Greg Malclom & Tetuzi Akiyama: Brombron 12:Six Strings

Greg Malcolm/Tetuzi AkiyamaThis is part of the Brombron series, a project which brings two or more musicians together as artists in residence in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Here New Zealander Greg Malcolm is paired with Tetuzi Akiyama and together they weave quiet and slowly flowing improvised acoustic guitar movements. Thoughtful and delicate, the collaboration seems very careful and honest, the two guitars feeling each other out, making complementing moves like two people nervously and excitedly building a snowman on a first date. The guitar styles remain sparse and dark, a lonely rattling highway at night. There is a balance of control within these songs, each player clearly in control of his own instrument, yet always slightly unsure of what the other will do next. This tension gives the pieces an unlikely beauty as there is no sign of a desire to one-up the other or boast showmanship. I think that seeing these two play together in an intimate setting, or say up in a tree house above the forest at night, would be wonderful. :: Greg Malclom & Tetuzi Akiyama: Brombron 12:Six Strings- Korm Plastics/Target