The Bill Desmond Tone Poem – Trapezoid Stringway To Light

Name: The Bill Desmond Tone Poem - Trapezoid Stringway To Light
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)

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Label:	Third Ear Music (2) – TE 302
Format:	Cassette, Album
Country:	US
Released:	1983
Genre:	Electronic, Jazz, Folk, World, & Country
Style:	New Age, Abstract, Experimental, Minimal

Tracklist

A1		Crystal Ball For A Crying Clown Dulcimer [Hammer Dulcimer], Psaltery, Effects – Bill Desmond Mellotron [Polyphonic Keyboards], Keyboards [Acoustic Keyboards] – John Gorr*
A2		Snowflakes Are Falling Baby Grand Piano, Mellotron [Polyphonic Keyboards] – John Burckardt Dulcimer [Hammer Dulcimer], Glockenspiel, Bell Tree [Chime Tree Bells], Mellotron [Polyphonic Keyboards] – Bill Desmond
A3		Trapezoid Stringway To Light Guitar [Volume Pedal Guitar], Bells – Chris McDermott (3) Guitar, Effects [Bloogie & Vocal Effects] – Michael Oakland Psaltery, Dulcimer [Hammer Dulcimer], Effects [Bloogie & Vocal Effects] – Bill Desmond
B1		Launching Of The Colored Balloons Bass Drum – Robert Rushing Cello – Paul Stouthamer Mellotron [Polyphonic Keyboards], Percussion – Bill Desmond Oboe – Carol Drury Panpipes – Miguel Picker
B2a		Spirit Nexus (Part I) Bells, Chimes – Robert Desmond Cello – Paul Stouthamer Dulcimer [Hammer Dulcimer], Dulcimer [Bass Hammer Dulcimer], Shaker [Shakers], Idiophone [Cymbles] – Bill Desmond Oboe – Carol Drury
B2b		Dance Spirit Nexus (Part II) Cello – Paul Stouthamer Dulcimer [Hammer Dulcimer], Slide Guitar [Hammered Slide Guitar] – Bill Desmond Guitar – Michael Oakland
B3		Crystal Ball For A Flying Clown Dulcimer [Hammer Dulcimer], Psaltery – Bill Desmond Sitar, Guitar [Volume Pedal Guitar] – Chris McDermott (3)

Expansive09 Mar 9, 2020
Edited 2 years ago
This is a long lost gem and an album fit for a label like Windham Hill. Had it received the exposure it should have I am quite sure more people would have enjoyed this instrumental workout. You have the dulcimer a table top stringed instrument which is a scaled down version of the ancient Persian santur along with various accompanied instruments like synthesizer, wind instruments, guitar and percussion.
Ok now the dulcimer is NOT the central focus of the music here, it is balanced (well engineered I might add) with the acoustic guitar and sundry percussion. The music is moody, atmospheric and upbeat(one composition almost comes across as a jig) with nice chordal structure bordering jazz(no its not jazz).
I would call this American new age music that might have spawned its genesis in the Northeast in Vermont somewhere. There is a really airy feel to the music and one can almost smell the natural surrounds of maples, pines and earthy hillsides. Would have been nice to have seen the release on cd.