McCombs’ “Of the Lit Backyards” is a meditation on the adaptability of human beings, turning the glow of newly reconfigured outdoor spaces, safer to gather in during lockdowns, into swaying western americana. Steeped in each other’s voices, Black Duck entered the studio with engineer/producer John Hughes III with only three tunes written prior, one by each member, and the remaining pieces took shape much as their live performances, improvised on themes or simple motifs. Playing entirely improvised live sets for years helped develop the trio’s acute senses for one another, knowing precisely how to listen to the others and bolster whatever direction they move in. Challenging what a trio of two guitarists and a drummer can do, pieces move from breezy shuffles to stormy blues rumbles to gorgeous textural drones. The trio’s self-titled debut album Black Duck harnesses each player’s capacity for poignant songwriting and improvisational exploration in pieces as far-reaching as they are arresting.īlack Duck is a gallery of sonic tapestries, unbound by any genre constraints while also utilizing genre touchstones. In the short time the trio have played together, they have performed at Big Ears Festival and alongside acts like Yo La Tengo. Douglas McCombs is a founding member of Tortoise, Pullman, Brokeback as well as the long standing bassist for Eleventh Dream Day, an artist whose contribution to the music world can not be overstated. Rumback too caught the attention of Ryley Walker, culminating in a series of duo albums and has also recorded with the Chicago pianist and legend Jim Baker, releasing several albums that featured Ron Miles, Greg Ward and James Singleton. Rumback and MacKay met at Roosevelt University and hit it off immediately, performing and recording together in various ensembles. His fluid technique and expressive playing garnered him much attention. Charles Rumback burst onto the fertile Chicago improvised music scene in the early 2000’s. An excellent guitar player, MacKay has performed with McCombs many times in various groups including guest stints in Eleventh Dream Day.
He has released several acclaimed solo albums with Drag City as well as a duo album each with Nathan Bowles (Banjo, Black Twig Pickers), and Katinka Kleijn (Cello, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO)), and two beloved records with Ryley Walker. MacKay began releasing records in the early 2000s.
Black Duck brings together three pillars of the Chicago music community: guitarist/bassist Douglas McCombs, guitarist Bill MacKay and drummer Charles Rumback.
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