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ESFOMA

by Greg Mills

supported by
Jeff Golick
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Robert Bresnan
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/
1.
One for Ives 05:14
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2.
Esfoma 15:00
3.
Raga Vishnu 11:05
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4.
Chorale & Variations 06:29
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5.
Piece for Two Pianos 02:52
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about

Improvised music for solo piano. Mills' 1984 classic digitally remastered from the original studio tapes.

"... drawing inspiration from such diverse sources as 'cool' jazz, a variety of non-Western musical cultures and the early- and mid-20th century avant-garde schools...Mills' playing radiates a high level of intensity...a rhythmic vitality that catches hold of the listener instantly and never lets go, a sense of timing that's utterly sure and secure, a virtuosity that sets the keyboard ablaze. He's an exciting pianist."
--James Wierzbicki, St. Louis Globe-Democrat 1984



"Esfoma was originally conceived in 1984 yet it sounds unmarked by the passage of time and totally gratifying, characterized as it is by a kind of passionate expressiveness corroborated by digital nimbleness and thoughtful artistry. This is the album that probably will satisfy the listeners who want to enjoy more harmonic content and less experimentation (although rarely the man leaves us without a serious attempt to transcend the barriers of genres). The composer/improviser himself lists the influences that lie behind these five pieces: Charles Ives, Cecil Taylor, Indian raga, 20th century European serialism, Karlheinz Stockhausen.

It is a rare occasion in which the listener can be gratified either by an attentive, concentrated examination of the material or by keeping it at lower volume while maintaining the same sort of enchantment, such is the sheer delight originated by the mere presence of those gorgeous runs, clusters and designs which — even in the knottiest sections — seem to be influenced by a touch of romantic melancholy. This is what attributes a unique voice to Mills, a hitherto obscure talent that must be brought to wider attention worldwide, a veritable rejuvenator for those who feel tired of listening to problematic albums just for the sake of belonging to certain circles of (a)pathetic intellectualism. This stuff reconciles with life by respecting the true aim of music: something that's played from the heart, received by sensible human beings, able to elevate them that tiny bit indispensable for carrying on through the mental and emotional poverty experienced daily. Something that's plain beautiful."
--Massimo Ricci, Temporary Fault, 28 Sept 2009




"Is Greg Mills the best pianist in St Louis, whatever that means? The 30-year old St. Louis native would never say such a thing, but many of his listeners would. Everyone agrees that his technique is phenomenal. Less apparent is the groundbreaking finesse with which he combines elements of jazz, classical and third world music. Yet Mills remains terribly neglected. He makes his living not as a musician, but in a Central West End restaurant, his music known only to a small coterie of admirers, many of them musicians. The avant-garde often suffers from a small public...

"Greg's musical background is eclectic. He began his studies at age eight with six years of classical tutelage at the St. Louis Institute of Music...In his mid-teens he jammed with 'various ill-fated rock bands' and from age 17-19 played in a jazz duo, Epoxy, with bassist Carl Richardson. At age 22 he began studying the vibes and various percussion instruments, a move which has aadded a drummer's ferocity to his keyboard approach. Around this time Mills also teamed up with the saxophonist Jay Zelenka to form EXILES. Over the last seven years they've performed dozens of concerts and have produced two cassettes, 1984's The Only Cure and this year's Dangerous Music. In addition Mills released a formidable solo album, ESFOMA, in 1984.

"Mills cites as influences 'Post WWII 12-tone music, John Coltrane (his spirituality as much as his music) and various ethnic musics world-wide.' To these sources I would add Charles Ives, Oscar Peterson, Dimitri Shostakovich and Cecil Taylor -- a list that should intrigue anyone this side of MTV.

"Blessed with a highly-tuned absurdist humor and cursed with an overwhelming humility, Mills can nevertheless be lofty when he speaks of his music: 'I've spent the last couple of years trying to adapt the Indian raga to piano...in general, I'm trying to expand the vocabulary of improvisation to include forms not yet invented.' Anyone else saying that could risk sounding pretentious. Greg Mills has the training and the musicality to follow through."
--Tom McDermott, The Riverfront Times, Sept 24, 1986

credits

released January 1, 2008

Recorded at Premier Sound And Film:
2/28 & 3/1/1984
Engineer: Chris Rathert
Digital remastering: Jay Zelenka 2006
Greg Mills plays a 9' Steinway piano.

Cover Art: John Hennessy
Design: Tony Patti
Produced by Jay Zelenka/Freedonia Music

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Freedonia Music St. Louis, Missouri

Freedonia Music was born in 2006 to promote Creative Improvised Music.
Offering a
catalog of archival performances and contemporary recordings of New Music from the heart of the heartlands. Music to wake up your ears!

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