It was 1877. The proud Nee-Me-Poo (Nez Perce tribe), on US military orders to evacuate their beloved Wallowa Valley to live on a reservation, defiantly head east to the canyon and cross at a narrow part of the Snake River. Soon after, the resilient band devastates the Cavalry in the White Bird massacre. Weeks later, camped in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana only forty miles from freedom in Canada, the survivors of the broken and dying tribe are captured by General Howard.
"Hear me, my chiefs, my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." - Chief Joseph
No, KlubKat hasn't gone totally mad and started telling Wild West stories - this is the description of track 5 on Rockenfield/Speer's latest masterpiece, Hells Canyon.
A couple of months ago, I reviewed an MP3 taken from the album and promised to follow up with a full review. I have now had the pleasure of listening to this little silver disc in its entirety, and find myself unsure of where to start!
This is awesome. Hells Canyon is a completely instrumental album in which all the tracks run together, forming a soundtrack that lasts around three quarters of an hour. I use the word "Soundtrack" here, because that's the nearest word I can use to describe this totally unique experience!
The CD jacket leads us through the story of Hells Canyon, describing interesting tales from its past and the way it was seen by the local Indians and the early settlers... and if all this happens to bore you rigid, you can still listen to the music :-)
The music describes the story in much the same way as a film soundtrack, from the flowing music to accompany the river to the dramatic overture as we descend into the canyon...
The music of Rockenfield and Speer appeals to a particular flavour of music fans. You don't have to be an instrumental buff or a soundtrack aficionado, but it helps (as they say). These guys have come a long way in the world of sound, and really know what they are doing - the amount of musical work and album production behind them puts many to shame, and Hells Canyon is a collaborative showcase of what Rockenfield and Speer are capable of. It is an entirely different form of musical expression which I think will surprise many. Check out the website and have a listen.
http://www.paulspeer.com
