Caroline Davis TRAPPINGS OF SLEEP
CAROLINE DAVIS
TRAPPINGS OF SLEEP
Red Hook Records
Caroline Davis, alto saxophone/electronics/composer; Grey Mcmurray, electronic guitar/ composer; Qasim Naqvi, drums/composer.
Because “sleep” is the oldest technology of escape for human beings, saxophonist Caroline Davis chose “Trappings of Sleep” as a title for her new album. In a way, it represents those dream states that are developed and protected in slumber. This album endeavors to reflect life elsewhere while we are sleeping. The trio lets this music manifest and grow, a project created by closely listening to each other. The music becomes like transformative clouds, changing shape and direction right before our ears.
A tune they call “Three” opens the album and was created free-form in the studio by these three players. All of them are composers. The threesome met years ago, part of New York’ s improvised music scene and they developed a shared musical language. During a 2025 performance in a church concert setting, producer Sun Chung invited the trio into the studio.
Each member contributed original compositions. Once in the studio, they came together to rehearse, but kept the material open for spontaneous and improvised interplay. The result is this recording that moves fluidly between structure and free creativity. Suddenly, written passages on the chart pages dissolved. The compositions morphed into new arrangements, creative expeditions into fresh musical journeys.
The rest of this Avant-garde, experimental music was contributed by each artist individually. Once in the studio, the songs unfolded like a rolled-up blanket, draping over the listener with warm improvised sounds. Each musician added something to the mixture, with individual spirit and tone added like spices in the stew. The songs become one enjoyable album of experimental music. I found most of these delivered compositions to be warm, creative, and soothing.
Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil
