released October 4, 1989

REVIEWS

4 1/2 stars - All Music Guide

"It’s all awesomely captivating."
- The Wire

"Recorded over two dates in the Midwest, Angel Carver reveals the lengths that two improvising musicians will go to get to the depth of an idea and then move it forward. Hans Reichel, master guitarist and inventor of the daxophone (which he plays here as well as his homemade guitars), and the late Tom Cora on cello range far and wide in their search for a way to communicate deeply what words or written language can never convey. As "Miracles, To Boot" commences, silence and the delicate texture of the cello are underscored by Reichel's daxophone being scraped and plucked is assonance. New chords, constructed from the various noted played by both men, are constructed from the tension and dynamic between the instruments. The sound of improvisers hearing becomes the impetus for a piece that eventually conjures entirely new sonic and tonal modalities out of the ether, from the physical space left unoccupied by either player or audience. And the rest of the disc follows suit, with the closing "Invitation to Dance" being particularly charming. European folk and square dances are traced and echoed by Cora. There is humor here, too, as Reichel makes the sound of flutes and gongs turn the invitation into a demand. As is the norm for both of these men, this is an excellent document of what must have been a very special tour. We are fortunate to have the document."
- Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Hans Reichel: guitars, daxophone
Tom Cora: cello, cellodax

Tunes 1 & 2 recorded live by Paul Gaudynski at the WOODLAND PATTERN on October 23rd, 1988, in Milwaukee.
Tunes 3 & 4 recorded live by Leo Krumpholz at the SOUTHERN MUSICWORKS on October 21st, 1988, in Chicago.

Mastered by Jonas Bergler.
Produced by Jost Gebers

Booklet design/layout: Hans Reichel

"Our special thanks to Chris de Chiara, Amy Denio and Bob Appel."