Funny Rat

[Guest Chaney]

Dusted Reviews: Brötzmann / Nielsen / Uuskyla: Medicina (Atavistic)

[John B]

I'm just finishing the first disc of this:

but I can already give it a thumbs-up. Great disc! The music is fantastic, and the interview is fascinating.

[Д.Д.]

Dusted Reviews: Brötzmann / Nielsen / Uuskyla: Medicina (Atavistic)

That's a nice review.

So there is a 4th disc by this trio on FMR... hmm....

[gnhrtg]

Over the next couple of hours except to see a number of posts by me as I'll be copying my comments about the Perspectives Festival in Sweden and post some pictures here (in fact I see that we can post files twice as big, 100kb, too bad though that all were cropped for 400x400 and 40kb, I might post some better quality pics when I get home, then). In short, I had a great four days, got to meet many fine musicians and people finally got hold of Braxton Quartet's "Santa Cruz" along with many other fine discs.

I attended 20 concerts over four days and of those my favorites were Per Henrik Wallin-Han Bennink duo, Fred Frith-Lotta Melin-Ikue Mori, Gush with Philip Wachsmann, and Anthony Braxton solo - which happen to be one per day, from the opening day, Thursday, to Sunday, in that order. I have looked through all the pictures I took, though, and will post a couple each day in the hope that they keep the thread active meanwhile. Sorry, they had to be really tightly cropped.

Here's one from the Jaap Blonk-Lindha Kallendahl-Thomas Lehn show that kicked off the festival (well, there was a very brief opening duo by Mats Gustafsson and Dror Feiler on bariton and bass saxes respectively and electronics). The concert by the trio was so-and-so with nothing memorable, I thought. For me Blonk relies too much on effects/acrobatics and since Kallerdahl employs, comparatively, a much narrower range of sounds concentrating instead on blocks of melodic phrases, I couldn't hear much communication between the two. Lehn tried to steer the proceedings to a clear(er) path as was his wont through the arsenal at his disposal; he also played a solo brief piece packed with surprises.

[gnhrtg]

Per Henrik Wallin and Han Bennink, whose concert followed the abovementioned one. Per Henrik Wallin, if you've never heard him, is really a never ending fountain of melodic ideas. I've said this too many times already but I am pretty sure that he could have gone on for another hour or two and I definitely would have skipped dinner to hear the outcome. Bennink, who was in good form and brought his inimitable sense of swing, looked amazed by Wallin's imagination, too.

Oh, I promise the pictures will get better - it just happens that this and the one above are among the worst of the lot.

Wallin, he has a lot of Monk in both his phrasing/improvisation and the composed bits he seems to pull out of thin air, some of which, as likewise alluded to, are based mostly on rhythmic or melodic modification on Monk tunes. Think also slightly like Misha when he plays swinging tunes but definitely more willing to incorporate the traditional jazz line (and perhaps more in command of, too) into his playing.

[gnhrtg]

Here are some pictures from the Frith/Melin/Mori show. I would also be interested in hearing the music only - I thought the dancing to the music was well done and that the interplay between Frith and Mori was without much egos such that each would follow the other when the music (most likely without a plan) seemed to take a certain direction. I thought it especially noteworhty how Frith, for the most part, seemed to find some way of blending with and enriching Mori's textures.

Lots of pictures from this one, well only three here, as the setting really pushed to the fullest my enthusiasm for taking pictures.

[gnhrtg]

Here's one more, I guess I can say this concert was about moving or rather morphing soundscapes and that I really enjoyed the journey, given one visual representation of also by Melin's dancing.

Braxton solo, Gush w/Wachsmann, Graves/Brotzmann, and FME to follow.

Edited November 10, 2004 by gnhrtg

[Guest Chaney]

Good stuff, Gokhan!

20 concerts in 4 days? Gads! That's pretty amazing. Wish I could know such suffering.

[gnhrtg]

Thanks, Chaney! I really had one of the best 4 days, music as well as otherwise, in memory, but it was slightly exhausting I'll give you that - hey we had almost to rush after waking up (going to bed at about 3 at night) to catch the first concert of the day.

There were so many concerts and we were so pressed for time that I couldn't see much of Stockholm this time around so hope to put that right on my next visit along with a couple of concerts at the Glenn Miller Cafe. Since I've not heard many complaints and since at times I do feel like I'm talking to myself anyway let me say the following: I really liked what I saw of Sweden and our likewise is not only a very able cook but also one of the most colorful, yes that is the perfect word, persons I've met in quite some time. You probably could make it up from the above posts that I also met Jan Strom (JaSt) and he, too, is a warm and nice person and as interested in the music as anyone else, if you had any doubts that is.

Here are two pictures from the Braxton solo concert. It was the first time I saw Braxton live, solo or in an ensemble, and I'm happy that it was a solo concert that marked the occasion. It really was spellbinding at times and no sign at all of the weak tone that I'd somewhat expected based on his recent output. Very appreciative crowd, too, I thought (myself included), with bucketloads of applause after each piece. It was Braxton's usual routine, in form not in content mind you, by drawing from his Language Types and Sound Classifications and go on an investigation of the selections within a relatively brief piece (he has many of these "cues," I'll call them, which he expands upon so it's an established methodology by now).

(Still 40kb pictures only, sorry).

[gnhrtg]

GUSH w/Philipp Wachsmann was, for me, the best concert of the festival. Made me sit up and take notice plenty of times. As likewise has said, their way of improvising and interaction seemed to be really unique. It's one of the few concerts I attended this year, and it turns out that I've already seen quite a few concerts, where I wish I had paid even more attention to the music - where I would really buy the music, so I feel, if it were released. I was familiar with their music from their recordings, the most recent of which captures the ensemble's sound in 1996 - not counting a piece on the Sounds 99 compilation, but seeing them live and totally immersed, or as much as I could be, in the music as well as actually seeing these musicians in action - through which one really has a better appreciation of the spontaneity of this music - the tension before each subsequent sound and from whom it would come - was really something to savour.

One last point, I have a feeling that certain, most of the, musicians I see playing free improvisation tend to overplay and have this urge or preference to just play and play - I felt this was only very slightly, and refreshingly so, the case with GUSH and Sandell in particular has this uncanny sense of what is for me the most unexpected but in retrospect perfect spot to enter with one of his "concentrated middle register single note"s. And Strid, he never overpowered others - though he, as most drummers, easily could - and apparently is the drummmer whose sound palette is most in sync with Gustafsson's; he was also the one who played the least throughout the night, he kept changing back and forth between either two or three pairs of hi-hat and ride cymbals.

This was something else I tell you.

Oh yes, and I think just to be fair, Mats had a short near-solo tenor sax section, a highlight and perhaps the only one one could argue was to the detriment of the whole collectivity of the music making, that you really had to be there to fully appreciate such was the energy and the intensity, and no it wasn't him blowing his lungs out but still was many things crammed into one that was interesting to see but also much more interesting to hear.

[gnhrtg]

Raymond Strid - I was on the first row so no pictures, unfortunately, of the band as a whole.

[gnhrtg]

A few words on the record shop/area - Ayler, Atavistic, Hapna, Intakt, Blue Tower, Hapna, Olof Bright and some others were there. Although I bought a couple of others as well, I was delighted to get Mengelberg/Gustafsson/Prins' Live in Holland '97 and Braxton Quartet's Santa Cruz at what I thought were decent prices.

Brotzmann/Graves - Was nothing special and certainly the biggest disappointment. I should have known when Brotzmann walked on to the stage and said, while waiting for Graves, "This doesn't look too good." After coming to the stage, Graves took what I think was a ridiculously long time arranging his sticks and mallets and shortly thereafter the set kicked off with Brotzmann near signature entrance riff. It was clear to me that especially when one, Brotzmann in particular, was trying steer the music Graves really got a kick out of playing subversively and more generally the musicians were not playing with or off but against each other. I did like the Graves/Zorn duo in the birthday series so perhaps the results are better with a more hyperactive (different from blowing hard) player but Graves tried to do his thing without really attending to collaborative music making, I thought. This was evident especially when Brotzmann was obviously trying to either end a piece or trying to play softer and Graves would simply not let him. I'm still happy that I got to see them as a duo, well somewhat.

Did not get ideal seats (meaning 2nd or 3rd row instead of 1st!) and the lighting was worse than usual for concerts so this's the best picture I seem to have:

[John B]

gokhan,

These are great pictures and comments on each set! Thank you very much for posting.

I just finished listening to Sun Ra's Atlantis and was very impressed. The title track is a fantastic, chaotic wall of sound.

I have also finally heard the Art Ensemble of Chicago's Reese and the Smooth Ones and very highly recommend it. Great music!

[clifford_thornton]

Brotzmann and Graves don't play well together at all; the fact that it's a regular working group (Brotz/Graves/Parker) makes no sense to me. I'll take the FMP sides over his recent stuff any day -- all the way up through Djungle at least.

[Д.Д.]

Gokhan, thanks for overviews - looks like you had some great muscial impressions there.

Stockholm is indeed a nice city - I am looking forward to returning there one day.

Never heard of GUSH (although I know the members you mentioned from other projects) - anything you could recommend?

Graves/Brötzmann pairing indeed seems a bit strange to me. Graves is an incredible musician (you should really check out his solo CDs on Tzadik!) - but somehow I just don't see his musical universe overlapping with Brötzmann's.

Glad to hear thet Braxton was in good form - I was more than a bit disappointed by his chops (and ideas, actualy) after hearing 23 Standards amd duos with Andrew Cyrille.

Did Gustafsson play the flutophone thing (a baritone saxophone reed-flute hybride) - that's some monstrous thingthat should be experienced live (ubu had to hold me from falling out of the chair when I heard it live during the Barry Guy concert)!

Edited November 10, 2004 by Д.Д.

[Д.Д.]

CD LR 305 - Parker / Guy / Lytton / Schlippenbach / Lovens : 2 x 3 = 5 is sold out

I don't have any of those (all except Crispell were on THE LIST for a long time), but all look good. Gotta start the hunt again.

Did you ever get a chance to hear this one? I just did for the first time and am very impressed.

Just received this CD from CD Connection. Looks like they have more in stock (and don't forget this Cecil poetry disc as well).

Edited November 10, 2004 by Д.Д.

[gnhrtg]

D.D. - here, he played all of what you see here - I don't know for certain but I'd always read of it as being and alto-sax mouthpiece/reed that was jammed, doesn't matter either way, I know. Some better pictures and more about GUSH later.

edit: John, very glad to hear that, thank you! I thought you (and most) would already have read this at jc but then thought perhaps not (and honestly on D.D.'s suggestion decided to also post them here, after all it can't do much harm, I think).

Edited November 10, 2004 by gnhrtg

[Д.Д.]

Have been listening to Polwechsel & Fennesz "Wrapped Islands" (Estwhile) recently - and that's some beautiful music. Not sure I will succeed in describing it, so here is a not too inromative AMG review and a page with samples from the Erstwhile site. Regardless of my inability to discribe the music - an uncoditional from me.

[John B]

Have been listening to Polwechsel & Fennesz "Wrapped Islands" (Estwhile) recently - and that's some beautiful music. Not sure I will succeed in describing it, so here is a not too inromative AMG review and a page with samples from the Erstwhile site. Regardless of my inability to discribe the music - an uncoditional from me.

I would highly recommend listening to Too Beautiful to Burn, by Martin Siewert and Martin Brandlmayr. It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful disc on Erstwhile. If I had to choose one Erst to listen to that would be in the same vein as Wrapped Islands, this would be the one.

[Д.Д.]

Have been listening to Polwechsel & Fennesz "Wrapped Islands" (Estwhile) recently - and that's some beautiful music. Not sure I will succeed in describing it, so here is a not too inromative AMG review and a page with samples from the Erstwhile site. Regardless of my inability to discribe the music - an uncoditional    from me.

I would highly recommend listening to Too Beautiful to Burn, by Martin Siewert and Martin Brandlmayr. It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful disc on Erstwhile. If I had to choose one Erst to listen to that would be in the same vein as Wrapped Islands, this would be the one.

I have it (bought it following your recommendation, btw), and I like it.

Wrapped Islands is definitely less pretty, but more clever, IMO.

[jon abbey]

nice, thanks for the kind words.

the other two I've done in the unofficial "Vienna/Christoph Amann (recording engineer)" subseries besides Wrapped Islands and Too Beautiful To Burn are 008: Burkhard Stangl/Christof Kurzmann-Schnee and 025: Burkhard Stangl/dieb13-eh, both of which are arguably closer to Wrapped Islands simply because of the Stangl overlap.

there's also an amazing live recording of Stangl/Kurzmann from May, which closed the last of ten nights of shows in my AMPLIFY festival in Cologne/Berlin, which should be out in the new ErstLive series in the next couple of months. I can't wait until people hear that one...

[John B]

eh, schnee and the Radian discs, probably rec.extern to start would all also be good next choices after TBTB and Wrapped Islands.

Seeing Jon's post just now reminded me that Erstwhile just released two new live discs:

EL001: Keith Rowe/Burkhard Beins

EL002: Keith Rowe/Toshimaru Nakamura/Thomas Lehn/Marcus Schmickler

I'l be placing an order for these in the next day or so, most likely along with the often-maligned Rabbit Run, which has the same lineup as EL002, minus Tshimaru Nakamura.

[John B]

edit: John, very glad to hear that, thank you! I thought you (and most) would already have read this at jc but then thought perhaps not (and honestly on D.D.'s suggestion decided to also post them here, after all it can't do much harm, I think).

I've been skimming JC quite a bit recently, but I missed your posts on this. I'm glad you added them here, too.

[John B]

I've been listening to a few of the Anthony Braxton Quartet sides on Leo from 1985. So far I've made it through Coventry and London and, without exception, the music is fantastic. I've been hesitant to explore Braxton for quite some time. I think the size of his discography can be quite intimidating, but I have been richly rewarded by all of his albums I have heard.

For Alto and one of the GTM discs (probably Two Compositions (Trio) 1998) will be up next.

Edited November 12, 2004 by John B

[John B]

Have any of you ever heard of the Swedish label brax-tone? I was just reading about the group Läder, who sound very interesting. From the website

Läder is the new big noise from the North. Mixing the energy of hardcore, the suspense of free jazz and the otherwordliness of electro-acoustic music, they might not be the first-hand choice of the fainthearted. But as soon as you learn how to interact with their overwhelming intensity, you'll find their twisted groove remarkably elevating. Give Läder some of your time and they will reward you ten-fold!

The label has all releases available for download on mp3, so I'll give them a listen tonight.

Edited November 12, 2004 by John B