Psychodrama is Tigers on Opium debut full length. A structured form of therapy in which a person dramatizes a personal problem or conflict, usually in front of a group of other therapy participants. The other participants usually take part in the drama, though each performance focuses on a single person's concerns. The goal of psychodrama therapy is to work together in a group to achieve a better understanding of past traumas and the influence they can create, the members must feel willing to work together.
Fond of Tigers is a Canadian seven-piece post-rock instrumental band from Vancouver. An article in Exclaim! describes the band's sound: "with cacophonous explosions of percussion and guitar underlying wild strains of trumpet and violin, only to drop out for unexpected, ambient glimmers of a once-roaring piece." The group began in 2000 as a solo project of guitarist Stephen Lyons. After Lyons' pop group Beauventure disbanded, Lyons performed solo, and soon began playing along with tape loops and recorded sounds. In 2003 the project expanded to become a full band. Band members include Stephen Lyons on guitar, JP Carter on trumpet, Morgan McDonald on piano, Jesse Zubot on violin, Shanto Bhattacharya on bass, and Skye Brooks and Dan Gaucher on drums.
This is a remarkable album of duets with fellow jazz guitar virtuoso and educator, Mick Goodrick. There are six standards and six originals which, the producer's liner notes say, 'were all improvised and composed at the very moment I was pushing the record button on my tape machine.' Joe and Mick sound destined to play together, so well do they combine on this album. They push the boundaries with free improvisations and play the standards as well - but in a fresh way.
At times on this album, the two players abandon the convention of one player comping and the other soloing and instead, play in counterpoint - weaving single lines around each other - eg. 'Counterpoint Carnival/Manha de Carnival' and the gripping 'Rare Birds'…
IN 1988 FORMER ROLLING STONES guitarist Mick Taylor began what was to be a significant series of collaborations with L.A. based Carla Olson, first with their “Live at the Roxy” album Too Hot For Snakes, the centrepiece of which is an extended seven-minute performance of “Sway” included on this album. It was followed by Olson’s Within An Ace, which featured Taylor on seven songs. He appeared on three songs from Reap The Whirlwind and then again on Olson’s The Ring of Truth, on which he plays lead guitar on nine tracks, including a twelve-minute version of the song “Winter”. Further work by Olson and Taylor can be heard on the Olson-produced Barry Goldberg album Stoned Again. This is the best of their collaborations.