Album Notes

Apithologia is the first release by classically trained and jazz influenced musician Will Varey. This album combines simple melodic lines with resonant harmonies to create tranquil space in a hectic world.

The title ‘apithologia’ comes from apithology, which looks at the dynamics of generative growth in human consciousness. The expression of those dynamics when naturally occurring is the plural form, or 'apithologia'.

Apithologia spontaneously form whenever three dynamics come together in a surprising way. In apithology these are known as emergent trichotomies. Rather than capturing poignant stillness, they are moments of generative surprise.

In this music they appear as three lyric lines that follow indiscernibly different tempos, or in harmonies so close they should conflict, yet for some reason, here they harmonize. Perhaps the music is not in the sounds but in the space between, created in the listener.

Highlights from this CD include:

Zanzibarzoo ~ where order and complexity transforms into gentle chaos and then peace.

Tubing ~ capturing the rolling endless swells of a perfect point break surf.

EtherEnsemble ~ sparse forms that are reminiscent of Miles Davis or The Necks.

Apithologia ~ the title track, composed during a winter thunderstorm unraveling in real time with both expectation and surprise.

Expression ~ acoustic guitars in duet sharing an intriguing conversation on a single turn of phrase.

Mahgrib ~ five acoustic encounters on a walk through the Moroccan mountains each singing the same motif in different ways.

This collection forms one part of a three part study in words, music and photography (the links below are to the other two).