Matthew Wright’s album Cracked Glaze is performed by virtuoso vocalist Sofia Jernberg, Ensemble Klang (Michiel van Dijk, Erik-Jan de With, Anton van Houten, Pete Harden, Saskia Lankhoorn and Joey Marijs) and Wright’s improv/electronic group Spheric Totemic (Mandhira de Saram, Neil Charles, Alexander Hawkins, Stephen Davis and Matthew Wright). The 46-minute piece was performed live, and is built around a ‘spine’ of one long, descending scale which takes nineteen minutes to unfurl, and which then repeats with variations. Other layers of notation provide supporting roles. Superimposed against this notated ‘glaze’ are time-brackets (essentially start and stop times) for the improvisors to play solo or in groups. Wright also sampled, processed and sculpted the live sound design from the stage, and made significant post-production enhancements for the album release. 

From Matthew Wright’s sleeve notes: “In ceramics, a cracked glaze can occur during the firing process, when intense heat creates fractures, resulting in a tension between a smooth form and a tarnished surface. With Cracked Glaze I’m interested in how the elements of musical notation, improvisation and technology collide and ‘crack’ each other to produce catalytic results.”

From Nate Wooley’s sleeve notes: “… this whole recording is rare and wonderful … Wright’s deft handling of the piece’s form and balance, the joy of hearing great improvisors at the top of their game, a murderers’ row new music ensemble, and a near flawless recorded document—but ultimately, the question that should be asked of this and all recordings is whether it leaves us wanting to return to it, demanding to know more … This is up to you, but repeated trips down this path will be rewarded.”