Notes from the Gramophone

We are not supposed to use the word “unique” in journalism because supposedly, nothing is unique in this world. There is nothing new under the sun. Yeah, we’ve heard it all before.

With Epiphany Project, I beg to differ. The collaboration between pianist/percussionist John Hodian and vocalist Bet Williams is uncategorizable, which frustrates the duo — American record labels and concert promoters don’t know what to do with them. I’ve never heard anything like it.

That’s OK, though, they do just fine in Europe. With their new release Hin Dagh, Epiphany Project will tour in the United States for the first time in six years. The album was conceived and recorded in John’s ancestral country of Armenia, at the Naregatsi Art Institute. The tour will kick off in Princeton Junction, at Looking Glass Pond on Nov. 14. (Thank you Rob Tannen.) John and Bet, along with a percussionist, will take this exciting new music and give it a live whirl. And so we are in for a treat.

The music from the new CD is rooted in ancient and sacred texts, set to vibrant music, often arranged with sensual, driving percussion as well as ethnic instruments such as the dudek, santur and kamancha. Bet takes her four-octave range for a wild ride, which gives the text a certain passion that you feel (I felt, anyway) in your very soul. Her voice has been compared to Loreena McKennitt and Tori Amos, but I would also add the late Ofra Haza.

Just the opening track “Ashem” is mesmerizing, one of those songs that you wish would never end. The text is based on a prayer from the Sacred Book of the Zoroastrians (the pre-Islamic religion of ancient Persia founded by the prophet Zarathustra in 6th century BC) and essentially says, “Righteousness (truth, asha) is good, it is best.”

It sounds heavy but it doesn’t feel ponderous at all. In fact, the song has a soaring quality to it, perhaps thanks to Bet’s wanderings in the vocal stratosphere — punctuated by little yelps or mini yodels. Meanwhile, “subterranean vocals” are provided by backing vocalists who call themselves The Armenian Mud Men. I love this!

Hin Dagh came into the office at the end of a long, roller-coaster of a week, and late Friday afternoon I put it on my Discman, put on the headphones and — just about leapt out of my chair. If I didn’t run the risk of my colleagues thinking me ridiculous, I might have belly-danced around the office. (”She’s that age when they start going a little crazy, you know.”)

So, I’ll reserve the hip-shaking  to more private places. A wonderful conversation with John and Bet will run in print, in the Nov. 7 edition of TimeOFF. But I had to say something, spill the beans about Epiphany Project.

With long-time ties to Philadelphia (John and Bet met at Andrea Clearfield’s salon) perhaps Epiphany Project can inspire the Phillies. After the cancellation of Tuesday night’s game — Series Interruptus, I call it — the Phils could use some mojo. This music is guaranteed to get anyone’s mojo working.