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Tom Griesgraber — The Split
(Bandcamp no#, 2026, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-05-23

The Split Cover art

While the Chapman Stick is an instrument commonly associated with progressive rock due to the prominence of Tony Levin, it’s certainly capable of operating in nearly any style. You can search online and find lots of players interpreting Classical music, pop songs, and more on the Stick. Tom Griesgraber is a Stickist with a long track record of work with the California Guitar Trio and other Fripp-adjacent groups. On The Split, however, he’s operating mostly in a different mode. This music was composed as the soundtrack to a documentary film called Prairie Prophecy, which is concerned with farming methods used in the American prairie and whether they can continue to produce the food that supplies the nation. The 21 tracks are all rather short, most in the two-minute range or even less, and many are rather quiet and subtle. There are two primary modes of operation here, which correspond to aspects of the film. The first represents the world of nature and consists mostly of Stick and orchestral sounds; the other represents the human world of technology and is arranged with synthesizers. Crossovers between the two also occur. There are only a few tracks where the Stick’s distinctive sound comes to the fore, like “Prairie Suite” and “A New Worldview,” and the absence of drums (barring the rare appearances of orchestra percussion) removes it from the rock spectrum. The overall impression is appropriately cinematic, and I can certainly imagine that if I saw the film without prior knowledge of Griesgraber’s involvement, I would have found myself saying, “Hey, that has to be a Stick!” To be clear, Griesgraber’s playing is excellent and expressive, but flashy soloing and heavy effects are neither present nor called for, nor are edgy, dissonant harmonies. There’s a folksy feeling behind all the music, with the Stick’s attack not far off from a twangy guitar, which is certainly fitting given the film’s setting. It’s often hard to judge the musical merits of a soundtrack absent the visuals, but The Split is a pleasant recording, and worthwhile especially for Stick enthusiasts.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Bert Lams, Tom Griesgraber

More info
http://tomgriesgraber.bandcamp.com/album/the-split

 

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