RUBEN GARCIA "COLORS IN MOTION"
From the opening piano motif that is the central focus of "The Dancing Dolls," the ever present image of Harold Budd hovers fetchingly like some malingering gremlin.The coincident is not as ironic as it seems; Garcia has collaborated with Harold Budd and Daniel Lentz on "Music For Three Pianos." And although "Colors In Motion" does occasionally dip into the Budd-pool for the odd inspiration or two, Garcia's adroit keyboard playing is far more lively and intoxicating than Budd's similarly-styled excursions. For one thing, Garcia never lets his music sink into the one dimensional aspects of minimalism. For another, as on "Return to Vegas," he explores enough vivid syntheziser sounds to make even Gottsching sit up and take notice. (Gottsching sans guitar, mind you "Return to Vegas," re-enacts some of the livelihood of Ashra's Correlations.) But don't get the wrong idea - Garcia's utilization of electronics and acoustic percussives is impressive (he gets down-right ominous on the subtly dramatic "Desert Calm")but he's more content with tickling the ivories of his trusty grand than toying with microchips. And it is to Garcia's credit that he comes up with as many piano licks as he does synthethic ones. That kind of skillfull balance keeps these Colors quite kaleidoscopic.
Darren Bergstein
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