Released five years after Queen Mab's second album, See Saw chronicles the group's expansion from a duo to a trio, with the addition of Dutch violist Ig Henneman. Close had featured a number of guest musicians forming short-lived trios with Marilyn Lerner and Lori Freedman, but Henneman's arrival signals a new era for the group. Her contribution as composer and performer widens the sound palette (with a sharper leaning toward contemporary chamber music) and resets the dynamics between the pianist and the clarinetist. See Saw features recordings from a coast-to-coast tour of Canada in November of 2002. Most tracks are taken from the last concert, in Halifax. The material mostly consists of compositions or structures, although the border between predetermined events and improvisation is very thin at times, especially in Lerner's Three Strikes, which includes in addition an impressive showcase for Henneman. The violist's Lori F and Marilyn L set the stage for their namesakes to take flight, something Freedman does stunningly on the bass clarinet. Galina U is one of the most formal pieces, but also one of the most striking, thanks to thundering piano chords and a clever use of contrasts and dynamics. Questions of composition and improvisation aside, what defines See Saw is the level of minute interactions, the devastating passion motivating each note, and the number of ideas per minute, all key traits of Queen Mab's music. ~ François Couture, Rovi

1		See Saw
2		Shift
3		Galina U
4		June 2Th
5		Chorale
6		Lori F
7		Three Strikes
8		Marilyn L
9		Exchange

	Like us on Facebook
	@SoundHound	Follow