Rob Jacobs, leader of the devotional trio Wei Zhongle, is a rare personality operating within the aged style of vocal experimentalism — an organic breath that recalls the latent spirituality of musical processes. The man pools secret knowledge into deep wells of tight songcraft; he’s engaging, powerful. Whereas his work with Wei Zhongle is perhaps more exploratory and visceral, his solo ventures develop an interior spirituality that calls to mind Ouspensky’s fourth way. I will develop this comparison here:
Wei Zhongle consists of three members: Rob Jacobs (vocalist, violinist, guitarist), Sam Klickner (percussionist), and John McCowen (clarinetist). Their individual roles directly parallel George Ivanovich Gurdjieff’s esoteric paths of self-development. Firstly, the power and presence of Klickner’s drumming manifests “The Way of the Fakir,” a path that deals explicitly with the physical body — his playing roots the trio in the propulsive rhythm. McCowen’s reed-work is the cerebral element outlined in “The Way of the Yogi”; the dissonant harmonies and syncopation outline the mental, scholarly path. In trio form, Jacobs’ voice demonstrates “The Way of the Monk,” the path where the solitary voice masters emotions through devotional prayer.
Yet, in solo form, Jacobs clearly channels Ouspensky’s “Fourth Way,” the spiritual choice to embody oneself directly in the world, within the processes of ordinary lived experience. Such, his new piece “Walking Outside And It’s Dark” is a introspective escapade into the emotional, physical, mental spiritualities possible when embarking on the lonely walk. The track’s elegant simplicity — a jaunty guitar pluck, bass dip, and cymbal tick — all anchor his meandering voice directly in the essential, basic phenomenon of being. His sagely presentation of the sacred within such a direct scene helps to remind us of the personal visions that may originate in everyday observation.
• Rob Jacobs: http://robjacobs.bandcamp.com
• Wei Zhongle: http://weizhongle.bandcamp.com
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