PHILIP GAYLE

THE MOMMY ROW

Track listing: Gyo, Gyo, Gyo, Gyo * Zoomly Zoomly * Kanojo No Pan * The Payphone
Certificate * Cow People * 128 high * April Warp * Flat Tire * Yagamo

Slippy-sliding pitch acoustic gelatinousness with all the beautiful non-logic of Trout Mask Replica gets crossed

with fluid takes on Derek Bailey’s porcupine barb massage techniques. Strings are tinked, roiled, and sprung

from every imaginable vantage – neck, bridge, fret; now taught then de-tuned. – Your Flesh

Wildly individualistic, this makes a lot of Gayle’s contemporaries/predecessors seem overrated in the eternal search

for expansion on the acoustic guitar. – Opprobrium, Dean Roberts

The Mommy Row is guitarist Philip Gayle’s monstrous, magma opus; the biggest, jaw-popping swallow one can
now take in the upper/outer echelon of free thinking acoustic voyagers. This gent’s three previous solo records
collected smitten global praise yet held no clues this would be next. Recorded in pristine audiophile splendor,
the NYC-via-Houston-based Gayle multi-tracked himself in duo, trio, hell -– sextet catacombs of 12-string guitar,
aluminum egg bar, prepared toy piano, baritone ukulele, hand held cymbals, classical guitar, gongs plus an isle
more of stringed wood and tempered metals. At its core, Gayle locks these spatial clusters, subtracting adding or
multiplying the bent themes that pass between, into a cohesive oft melodic form that shows itself in genius flash-
es. Orbiting an overtly damaged sphere risen from Derek Bailey, Sun City Girls, Thelonius Monk, Christopher
Tree

, Harry Bertoia, and years of bedroom perfection, these pieces owe most to the moment of recording.

Gayle’s style remains totally unique, crossing itself with Oriental motifs, classical, humor, flamenco and free
improv leanings.

Gayle self-issued his debut keguribap in 1997. A regular presence in the Houston, TX improv scene since the
early-90s, Gayle shared bills and local compilations with the likes of Charalambides and jazz scene regulars. He
also held a regular seat at the Tokyo gallery/coffee shop Blue Zone, while living in Japan for a few years. Fleece
Records issued pnbna, his second solo album of acoustic improvisations in 1998. Followed by Solo Live ‘98 on
Gayle’s own Yabyum imprint, the disc detailed a year of US touring and documented his live multi-guitar style
of playing with feet/hands. In between recording the double album Hud Pes! with percussionist Richard
Cholakian and the 7” Moeru Mizu with pianist/vocalist Yuko Kato, Gayle ventured to Slovenia for festival
appearances. In 2001 Gayle performed at the Big Sur Experimental Music Festival in California, recorded a still
unreleased duet album with Ernesto Diaz-Infante and performed in Tokyo. Since, Gayle relocated to NYC and
has kept to himself concentrating on private performance and mixing The Mommy Row. After its release, Gayle
will return to the live stage, with plans for regular local performances and extended US tours.

A

LSO

A

VAILABLE

Philip Gayle & Kato Yuko Moeru Mizu 7” FV7

Philip Gayle The Mommy Row

FAMILY VINEYARD catalog no: FV38

Release date: August 16, 2005

Format: CD

UPC: 656605403824

S

ELLING

P

OINTS

First solo Philip Gayle album since 1998. Duo 7” out in 2002 on Family Vineyard.
Previous releases praised by The Wire, Magnet, Your Flesh, Opprobrium, Cadence, G Modern (Japan), and others.
Mind bending guitar/percussion for fans of Richard Bishop, John Fahey and those seeking acoustic guitar freakouts.
Original cover art that will make people stop and stare.

www.family-vineyard.com Raleigh, NC 27605