JOHN VANORE & ABSTRACT TRUTH

EASTER ISLAND SUITE

Acoustical Concepts label.

John Vanore, trumpet/flugelhorn/composer.

Approximately 2200 miles off the coast of Chile, the Easter Islands have been challenging archaeologists for centuries.  They were discovered in 1722 by Dutchman, Jacob Roggeveen. John Vanore has adopted the Easter Islands theme to create this musical four-part suite. Vanore imagines landing on this famous island and discovering the string of carved deities, over 1000 statues ranging from 10 to 20 feet in height.  The largest carving stands nearly 32 feet tall and weighs approximately 82 tons.

Part 1 of this album was recorded in October of 1989 to celebrate the discovery of Easter Island and it lasts nearly thirteen minutes.  He opens this section of the music with French horn and a bowed bass, singing together in harmony.  Once the bass sets the rhythm and tone for the piece, Ron Thomas joins on piano. Then the horn section enters, punchy and spunky. Mike Falcone is featured on a lovely tenor saxophone solo, with Craig Thomas singing on his string bass beneath the solo, bowing the instrument and creating another duet moment of beauty. This arrangement is captivating.

Then comes the second movement titled “Gods & Devils,” followed by the third movement titled, “The Secret Caves.”  These two movements that follow “Discovery,” were recorded with a different group of musicians in the year 2012.

The fourth movement “Rano Raraku” is a celebratory “Journey to the Lake” that tributes the extinct volcano and the crater left behind. It became a lake of beauty. This fourth part of Vanore’s unusual suite of music was recorded in June of 2024.  So, all together, this album took nearly forty years to complete.

Philadelphia based, Vanore, and his long-running ensemble called “Abstract Truth” have dabbled with the Easter Island Suite concept in 1990 on their debut album “Blue Route.” Although the personnel changes, several members of the original band have remained with John Vanore throughout the years.

The sense of mystery becomes a thread that runs through the entire suite.

“It’s still never been solved. Every time there’s been a breakthrough and somebody posits an explanation for how the statues were made or how they were moved, somebody else discovers information that defeats that premise.  Where there’s mystery, there’s always tension, and I tried to capture that element of the unknown,” states Vanore in his press package.

ABSTRACT TRUTH features: John Vanore, trumpet/flugelhorn/composer; Ron Thomas, piano; Craig Thomas, string bass; Greg Kettinger, guitar; Joe Nero, Dan Monaghan & Austin Wagner, drums; Bob Howell, tenor & soprano saxophones; Michael Mee, alto saxophone/flute; Brian Landrus, bass clarinet; Mike Falcone, tenor saxophone; Lyndsie Wilson & George Barnett, French horn; Mike Galan, Sean McCusker & Larry Toft, trombone; Jose Vidal, Frank Rein & Barry McCommon, bass trombone. TRUMPETS/FLUGEHORNS: Rocco Bene (Lead), Joe Fallon, Brian Groder, Sean McAnally, Peter Neu, Marcell Bellinger Tony DeSantis, Joe Cataldo, Dennis Wasko & Kevin Rodgers.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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