Good Night Songs

by Eugene Chadbourne The winter of 2003 and a New England festival were the setting for a trio in which guitarist Garrison Fewell meshes with the consistently provocative Charlie Kohlhase while keeping an eye on the musical meanderings of free jazz icon John Tchicai. In terms of length the event certainly rates as an epic, sprawling across a pair of CDs that are packed in a trim case all but completely hiding the evocative power within. In fact, with the title of Good Night Songs and simple calligraphy for cover art work, this looks like a small volume of bedside whimsy. "Floating" takes its time alighting, the guitarist entering for a closing ensemble statement after feathery extended horn rhapsodizing, never out of the mood. Light strumming introduces "The Queen of Ra," one of a pair of compositions by the guitarist on the program. Tchicai's subsequent "Thriftshopping" is a clever head and a listening lift-off. Several other pieces by Tchicai are featured in the program as well as Kohlhase's inclusive "Start to Finish" and tasty "Consolation Cake." A superb feeling runs throughout more than ten minutes devoted to an adaptation of a South American folk song.