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Jeff Greinke — Late Rain
(Projekt PRO428, 2025, CD / DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2025-02-20

Late Rain Cover art

On almost all of the things I’ve heard to date by Jeff Greinke, they were essentially solo recordings (some featuring guests) using synthesizers, guitar, trombone, loops, samplers, percussion, and any other instruments he could get his hands on. And of course that wouldn’t include those by his group Land; Late Rain is a very different conception, both in its genesis and its execution. While the music herein remains atmospheric and seductive, from the outset Greinke wanted to create a group sound with acoustic instrumentalists joining in his textural ambient soundscapes, while remaining true to his organic and ethereal roots. The result is a powerful mix of electronic and acoustic sounds made whole by four experienced and skilled improvesers from the Seattle area. They are Bill Horist on electric guitars, Heather Bentley playing viola, James DeJoie on clarinets, flute, and alto sax, and Greg Campbell playing drums, percussion, French horn and cornet; Some of these players Greinke has worked with before, as guests on earlier albums. For his part, Greinke composed the pieces and contributes synthesizers, sampler and processing, as well as the album’s mix and production. For the six pieces, Greinke sent each of the participating musicians song-sketches in advance to allow each of the players to arrange their own parts; when all the players gathered at Temple of the Trees studio in Seattle, it was their first meeting for this endeavor, never having worked together on these pieces together before, and so the recordings went forward in this true collaborative spirit, each without any idea what the other players had worked out for their arrangements. The instinctive nature of these outstanding players collaborating in real time, with Greinke as the creative focal point in their midst is at once adventurous and organic, full of shifting moods and sparse beauty, delicate and warm, Late Rain is certainly like nothing I’ve heard from Greinke before. Go have a listen at the link below, try on “After the Flood,” “Deep River” or the title track, but to be honest there isn’t a dull moment on this album anywhere, it’s truly engaging and holds up well to repeat listens.

Filed under: New releases, 2025 releases

Related artist(s): James DeJoie, Bill Horist, Jeff Greinke

More info
http://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/late-rain

 

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