Esmerine - La Lechuza

Esmerine enters its second decade with an expanded line-up and a new album the band's first in six years. As a duo co-founded ten years ago by percussionist Bruce Cawdron (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and cellist Beckie Foon (Thee Silver Mt. Zion),  Esmerine released two critically-acclaimed albums of modern chamber music in 2003 and 2005 that combined the new music/experimental terrain of contemporaries like Rachel's or Town And Country with the more visceral and lyrical landscape populated by the likes of Dirty Three (and GYBE themselves).
Bruce and Beckie have continued stoking the embers of Esmerine, with occasional special events in their Montreal home town over the past few years. While Esmerine had made deft use of guest players on previous records, as a result of these performances two new musicians in particular were invited to join as full members: harp-player Sarah Page (The Barr Brothers) and percussionist Andrew Barr (The Slip, Land of Talk, The Barr Brothers).

La Lechuza documents the evolution of Esmerine both under the influence of this expanded membership, and through a shared trajectory marked by a tragic loss. All four players were united through their friendships with Lhasa de Sela, a beloved and internationally-renowned singer. Sarah and Andrew were already part of Lhasa's working band; Beckie and Bruce had been asked to join Lhasa and her band on a planned tour. Lhasa was diagnosed with breast cancer during the making of her album; she was able to complete it, but touring plans were suspended as Lhasa's health deteriorated. Lhasa died on New Year's Day 2010 at the age of 37.

La Lechuza is dedicated to Lhasa de Sela and includes music that emerged in the months following her death. While Esmerine has always forged instrumental songs of high emotive power, on La Lechuza there is truly a spirit at work, and the group has produced an album that is both a eulogy to Lhasa and testament to the newfound creative relationships the she helped bring forth.

As with previous Esmerine albums, the conjunction of Cawdron's mallet playing (marimbas, glockenspiels) and Foon's lyrical cello lines anchor much of the record. Page's harp works in lovely counterpoint to the patterns of the mallet instruments, and Andrew Barr's additional percussion work allowed the group to record more of the album live, with renewed fluidity. Stunning instrumental opener ? Dog Riverincludes guest playing by Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld (Arcade Fire, Belle Orchestra), who also contribute to Little Streams Make Big Rivers on Side 2.

La Lechuza was shaped by another important collaborator, and a dear friend of Lhasa's: Patrick Watson. Much of La Lechuza was recorded by Watson at his home studio in Montreal, and in addition to guest vocals alongside Sarah Page on ?ast Waltz Watson also sings and plays piano on ?rampolinand on the album's centerpiece track ?now Day For Lhasa
La Lechuza ends on a genuinely special note, with a previously unreleased version of "Fish On Land" by Lhasa herself, featuring the recording she made with Bruce and Beckie (on bowed marimba and cello respectively).

FOR FANS OF: GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR, A SILVER MOUNT ZION, DO MAKE SAY THINK

Tracklisitng:

1. A Dog River 2. Walking Through Mist 3. Last Waltz 4. Trampolin 5.Snow Day for Lhasa 6. Sprouts 7.Little Streams Make Big Rivers 8.Au Crepuscule, Sans Laisse 9. Fish On Land

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