Nearly thirty years ago, on May 27, 1997, Knitting Factory Works released The Sign of the Four, a fearless free-improvisation recording featuring Paul Wertico, Pat Metheny, Derek Bailey, and Gregg Bendian. Now, Grammy-winning drummer, and longtime former Pat Metheny Group member, Paul Wertico continues that adventurous spirit with collaborator Kevin Kastning on Interchange One.
On the album, Kastning’s 24-, 26-, and 30-string Double and Sub-Contraguitars create an otherworldly sonic landscape alongside Wertico’s acoustic and talking drums. Already earning praise from international outlets like Progressor Magazine and Radio Air Libre, the seven-part suite feels like a modern continuation of the experimental path Wertico has explored throughout his career.
What makes the project especially fascinating is how it was created. Living nearly a thousand miles apart in Chicago and Maine, Wertico and Kastning never recorded together in person. One musician would improvise a track, while the other responded with a blind, first-take overdub, completely unedited and without hearing the original track beforehand. The result is an intuitive, deeply connected musical conversation that somehow feels both spontaneous and remarkably unified.
Interchange One is out now on Kastning’s Greydisc Records. Interchange Two is scheduled for release in August.
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