Ted Morcaldi

“Celestial Stranger”

(Clonmell Jazz Social CJS007CD)

Ted Morcaldi – electric, twelve string and classical guitars, Roland P/V synthesiser,
Joel Humann – acoustic & electric bass,
Joshua Blackmore – drums
with guest Tim Lefebvre – electric bass & effects (track 6)

Guitarist and composer Ted Morcaldi was born in New Haven,  Connecticut in the USA but is now based in Ely in the Cambridgeshire Fens. His adopted homeland informs the music on his latest album release “Celestial Stranger”, the title of which has also been adapted as a band name for his trio Celestial Strangers, featuring drummer Joshua Blackmore and either Joel Humann or Chris Diamand on bass.

The “Celestial Stranger” album follows the solo recordings “Shadows in the Water” (2020) and “Memory Palace” (2021), both products of the lockdown period.

Recorded in the US the trio recording “Re-Entry” (2021) features bassist Manel Fortià and drummer Brandon ‘Buz’ Donald. Morcaldi has also worked with drummer Jeremy Carlstedt on the 2023 EP “Triptych”, on which Morcaldi specialises on twelve string guitar.

Morcaldi has also recorded with the band SMG (Secular Music Group) founded by composer and multi-instrumentalist Christian Ruggiero and with Pet Beast, his duo with singer and songwriter Jenny Judge.

Morcaldi occupies a musical world that embraces elements of jazz, rock, ambient and electronic music. He describes himself as a “guitarist, composer ,improviser and electronic texturalist”. His influences include David Sylvian, Holger Czukay, Jon Hassell, Brian Eno, Krautrock, Berlin era David Bowie and the ECM record label.

Since moving to the UK Morcaldi has linked up with the Clonmell Jazz Social organisation and formed his own trio, currently featuring Blackmore and Diamand. The album recording sees bass duties being handled by Canadian born, UK based Joel Humann and also features a guest appearance by the American bassist Tim Lefebvre, but more on that later. 

“Celestial Stranger” is the first of Morcaldi’s albums to be recorded in the UK. He says of his move to England and the resultant recording;
“This music was inspired by my first visit to The Fens during lockdown, where my wife was living. Writing and improvising daily in a beautiful new setting looking out at Ely Cathedral I aimed to create a new book of music to perform. I didn’t realise how much creative music was happening in the UK when I was in the US. Moving here I saw a deep appreciation and focus on creative, original music in the jazz community, in a different way to New York City. This is my first project as a bandleader since relocating to the UK. I bonded with Joel and Joshua during my first year and this album documents that time, adjusting to a new country post Covid and feeling like a stranger. That anonymity sparked a lot of creativity that had been stirring for a long time. The album is an introduction, a statement of who I am and what I create musically, sonically, texturally and improvisationally”.

The album commences with “Opening”, a short and delicate solo guitar piece that combines acoustic and electric guitar sounds with a closing soupçon of effects.

The following “Elyesque”, inspired by Morcaldi’s new home, was released as a single and explores broadly similar territory with Morcaldi continuing to effectively duet with himself on a combination of acoustic and electric guitars. Once again he makes judicious use of his range of effects to provide additional colour and texture. One can readily imagine Ely Cathedral looming up out of the mist on a foggy Fenland winter’s morning.

The first trio item is “Lantern”, which evolves from Blackmore’s initial drum groove. Fidgety, contemporary drum patterns reflect Blackmore’s interests in dance and electronic music while the leader’s shimmering FX laden electric guitar provides a contrasting ambient feel, imparting the music with something of a film noirish / Blade Runner like quality.

Also released as a single “Time Windows” is a trio improvisation that was recorded on the night of Jon Hassell’s death, June 26th 2021. The music combines Morcaldi’s ambient guitar atmospherics with Blackmore’s skittering brushed drum grooves, the resultant music again exhibiting something of a cinematic quality.

“Onward” is a delicate and delightful dialogue between Morcaldi’s acoustic guitar and Humann’s acoustic bass, an effective contrast to the electric performances that both precede and follow it.

The album’s only cover is an arrangement of the David Bowie composition “Art Decade”, one of the instrumental pieces from Bowie’s 1977 album “Low”. It features a guest appearance from the American bassist Tim Lefebvre, who was part of the band led by saxophonist Donny McCaslin that appeared on Bowie’s final studio album “Blackstar” (2016).  Blackmore’s steady backbeat underpins the semi-ambient sounds of Morcaldi’s electric guitar and Lefebvre’s heavily treated electric bass. Bowie’s version was recorded without drums so this interpretation is very different, but nevertheless remains true to the spirit of the original.

Electric bass, this time played by Humann, also features on the Morcaldi original “Stand There”, an edgy piece featuring fractured, jagged, rock influenced bass and drum grooves allied to the sounds of effects laden electric guitar that variously shimmers and threatens. In contrast to the bucolic “Elyesque” this piece summons up a bleak, sinister, post-industrial landscape, full of menace.

I assume that the title of “August 22, 2017 (For J.A.)” is a dedication to the late, great American guitarist and composer John Abercrombie, who died on that day aged seventy five. It’s a tender homage and a beautiful solo performance that combines electric and acoustic guitar sounds, the notes just seeming to hang in the air.

The next two pieces draw their inspiration from Morcaldi’s new home in the Fens. “The Eel Catcher” is played on acoustic guitar and despite its complexity adds something of a folk element to the proceedings.

“Pealing Bells” arose from Morcaldi’s improvised accompaniment to the sounds of the bells of Ely Cathedral. Here he combines the sound of acoustic guitar with electronically generated effects,  skilfully orchestrating these two seemingly disparate elements to replicate the tolling of the bells.

I assume that the title of “Egret Woman” also derives from the Fens, unless it’s a dedication to US pianist, composer and improviser Myra Melford, who once led a quintet named Snowy Egret. Regardless of its source of inspiration the tune is another beautiful duet between Morcaldi on acoustic guitar and Humann on double bass, but this time with a greater focus on the leader’s guitar.

The album concludes with the brief but atmospheric “Oscar’s Return”, which features the effective use of “backwards masking” (think The Beatles’ “Revolver”) to create an ethereal ambience.

With no track exceeding five minutes in length no piece is allowed to outstay its welcome and “Celestial Stranger” represents an impressive statement from Morcaldi. Part solo recording, part band album it successfully combines both elements and also delivers a successful and beguiling mix of electric and acoustic sounds embracing a variety of musical styles including jazz, rock, folk and ambient.

“Celestial Stranger” was released on 30th May 2025 so this review is more than a little overdue, but with the Celestial Strangers trio due to appear at both the London and Cambridge Jazz Festival later in the year, in addition to a number of other upcoming gigs, now seems like a good time to bring this album to your attention. For details of Morcaldi’s forthcoming live appearances please visit;
https://www.tedmorcaldimusic.com/events-2-1

To purchase Ted Morcaldi’s recordings please visit his Bandcamp page here;
https://tedmorcaldi.bandcamp.com/

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