowed city either on disc or live. Here she presents a lengthy, (43 minutes) “EP” comprised of instrumental soundscapes aided and abetted by Paul Niehaus (Calexico) on pedal steel on one tune. A difficult record to categorise, there is nothing here (other than location perhaps) to throw its hat into the Americana ring. Niehaus’ steel playing on “Left in the Wake” is so understated as to be almost invisible. "Wake” however is a tremendous piece, evoking a mood reminiscent of smoky Appalachian dawns with the sun rising on a frosty landscape, crying out for a visual treatment, one can envisage this music set to film. Brown’s violin is multitracked and treated throughout the album, sounding at times like a cello or marimba and at times used purely as sound. Some of the pieces are experiments in sound (Horological Nightmare) that may be influenced by one of her mentors, Paul Horn, the infamous saxophonist who has recorded albums inside the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramid, exploring the sounds therein. But a track like “Nocturnes in the Dom” returns to a more conventional sound with wide sweeping violin soaring over a rumbling backline, again evoking cinematic vistas. Closing track “Core Oscillation” uses what appears to be tablas on an Indian subcontinent sounding tune, again evoking the likes of Horn and others’ ventures into early “world music.” This is not an easy album to listen to but if your mood is right it can put you inside a wonderful musical landscape that rewards repeated listening. Brown, who seems to very capable with a bow, is to be congratulated for not taking an easy way into the Tucson music scene but with her mindset I’m sure she could perform wonders with the likes of Calexico in pushing the envelope of contemporary American music.
-Paul Kerr, 11/22/06 - Americana-uk.com


"Intriguing sounds from Tucson based violinist"

Hailing from Tucson, Brown is a violinist who has played with several luminaries from that hallowed city either on disc or live. Here she presents a lengthy, (43 minutes) “EP” comprised of instrumental soundscapes aided and abetted by Paul Niehaus (Calexico) on pedal steel on one tune. A difficult record to categorise, there is nothing here (other than location perhaps) to throw its hat into the Americana ring. Niehaus’ steel playing on “Left in the Wake” is so understated as to be almost invisible. "Wake” however is a tremendous piece, evoking a mood reminiscent of smoky Appalachian dawns with the sun rising on a frosty landscape, crying out for a visual treatment, one can envisage this music set to film. Brown’s violin is multitracked and treated throughout the album, sounding at times like a cello or marimba and at times used purely as sound. Some of the pieces are experiments in sound (Horological Nightmare) that may be influenced by one of her mentors, Paul Horn, the infamous saxophonist who has recorded albums inside the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramid, exploring the sounds therein. But a track like “Nocturnes in the Dom” returns to a more conventional sound with wide sweeping violin soaring over a rumbling backline, again evoking cinematic vistas. Closing track “Core Oscillation” uses what appears to be tablas on an Indian subcontinent sounding tune, again evoking the likes of Horn and others’ ventures into early “world music.” This is not an easy album to listen to but if your mood is right it can put you inside a wonderful musical landscape that rewards repeated listening. Brown, who seems to very capable with a bow, is to be congratulated for not taking an easy way into the Tucson music scene but with her mindset I’m sure she could perform wonders with the likes of Calexico in pushing the envelope of contemporary American music.
-Paul Kerr, 11/22/06 - Americana-uk.com


"Winter Garden Review"

If you've spent any time exploring downtown music during the last couple of years, you have probably seen Vicki Brown, playing violin with Amy Rude, Campo Bravo, Naim Amor and, well, lots of other folks. Her constant nocturnal musical collaborations give Tucson a steady look at her considerable talent, but little indication of what she would do on her own. Well, wonder no more.

Her first solo CD on Tucson's boutique label Keep Recordings, Winter Garden, delivers eight tracks of lovely, cinematic instrumental mood music. Although there's an underlying stylistic cohesion to Winter Garden, Vicki covers a lot of musical and atmospheric territory. Personally, I hear movie music. The opening lullaby swoon of "Take Flight" gives way to "Swallowtail Schooner" which sounds like a 2001: A Space Odyssey version of a sloooowed-down extraterrestrial hoedown. The sprightly dance of "Ides of March" leads into the loops-infused drone of "Horological Nightmare," which evokes the unsettling background menace in Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. Clearly, Vicki can play it both heavy and light: Balancing the delicate with the intense, she paints evocative sonic pictures perfect for contemplating, mind-tripping or just spacing out.

I'm no authority on the violin, but she sounds pretty great to me, deft and inventive, full of passion and ideas. By the time we get to the deep/inner space of "Core Oscillation," with its looping tabla drums and ambient background humming, she's taken us on a short journey and left us back at our doorstep: downtown Tucson.
-Carl Hanni, 8/24/06 - Tucson Weekly


"Winter Garden Review"

If you've spent any time exploring downtown music during the last couple of years, you have probably seen Vicki Brown, playing violin with Amy Rude, Campo Bravo, Naim Amor and, well, lots of other folks. Her constant nocturnal musical collaborations give Tucson a steady look at her considerable talent, but little indication of what she would do on her own. Well, wonder no more.

Her first solo CD on Tucson's boutique label Keep Recordings, Winter Garden, delivers eight tracks of lovely, cinematic instrumental mood music. Although there's an underlying stylistic cohesion to Winter Garden, Vicki covers a lot of musical and atmospheric territory. Personally, I hear movie music. The opening lullaby swoon of "Take Flight" gives way to "Swallowtail Schooner" which sounds like a 2001: A Space Odyssey version of a sloooowed-down extraterrestrial hoedown. The sprightly dance of "Ides of March" leads into the loops-infused drone of "Horological Nightmare," which evokes the unsettling background menace in Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. Clearly, Vicki can play it both heavy and light: Balancing the delicate with the intense, she paints evocative sonic pictures perfect for contemplating, mind-tripping or just spacing out.

I'm no authority on the violin, but she sounds pretty great to me, deft and inventive, full of passion and ideas. By the time we get to the deep/inner space of "Core Oscillation," with its looping tabla drums and ambient background humming, she's taken us on a short journey and left us back at our doorstep: downtown Tucson.
-Carl Hanni, 8/24/06 - Tucson Weekly


"Vicki Brown: Take Flight"

Tucson-based artist Vicki Brown coaxes textures and tones from her violin that sound like anything but a violin. Discovery of loops and effects pedals recently pushed her into the world of improvisational and experimental music with a nod to her classical roots.

Brown has always been fascinated by the ways people can see with their ears, and loves finding ways to conjure up images with music. She creates what she calls "psychosonic visualizations." Brown draws on the collective influences of Andrew Bird, John Cale, Paul Horn, Warren Ellis, John Zorn and Carla Kihlstedt. She also earned a doctorate in psychology from the University of Arizona.

The self-produced Winter Garden is Brown's debut solo project, recorded during the cooler months of 2005 in her 1880s desert adobe home. The eight instrumental pieces were sculpted using horsehair, strings, strokes of Casio keys and deft slides on the pedal steel by Paul Niehaus of Calexico. Some were captured on the fly while others took longer to finesse.

Besides her solo project, Brown also collaborates with Campo Bravo, The Splitters, and loves her status as hired gun for recording and performing with many other fine artists.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5518831 - NPR Open Mic


"Vicki Brown: Take Flight"

Tucson-based artist Vicki Brown coaxes textures and tones from her violin that sound like anything but a violin. Discovery of loops and effects pedals recently pushed her into the world of improvisational and experimental music with a nod to her classical roots.

Brown has always been fascinated by the ways people can see with their ears, and loves finding ways to conjure up images with music. She creates what she calls "psychosonic visualizations." Brown draws on the collective influences of Andrew Bird, John Cale, Paul Horn, Warren Ellis, John Zorn and Carla Kihlstedt. She also earned a doctorate in psychology from the University of Arizona.

The self-produced Winter Garden is Brown's debut solo project, recorded during the cooler months of 2005 in her 1880s desert adobe home. The eight instrumental pieces were sculpted using horsehair, strings, strokes of Casio keys and deft slides on the pedal steel by Paul Niehaus of Calexico. Some were captured on the fly while others took longer to finesse.

Besides her solo project, Brown also collaborates with Campo Bravo, The Splitters, and loves her status as hired gun for recording and performing with many other fine artists.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5518831 - NPR Open Mic


Discography

Winter Garden (KEEP Recordings, 2006)

Carvings (2008, Self-release) is a collection of sonic shavings from larger and much longer musical logs.

Photos

Bio

Tucson-based musician Vicki Brown experiments with instruments and pedals to weave tapestries of sound. While her roots are based in the classical music world, the rich collective of bands and singer/songwriters in Tucson lured her to expand her musical realms to include more non-traditional approaches to playing the violin.

Besides her solo work, Vicki performs with and contributes to numerous artists' projects, including Ian Moore, Naim Amor, Year Long Disaster, Chris Cacavas, Darren Hanlon, John Coinman. She has also toured with the likes of Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, Amy Rude, and Campo Bravo.