David Claman is on the faculty at Lahman College-CUNY. He's well-schooled in composition, and he teaches it. And while the genre tag reads "classical," don't put too much stock in that description. Claman utilizes electronics, guitar and pretty much whatever else he has at hand. He's not only a skilled composer. He arranges his pieces with wit and dexterity.

David Claman Gradus (Albany Records)

And he doesn't root himself in any particular canon. There is an emphasis on Indian (the subcontinent) music, a nod to Hendrix, and some of the more impressive guitar sustain work I've heard. I wouldn't say this sounds improvisational, but Claman is able to consistently surprise even in his most meditative moments.

Claman borrows aplenty, but he always manages to find a new window. His one-minute excerpting of Moby Dick has subtleties that aren't immediately apparent to the ear. That applies pretty universally to this set.

These pieces are not going to be played on "classical" radio. Claman obviously believes in the progression of music from influence to inspiration, but he insists on finding something new within established ideas. This is a challenging set, but one that will reward the intellectually curious. Don't think too much too fast; these works work just fine on the surface.

Jon Worley