Jarring Sounds is a duo based out of the Bay Area that has just released their debut CD. When I first went to their concert, I’ll admit I was just going to support my colleagues and was hopeful that I would find some interesting new pieces to absorb and be amazed by, but did not expect much out of the ordinary. Their musical pairing of mezzo-soprano by Danielle Reutter-Harrah and guitar by Adam Cockerham was not anything unusual and I thought they would play the same run-of-the-mill pieces, rehashing out the same cliches.
I was never happier to be wrong about something.
They proved themselves to be an extraordinary pairing of musicians; Reutter-Harrah’s voice is perhaps one of the most beautiful I have ever heard live and it translates well onto recording. With a richness to it that well suites their pieces, she flawlessly reaches the notes with a carelessness that makes it a joy to listen too. Another nice surprise was that Cockerham does not just play guitar, but also a lute and theorbo which are older guitar-like instruments for those who are unaware. Their repertoire ranges from renaissance to modern, never wanting for diversity or innovativeness.
Their CD starts off with French Baroque composer Pierre Guédron and the thick chords combined with the light and almost dancing vocal line balance well. After having set such a beautiful and promising precedent to the CD, they then take us through a regional tour of composers from France to Italy to England, the tones of these Baroque pieces are as diverse as the regions, ranging from joyful and carefree, to darker and more mournfully beautiful tones.
The CD then takes a new turn into the modern era as the next piece is the Songs from the Chinese by Benjamin Britten followed by Under Milk Wood Songs by Stephen Goss. The Old Lute from the Britten set is especially hauntingly poignant and beautiful, the vocal line appropriately withdrawn in spots to create the perfect introspective illusion.
Meanwhile the Goss set is a hidden treasure and a pleasant surprise. Originally poems by Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood Songs takes us on a journey full of sweeping and powerful emotions. Sometimes the emotions are those of calm, and sometimes those of anxiety but the key to listening to this piece, as it is with any music no matter which era it be from, is to embrace the emotions. Reutter-Harrah’s beautiful voice eases the blow of some of the more dissonant of moments in the more gentle movements, while Cockerham’s intense playing in the more active movements make for a very effective performance. My favorite moments in the whole CD happen in the 3rd and 4th set of poems of Under Milk Wood Songs as tension and resolution are in near constant battle.
Overall, the beauty in this CD and the thoughtfulness put into the repertoire as well as the quality of playing make it a rare gem. I’m looking forward to seeing what Jarring Sounds has in store with it’s future endeavors and would recommend this CD to anyone looking for a refreshing change this summer.
You can buy their CD at this website:
https://squareup.com/market/jarring-sounds/cd-online-sales
Or you can visit their website and watch some videos of their performances as well as discover what creative endeavors they are up too next!
the music corner 
Enjoyed reading your review Zoe – good luck with the blog – you’re off to a great start.
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