Tim Berne

Snakeoil
ECM 2234

Bruno Chevillon/Tim Berne

Old and Unwise

Clean Feed CF 221 CD

After keeping a low profile of late, working mostly as sax-for hire in co-op bands, New York alto saxophonist Tim Berne asserts himself more conspicuously with these revealing projects. Old and Unwise is a set of unvarnished improvisations between Berne and French bassist Bruno Chevillon. Recorded seven months later, and his first studio date in eight years, Snakeoil introduces a new Berne combo, which tellingly doesn’t include a bass player. Instead Berne’s alto forays are harmonized with Oscar Noriega’s clarinet and bass clarinet, Matt Mitchell’s piano and Ches Smith’s drums.

A major stylist, Chevillon often works with baritone saxophonist François Corneloup, pianist Stéphan Oliva and guitarist Marc Ducret, the last of whom is a long-time Berne collaborator. With the judicious strength and skill of a bassist like Paul Chambers, Chevillon’s outlook is both abstract and comprehensive, as likely to be expressed in wood-smacking power or sul ponticello slices as pulsing twangs or balanced walking.

For his part, the saxophonist’s taut expressiveness cycles though a variety of sequences and segments. Harsh split tones and reed bites are raisons d’être with enough space left to examine and illuminate the partials of many tones. On the other hand measured cries and trills add to the balladic or narrative portions of his solos. A track such as the concluding “Single Entendre” for instance, matches bagpipe-like air releases and pressurized tongue stops from Berne with string clicks and reverberations created by the bassist vibrating a small stick and his hands among the strings and against the bass’s belly.

Meanwhile the segmented “Au Centre Du Corps” features Chevillon’s spiccato string motions that solidify into powerful plucks as a counterbalance to Berne’s abstract, altissimo timbre-analysis. As he works his way down the scale with double tonguing the altoist almost sound as if he’s quoting “A Love Supreme”.

Widened syncopated phrasing resulting from Berne’s tongue stops and tone variations reach a climax on the appropriately titled “Chance Taken”. As the bass line moves from string-vibrations to thickly paced pops, Berne’s rubato and tonal advances move forward. Breaking up the line with a few altissimo licks, the reedist pushes out first single notes, then complete clusters, while apparently examining and testing every reed property.

With more tonal colors available, Berne has a different strategy on Snakeoil; plus all the compositions but one are his. Taking advantage of Smith’s clockwork-style percussion, Smith’s metrical chording and Noriega’s harmonized glissandi, this is a less frenetic disc, but with equivalent power sublimated just below the surface.

After two years of gestation. It’s no surprise the performance is convincing. But at the same time these New York-based players are used to interpreting various visions. Mitchell, long interested in Berne’s music, also plays with the likes of guitarist Mary Halvorson, and saxophonist Darius Jones. Smith, who is in several bands with Mitchell, has also worked with Halvorson, as well as rock band Mr. Bugle and saxophonist John Tchicai. Noriega has played everything from interpretations of Charles Ives’ compositions to the Mexican-inspired Banda De Los Muertos, as well as gigging with drummer Paul Motian. On Snakeoil he’s most likely to use one of his clarinets to harmonize melodiously with Berne’s alto. At the same time his gnarly squeaks and peeps can provide a pointed obbligato to the others work.

Take “Yield”, co-written by Berne and Mitchell and “Spectacle” as exemplars. Both evolve with a free-floating mellowness which includes harmonized reeds and piano key strumming. On the former the textures move forward in dribs and drabs without losing the pulse as Mitchell’s rhythmic dexterity is matched by Smith’s vibraharp bounces. A broken-chord clarinet line has already glided across the low-frequency piano chords as Berne’s buoyant obbligato becomes screechier and more irregularly paced. It finally moves southwards until Smith hits a backbeat and the four modulates back to the free-flowing head.

In contrast, the theme of “Spectacle” is broken up with key clips, bongo-like reverberations and bass drum smacks. Noriega’s supple clarinet lines balance atop Smith’s clatter and pops until the reedist begins spinning out pressurized and staccato theme variations joined by Berne in near-scream mode. As the piano cadenzas toughen and the drum work hardens a two-horn fortissimo run signals the finale.

Among the tremolo piano keys chiming, clipping and fanning, the tandem reed stretches and trills and measured percussion pace, Berne has managed to create a self-contained program which is sophisticated without being sloppy and mercurial without being monotonous or jarring. There is enough thematic material to keep the program moving on an even keel, and enough exploratory kineticism with unexpected instrumental tones to keep things interesting. Furthermore there’s enough skillful instrumental virtuosity to showcase each man’s particular talents.

Finally under his own name again, Tim Berne is back in top form.

--Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Snakeoil: 1. Simple City 2. Scanners 3. Spare Parts 4. Yield 5. Not Sure 6. Spectacle

Personnel: Snakeoil: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Oscar Noriega (clarinet and bass clarinet); Matt Mitchell (piano) and Ches Smith (drums)

Track Listing: Old: 1. Crossed Minds 2. High/Low 3. L'état D'incertitude 4. Au Centre Du Corps 5. Quelque Chose Vacille 6. Back Up The Truck 7. Chance Taken 8. Crooked 9. Cornered 10. Dissimulable 11. Single Entendre

Personnel: Old: Tim Berne (alto saxophone) and Bruno Chevillon (bass)

August 1, 2012

Bruno Chevillon/Tim Berne

Old and Unwise
Clean Feed CF 221 CD

Tim Berne

Snakeoil

ECM 2234

After keeping a low profile of late, working mostly as sax-for hire in co-op bands, New York alto saxophonist Tim Berne asserts himself more conspicuously with these revealing projects. Old and Unwise is a set of unvarnished improvisations between Berne and French bassist Bruno Chevillon. Recorded seven months later, and his first studio date in eight years, Snakeoil introduces a new Berne combo, which tellingly doesn’t include a bass player. Instead Berne’s alto forays are harmonized with Oscar Noriega’s clarinet and bass clarinet, Matt Mitchell’s piano and Ches Smith’s drums.

A major stylist, Chevillon often works with baritone saxophonist François Corneloup, pianist Stéphan Oliva and guitarist Marc Ducret, the last of whom is a long-time Berne collaborator. With the judicious strength and skill of a bassist like Paul Chambers, Chevillon’s outlook is both abstract and comprehensive, as likely to be expressed in wood-smacking power or sul ponticello slices as pulsing twangs or balanced walking.

For his part, the saxophonist’s taut expressiveness cycles though a variety of sequences and segments. Harsh split tones and reed bites are raisons d’être with enough space left to examine and illuminate the partials of many tones. On the other hand measured cries and trills add to the balladic or narrative portions of his solos. A track such as the concluding “Single Entendre” for instance, matches bagpipe-like air releases and pressurized tongue stops from Berne with string clicks and reverberations created by the bassist vibrating a small stick and his hands among the strings and against the bass’s belly.

Meanwhile the segmented “Au Centre Du Corps” features Chevillon’s spiccato string motions that solidify into powerful plucks as a counterbalance to Berne’s abstract, altissimo timbre-analysis. As he works his way down the scale with double tonguing the altoist almost sound as if he’s quoting “A Love Supreme”.

Widened syncopated phrasing resulting from Berne’s tongue stops and tone variations reach a climax on the appropriately titled “Chance Taken”. As the bass line moves from string-vibrations to thickly paced pops, Berne’s rubato and tonal advances move forward. Breaking up the line with a few altissimo licks, the reedist pushes out first single notes, then complete clusters, while apparently examining and testing every reed property.

With more tonal colors available, Berne has a different strategy on Snakeoil; plus all the compositions but one are his. Taking advantage of Smith’s clockwork-style percussion, Smith’s metrical chording and Noriega’s harmonized glissandi, this is a less frenetic disc, but with equivalent power sublimated just below the surface.

After two years of gestation. It’s no surprise the performance is convincing. But at the same time these New York-based players are used to interpreting various visions. Mitchell, long interested in Berne’s music, also plays with the likes of guitarist Mary Halvorson, and saxophonist Darius Jones. Smith, who is in several bands with Mitchell, has also worked with Halvorson, as well as rock band Mr. Bugle and saxophonist John Tchicai. Noriega has played everything from interpretations of Charles Ives’ compositions to the Mexican-inspired Banda De Los Muertos, as well as gigging with drummer Paul Motian. On Snakeoil he’s most likely to use one of his clarinets to harmonize melodiously with Berne’s alto. At the same time his gnarly squeaks and peeps can provide a pointed obbligato to the others work.

Take “Yield”, co-written by Berne and Mitchell and “Spectacle” as exemplars. Both evolve with a free-floating mellowness which includes harmonized reeds and piano key strumming. On the former the textures move forward in dribs and drabs without losing the pulse as Mitchell’s rhythmic dexterity is matched by Smith’s vibraharp bounces. A broken-chord clarinet line has already glided across the low-frequency piano chords as Berne’s buoyant obbligato becomes screechier and more irregularly paced. It finally moves southwards until Smith hits a backbeat and the four modulates back to the free-flowing head.

In contrast, the theme of “Spectacle” is broken up with key clips, bongo-like reverberations and bass drum smacks. Noriega’s supple clarinet lines balance atop Smith’s clatter and pops until the reedist begins spinning out pressurized and staccato theme variations joined by Berne in near-scream mode. As the piano cadenzas toughen and the drum work hardens a two-horn fortissimo run signals the finale.

Among the tremolo piano keys chiming, clipping and fanning, the tandem reed stretches and trills and measured percussion pace, Berne has managed to create a self-contained program which is sophisticated without being sloppy and mercurial without being monotonous or jarring. There is enough thematic material to keep the program moving on an even keel, and enough exploratory kineticism with unexpected instrumental tones to keep things interesting. Furthermore there’s enough skillful instrumental virtuosity to showcase each man’s particular talents.

Finally under his own name again, Tim Berne is back in top form.

--Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Snakeoil: 1. Simple City 2. Scanners 3. Spare Parts 4. Yield 5. Not Sure 6. Spectacle

Personnel: Snakeoil: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Oscar Noriega (clarinet and bass clarinet); Matt Mitchell (piano) and Ches Smith (drums)

Track Listing: Old: 1. Crossed Minds 2. High/Low 3. L'état D'incertitude 4. Au Centre Du Corps 5. Quelque Chose Vacille 6. Back Up The Truck 7. Chance Taken 8. Crooked 9. Cornered 10. Dissimulable 11. Single Entendre

Personnel: Old: Tim Berne (alto saxophone) and Bruno Chevillon (bass)

August 1, 2012

SFE

Positions and Descriptions
Clean Feed CF 230 CD

By Ken Waxman

For the past 20-odd years as “Butch” Morris has demonstrated conduction: structuring free improvisation using a specific series of hand gestures, many improvising ensembles have been created in his its wake. Whether groups use or not signals developed by Morris to rearrange and sculpt notated and non-notated music, conduction is part of their inventory. As these releases demonstrate however, it depends on individual musicians’ skills for a performance to be fully satisfying.

This is apparent on Verona, collecting two Morris-directed conductions from 1994 and 1995. While both involve 11-piece ensembles, the instrumentation in 1995 makes it more satisfying. The three parts of “Verona Skyscraper” vibrate with a lyrical exposition and juddering intensity that upstages the five parts of “The Cloth” from 1994. As two percussionists, a guitarist and two pianists stretch, smack and crunch a pulsating ostinato, distinctive solo interludes interrupt the cacophonous friction. Bill Horvitz’s guitar plinks are contrapuntally paired with one pianist’s key clipping or the aggression of the rhythm section is muted by Stefano Benini’s legato flute tone or contralto wisps from Marco Pasetto’s clarinet. Throughout, Zeena Parkins’ harp plinks are lyrical with a hard edge. As the massed instrumental textures quiver continuously, the stand out soloist is J.A. Deane on trombone and electronics. His braying plunger work cuts through harmonized woodwind extensions or the layered friction of piano strumming cadenzas. Eventually the full-force instrumental bubbles to a crescendo, then ebbs to signal the finale by shrinking to triangle pings and guitar plinks.

Although Deane also solos on “The Cloth”, the minimalist quivers predominating from dual cello string shimmies, low-frequency piano chording and gaunt oboe tones make the themes overly precious. When the downward pinches of Parkins’ harp stand out as disruptively staccato, the textural sameness of the other textures becomes apparent. Luckily by the time the carol-like “Omega” is played, sul ponticello strokes from the celli, and whacks from Le Quan Ninh’s percussion join barking trombone guffaws to angle at least this piece towards concluding excitement.

Flash forward 12 years and bassist/composer Simon H. Fell’s Positions and Descriptions owes as much to juxtaposition as conduction, although Steve Beresford s on hand to bring conduction clues to the 16-piece ensemble. The nine-movement suite is described as “a compilation … incorporating composed, pre-recorded and improvised elements”. With the pre-recorded sequences at a minimum, the tension engendered is between the composition’s notated and free-form sections. Early in the suite Tim Berne’s mercurial saxophone lines create free jazz interludes abetted by drummer Mark Sanders’ rim shots. Later, a chamber ensemble of clarinet and strings echo ornate textures as glockenspiel, vibes and bells jingle contrapuntally and a tubax burps. From a jazz standpoint, “Movt. III” is the most exhilarating track, with Sanders’ bass drum accents and Fell’s pumping strings leading the band though a vamp reminiscent of Count Basie’s 16 men swinging. In counterpoint clarinettist Alex Ward produces reed-biting shrieks and trumpeter Chris Batchelor brassy slurs. Before a cacophonous ending, pianist Philip Thomas and violinist Mifune Tsuji output a faux-schmaltzy tango. Preceding and following this, harp glissandi and baroque-styled trumpet maintain the composition’s formalistic aspects. Fell makes jokes as well. “Plusieurs Commentaires de PB pour DR [Description 5]” described as a “mini concerto for baritone saxophone”, only features the horn’s distinctive snorts when introducing the following “Movt. V”. Before that the piece involves flute whistles, piano key percussion and half-swallowed saxophone tongue slaps. The concluding “Movt. V” gives guitarist Joe Morris a dynamic showcase for kinetic string snaps. At the same time Fell has orchestrated sequences in which staccato string vibrations, woodwind smears and horror-movie quivers from the electronics arrive in sequence. Taken adagio, the finale involves every musician creating snarling dissonance.

Whether that last sequence actually involved conduction, giving top-flight soloists their head is evidentially as good a guarantee of quality music as theory.

Tracks: Positions: Movt. I [Positions 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4; Who’s the Fat Man? [Description 1]; Movt. II [Position 5]; FZ pour PB [Description 2]/Commentaire I de “FZ pour PB” [Description 3]; Movt. III [Positions 6-9]; Graphic Description 4; Movt. IV [Position 10]; Plusieurs Commentaires de PB pour DR [Description 5]; Movt. V [Positions 11-17]

Personnel: Positions: Chris Batchelor: trumpet; Jim Denley: piccolo, concert, alto and bass flutes; Andrew Sparling: Eb, Bb and bass clarinets; Alex Ward: Bb clarinet; Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Damien Royannais: baritone saxophone, Eb tubax; Mifune Tsuji: violin; Rhodri Davies: harps; Philip Thomas: piano and celesta; Joe Morris: guitar; Simon H. Fell: bass and electronics; Philip Joseph: theremin; Mark Sanders: drums; Joby Burgess: percussion; Steve Beresford: electronics and conduction; Clark Rundell: conductor

Tracks: Verona: Conduction No. 43: The Cloth; Via Talciona; Dust to Dust (part 1); Omega; Long Goodbye / Conduction No. 46: Skyscraper Mutiny; Crossdresser; Testament

Personnel: Verona: Conduction No. 43: J.A. Deane trombone/electronics; Mario Arcari: oboe; Riccardo Fassi and Myra Melford: pianos; Brandon Ross: guitar; Bryan Carrot: vibraphone; Stephano Montaldo: viola; Martin Schutz and Martine Altenburger: cello; Zeena Parkins: harp; Le Quan Ninh: percussion/Conduction No. 46: J.A. Deane trombone/electronics; Stefano Benini : flute; Marco Pasetto: clarinet; Francesco Bearzatti: bass clarinet; Rizzardo Piazzi: alto saxophone; Riccardo Massari and Myra Melford: pianos; Bill Horvitz: guitar; Zeena Parkins: harp; Carlo “Bobo” Facchinetti: drums; Le Quan Ninh: percussion

--For New York City Jazz Record January 2012

January 5, 2012

Lest We Forget:

Julius Hemphill (1938-1995)
By Ken Waxman

Known best for the 15-odd years he spent as a founding member of the World Saxophone Quartet (WSQ), saxophonist and composer Julius Arthur Hemphill, influenced the shape of jazz before and after that affiliation. Live at Kassiopeia, a 1987 German concert recently released by NoBusiness, demonstrates his prowess in extending solo reed language and in powerful duets with German bassist Peter Kowald. Hemphill’s organizational and musical smarts also encouraged younger saxophonists such as Tim Berne and especially Marty Ehrlich, whose Julius Hemphill Sextet preserves the all-saxophone ensemble Hemphill created after splitting with the WSQ.

Born Jan. 24th, 1938 in Fort Worth, TX, the sounds of blues, jazz and gospel live and on jukeboxes were part of Hemphill’s life growing up. Brief R&B gigs with Ike Turner’s band following a hitch the US Army intensified these currents. Moving to St. Louis in the late ‘60s, Hemphill helped organize the multidisciplinary collective Black Artists’ Group (BAG) with future WSQ members alto saxophonist Oliver Lake and baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett. Moreover, it was compositions such as his epic “The Hard Blues”, initially recorded on the influential Dogon A.D. album for his own Mbari label, which confirmed that the textures of experimental jazz could be combined with bedrock blues rhythms.

This tendency was extended with the WSQ, initially consisting of Lake, Hemphill, Bluiett and tenor saxophonist David Murray. Hemphill was chief arranger for the cooperative until personal conflicts and health problems forced him to leave. With albums under his own name such as Roi Boyé & the Gotham Minstrels (Sackville/Delmark) and Blue Boyé (Screwgun), he started experimenting with multimedia, multi-instrumentalism and overdubbing. Hemphill collaborated with dancer Bill T. Jones on “The Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin/The Promised Land”; organized one eponymous big band disc on Elektra/Musician around a setting of K. Curtis Lyle`s poetry; composed “Long Tongues”, a 75-minute opera for six saxophones, rhythm section, strings, brass and piccolo that utilized spoken word, dance and photo montage; wrote for non-jazz ensembles such as the Arditti String Quartet and the Richmond Symphony and, in live performance, would often play alongside pre-recorded tapes.

The results of a serious car accident, plus diabetes, cancer and heart problems, adversely affected his life from the early ‘80s onward. Although his health didn’t permit him to perform after 1994 - Berne took his place in the sextet - before that Hemphill had worked steadily with associates like percussionist Warren Smith and cellist Abdul Wadud. Hemphill died in New York on Apr. 2nd, 1995.

--For New York City Jazz Record January 2012

January 5, 2012

Marc Ducret

Tower Vol. 2
Ayler Records AYLCD 119

By Ken Waxman

Fraternal, but not identical twin to French guitarist Marc Ducret’s Tower Vol. 1, this CD features him with a completely different cast, yet is just as noteworthy. The only horn is alto saxophonist Tim Berne, whose association with Ducret goes back 15 years. Drummer is in-demand Tom Rainey and unparalleled string variations come from fellow Gaul, violinist Dominique Pifarély, who has worked with reedist Louis Sclavis.

Consisting of three, extended – the briefest is nearly 17 minutes – multi-sectional compositions, the quartet operates at a high level throughout. Organic and polyphonic, the musical narratives frequently depend on textural similarities among the three lead instruments as Rainey stays in the background with strokes, pops and bounces.

For instance, “Real Thing #3”, the first and second variation of which are on Vol. 1, finds the fiddler and saxophonist vibrating nearly identical note expansions, with individual identity only obvious as Pifarély jaggedly double-stops and dynamically stretches his lines to almost humanly vocalize alongside Berne’s straightforward ostinato and circular smears. Meantime Ducret’s output turns from scene-setting reverb to downturned strums almost rococo in their decoration.

Ducret’s shifts from folksy to febrile strumming plus Rainey’s positioned strokes mark transitions from one section to another. Subsequently, as on “Sur l’Electricité”, the violinist’s angled and speedy spiccato meets perpendicular guitar distortions. Or on “Softly Her Tower Crumbled in the Sweet Silent Sun”, the continuum is characterized by Morse-code-like stopping from the fiddler, ragged frails and distorted flanges from the guitarist plus yakety sax-like overblowing from Berne, all evolving in parallel, yet complementary lines.

This wordy-titled, concluding track ends with satisfying and lyrical cohesiveness. One would expect that if there is yet another Tower sequel it will offer as many pleasant surprises as volumes 1 and 2.

Tracks: Sur l’Electricité; Real Thing #3; Softly Her Tower Crumbled in the Sweet Silent Sun

Personnel: Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Marc Ducret: electric guitar; Dominique Pifarély: violin; Tom Rainey: drums

--For New York City Jazz Record December 2011

December 5, 2011

Auand Records

Label Spotlight
By Ken Waxman

No matter how many products are in the marketplace quality wins out, and Italian label Auand demonstrates this. Celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a series of New York concerts, the label, located in Bisceglie, on the Adriatic seacoast, was founded by Marco Valente because, he says, with most Italian jazz labels dating from the 1970s, “I felt the Italian scene needed something new to shake up the market.”

Valente, who owns www.jazzos.com, a successful e-commerce site, admits to a “love of the so-called downtown New York scene. I often found its influence on some Italian musicians I work with”. Consequently Auand has often put out CDs by foreign, as well as Italian improvisers. With players such as Tim Berne, Jim Black and Bobby Previte, it has facilitated Americans recording with Italians.

Translated as ‘Warning” in the local dialect, Auand was picked as label name because it’s one easily remembered by non-Italians. A loan from Valente’s aunt financed the start-up, but since then every CD has been self-financed. Like jazzos.com, Auand is a one-man operation. “I do all aspects by myself, from scouting to executive producing, from press to marketing,” says Valente. “I prefer to release just a few albums a year to have time to work on promotion.”

Although the majority of the 26 Auand CDs have resulted from sessions organized by the musicians’ themselves, Valente notes that “I like to be involved from the beginning, including the choice of the music and the musicians. I take part in the decision regarding the recording studio, but I don’t have a favorite. I prefer musicians to feel good and work with someone they know. I like to have a high quality recording, with balanced, natural mixing and strong mastering.” Also, since 2009, Valente has operated an Auand-affiliated a booking and management agency.

This doesn’t mean that Valente is a martinet who forces his concepts on the players however. “He does have suggestions, but they’re always offered in a constructive and warm communicative setting,” notes Brooklyn-based saxophonist Ohad Talmor, who has recorded two CDs for the label. “Marco has a pretty ‘hands off’ attitude and trusts the musicians,” he continues.

“I feel completely free to do what I want,” adds Paris-based reedist Francesco Bearzatti, who has recorded four Auand discs. “But Marco suggests many ideas as well. Auand has an aesthetic that is very original and precise. Marco must like what he produces. If not there’s no way it will be on his label.”

One example of this is Bearzatti’s Virus CD. “I called Marco because I was doing my second CD and I wanted to do something different,” the saxophonist recalls. “My first record was more in the jazz tradition, original tunes but with piano, bass and drums. I asked Marco to produce a modern organ trio because I had different ideas in my mind and I knew that Auand had a different concept.” Not only did the CD build his Continental reputation, reports Bearzatti, but in 2003 he was named “best new talent” in an Italian critics’ poll.

The label owner’s New York contacts have led to other connections. For instance Stolen Days by Bearzatti’s Sax Pistols came about in 2006 after the saxman told Valente wanted to do a rock-styled session playing his horn with guitar effects. “He saw [electric bassist] Stomu Takeishi at a gig and loved him. I suggested [drummer] Dan Weiss because I knew he was a John Bonham fan,” recalls Valente. “The trio worked together perfectly.” Intollerant featuring Berne with Mr. Rencore, was the result of that Livorno-based trio seeking a guest artist. “Of course they knew Tim from his records but they never met him,” report Valente. “I’ve known Tim for years and sent him their music. He accepted to work with them and we invited him to participate in a festival in Bari which premiered the work.”

Talmor notes that releasing Playing in Traffic on Auand in 2009 by Steve Swallow, Adam Nussbaum and himself “was a good deal, as Marco would be producing a group led by a senior figure of the jazz establishment, yet with a foot in the ‘young’ contemporary scene.” The when it came to NewsReel, his recent CD as a leader, “I had an offer to put it out on a ‘bigger’ label but preferred to go with Marco knowing his true love for the music and his very supportive stance toward the group,” Talmor adds.

Growth of the Internet and musicians’ schedules make up for the geographic distance, Talmor relates. “I travel extensively so Marco and I meet up often enough if there’s a real need. Having Auand in Italy actually presents some advantages: When I did a two-week European tour with Swallow and Nussbaum Marco was able to sync CDs to be sold at each show, overcoming distances and border issues. I suspect having Auand based in Europe has led to more European reviews and contacts which positively affects touring.”

Although Auand discs are available from iTunes, Valente states that “I don't like digital downloads and always declared I didn’t want Auand on digital platforms. This year I gave up due to some musicians asking for it. I don’t think downloads will fully replace CDs, anyways.”

Auand’s most recent CDs, Room of Mirrors and Living in a Movie are part of a new piano series. While he likes piano trios, for years Valente refused such projects because they weren’t part of Auand’s “artistic path”. Now he’s relented and promises more. Committed to releasing two or three CDs every year, the next scheduled are by guitarist Giovanni Francesca and another by the Barber Mouse trio playing pop songs by Italy’s Subsonica. The Auand celebration, which takes place in different New York venues, will also be recorded for later release.

The fact that so many Italian and American musicians are making the trip to play the Auand fest, says a lot about how Auand is regarded. As Tamor states: “Marco defends a vision of music and supports it financially, logistically and aesthetically.”

--For New York City Jazz Record November 2011

November 10, 2011

Michael Formanek

The Rub And Spare Change
ECM 2167

Hugo Carvalhais

Nebulosa

Clean Feed CF 201 CD

Leadership’s loss is a sideman’s gain as these quartet sessions demonstrate. That’s because alto saxophonist Tim Berne, who hasn’t made a CD under his own name for about half a decade, instead adds his skills to these bassist-led quartet sessions. Instructively as well, while one combo is completed by Americans with whom Berne has often played in the past, the other is made up of younger Portuguese Jazzers who recently toured with the American reedist.

Nebulosa – and its five-part title suite –is designed to show off the composing and improvising skills of bassist Hugo Carvalhais, who along with pianist Gabriel Pinto, often backs singer Maria João Mendes. Carvalhais also plays electronics on this CD and Pinto synthesizer; drummer Mário Costa the fourth man.

The Rub And Spare Change on the other hand is a completely acoustic showcase for six compositions and the magisterial bass playing of Michael Formanek, whose role leading the Jazz orchestra at Baltimore`s Peabody Conservatory of Music leaves him little time for extracurricular activities. Working on-and-off with Berne since the early 1990s, after having backed everyone from saxophonist Stan Getz to trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, this is the first CD Formanek has lead since 1998. The other players aren’t exactly neophytes either. Drummer Gerald Cleaver has worked with saxophonists as different as Lotte Anker and Roscoe Mitchell, while he and pianist Craig Taborn have both been part of Berne’s and Mitchell’s regular working bands.

Familiar with each others’ technical skills the four players on The Rub And Spare Change are able to move from Funk to Impressionism and back again seemingly without breaking a sweat. This is most noticeable on the CD’s most extensive track, the 17-minute plus “Tonal Suite”. In truth as atonal as it is tonal, the piece encompasses several movements beginning with an exposition of walking bass and drum backbeats accompanying Berne’s irregularly voiced split tones as they and Taborn’s piano plucks weave around one another. While Berne keeps reed biting, the pianist’s next variant includes key clipping and hard-paced arpeggios, which while advancing chromatically also motivate the saxophonist’s intervallic lines into downward-slurring split tones. Well paced drum beats and understated bull fiddle plucks contribute their own percussive variations, so that with the backing taken care of, the saxophonist and pianist can harmonize moving lines from agitato to moderato and from staccato to legato. A final variant with a teasing false ending, features extended cadenzas from Taborn. Then a traditional recap of the head precedes a trebly piano coda.

Although he takes no extended solos, Formanek, emphasizes his compositions here. And well he should, for their range is wide. “Too Big To Fail” is another exercise in multiple, multiphonics, while the title track is a convincing Freebop piece, built around soulful tension and release. As Cleaver rhythmically locks down an elastic shuffle beat, Berne vibrates the head with chirps and side-slipping tones while Taborn’s low-frequency strummed chords expand to define the piece as a skipping etude.

As sardonically played as its title suggests, “Too Big To Fail” mixes bass string pops, drum press rolls and rasping piano cadenzas as the saxophonist elaborates the theme in the tenor register. Before the tune is conclusively redefined contrapuntally, the pianist’s contrasting dynamics and repeated chord clusters plus Berne’s alternating of altissimo squeals and moderato split tones suggest a narrative almost as harsh and dyspeptic as what the American investment industry faced a couple of years ago.

With Nebulosa serendipitously recorded in same month as the other session, Carvalhais’ core combo is given added impetus by hired gun Berne. Although the title composition is a six-part suite of sorts, the CD’s introductory track and others – most played solely by the trio– surrounding the suite. Berne however doesn’t really start experimenting with split tones until “Part III” of the suite, before that contenting himself with paced twitters and splutters plus irregularly pitched obbligatos in his solos.

For his part, Pinto distinguishes himself by splitting his exposition between atmospheric synthesizer wave forms – matched by ululating werewolf whistles and signal-processed quivers from Carvalhais’ electronics – to more studied impressionistic piano chording. From a groove-oriented beginning, the suite affiliates itself with modulated Bop-stylings in its second section, only to have Berne’s snorting split tones and altissimo runs redefine the third part.

By the time “Nebulosa Part IV” makes its appearance, Berne’s chromatic mastication is joined by hearty double bass stops, thumps and jumps from Carvalhais, plus Costa’s flams, drags and distinctive cow bell whacks. Eventually the multi-part composition is taken out by the trio alone, as airy piano arpeggios and supple floating bass lines give way to tougher, double-stopped, but definitely un-funky rhythm, squeaky wiggling electronic pulses and concluding stops from the bassist.

Other than the suite, the most noteworthy outing is Pinto’s “North”, whose syncopation meanders into “Maiden Voyage” territory. Despite this thematic suggestion the composition is still an original statement that harmonizes triple counterpoint among airy, dynamic glissandi from the piano, pinched, intense vibrato from the saxophonist and unforced, but relentless rhythms from the bassist and drummer.

With Berne the connecting factor between them, both CDs have much to offer. The Rub And Spare Change features him in the company of familiar players, while Nebulosa links him with younger players who will help shape Jazz in the future. As good as his playing his here, one would hope nonetheless that recording as the leader of a session is still part of his game plan.

--Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Nebulosa: 1. Intro 2. Nebulosa Part I 3. 3. Nebulosa Part II 4. Impala* 5. Nebulosa Part III 6. Nebulosa Part IV 7. Cobalto* 8. North 9. Nebulosa* Part V 10. Redemption*

Personnel: Nebulosa: Tim Berne (alto saxophone [except*]); Gabriel Pinto (piano and synthesizer); Hugo Carvalhais (bass and electronics) and Mário Costa (drums)

Track Listing: Rub: 1. Twenty Three Neo 2. The Rub And Spare Change 3. Inside The Box 4. Jack's Last Call 5. Tonal Suite 6. Too Big To Fail

Personnel: Rub: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Craig Taborn (piano); Michael Formanek (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums)

March 24, 2011

Hugo Carvalhais

Nebulosa
Clean Feed CF 201 CD

Michael Formanek

The Rub And Spare Change

ECM 2167

Leadership’s loss is a sideman’s gain as these quartet sessions demonstrate. That’s because alto saxophonist Tim Berne, who hasn’t made a CD under his own name for about half a decade, instead adds his skills to these bassist-led quartet sessions. Instructively as well, while one combo is completed by Americans with whom Berne has often played in the past, the other is made up of younger Portuguese Jazzers who recently toured with the American reedist.

Nebulosa – and its five-part title suite –is designed to show off the composing and improvising skills of bassist Hugo Carvalhais, who along with pianist Gabriel Pinto, often backs singer Maria João Mendes. Carvalhais also plays electronics on this CD and Pinto synthesizer; drummer Mário Costa the fourth man.

The Rub And Spare Change on the other hand is a completely acoustic showcase for six compositions and the magisterial bass playing of Michael Formanek, whose role leading the Jazz orchestra at Baltimore`s Peabody Conservatory of Music leaves him little time for extracurricular activities. Working on-and-off with Berne since the early 1990s, after having backed everyone from saxophonist Stan Getz to trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, this is the first CD Formanek has lead since 1998. The other players aren’t exactly neophytes either. Drummer Gerald Cleaver has worked with saxophonists as different as Lotte Anker and Roscoe Mitchell, while he and pianist Craig Taborn have both been part of Berne’s and Mitchell’s regular working bands.

Familiar with each others’ technical skills the four players on The Rub And Spare Change are able to move from Funk to Impressionism and back again seemingly without breaking a sweat. This is most noticeable on the CD’s most extensive track, the 17-minute plus “Tonal Suite”. In truth as atonal as it is tonal, the piece encompasses several movements beginning with an exposition of walking bass and drum backbeats accompanying Berne’s irregularly voiced split tones as they and Taborn’s piano plucks weave around one another. While Berne keeps reed biting, the pianist’s next variant includes key clipping and hard-paced arpeggios, which while advancing chromatically also motivate the saxophonist’s intervallic lines into downward-slurring split tones. Well paced drum beats and understated bull fiddle plucks contribute their own percussive variations, so that with the backing taken care of, the saxophonist and pianist can harmonize moving lines from agitato to moderato and from staccato to legato. A final variant with a teasing false ending, features extended cadenzas from Taborn. Then a traditional recap of the head precedes a trebly piano coda.

Although he takes no extended solos, Formanek, emphasizes his compositions here. And well he should, for their range is wide. “Too Big To Fail” is another exercise in multiple, multiphonics, while the title track is a convincing Freebop piece, built around soulful tension and release. As Cleaver rhythmically locks down an elastic shuffle beat, Berne vibrates the head with chirps and side-slipping tones while Taborn’s low-frequency strummed chords expand to define the piece as a skipping etude.

As sardonically played as its title suggests, “Too Big To Fail” mixes bass string pops, drum press rolls and rasping piano cadenzas as the saxophonist elaborates the theme in the tenor register. Before the tune is conclusively redefined contrapuntally, the pianist’s contrasting dynamics and repeated chord clusters plus Berne’s alternating of altissimo squeals and moderato split tones suggest a narrative almost as harsh and dyspeptic as what the American investment industry faced a couple of years ago.

With Nebulosa serendipitously recorded in same month as the other session, Carvalhais’ core combo is given added impetus by hired gun Berne. Although the title composition is a six-part suite of sorts, the CD’s introductory track and others – most played solely by the trio– surrounding the suite. Berne however doesn’t really start experimenting with split tones until “Part III” of the suite, before that contenting himself with paced twitters and splutters plus irregularly pitched obbligatos in his solos.

For his part, Pinto distinguishes himself by splitting his exposition between atmospheric synthesizer wave forms – matched by ululating werewolf whistles and signal-processed quivers from Carvalhais’ electronics – to more studied impressionistic piano chording. From a groove-oriented beginning, the suite affiliates itself with modulated Bop-stylings in its second section, only to have Berne’s snorting split tones and altissimo runs redefine the third part.

By the time “Nebulosa Part IV” makes its appearance, Berne’s chromatic mastication is joined by hearty double bass stops, thumps and jumps from Carvalhais, plus Costa’s flams, drags and distinctive cow bell whacks. Eventually the multi-part composition is taken out by the trio alone, as airy piano arpeggios and supple floating bass lines give way to tougher, double-stopped, but definitely un-funky rhythm, squeaky wiggling electronic pulses and concluding stops from the bassist.

Other than the suite, the most noteworthy outing is Pinto’s “North”, whose syncopation meanders into “Maiden Voyage” territory. Despite this thematic suggestion the composition is still an original statement that harmonizes triple counterpoint among airy, dynamic glissandi from the piano, pinched, intense vibrato from the saxophonist and unforced, but relentless rhythms from the bassist and drummer.

With Berne the connecting factor between them, both CDs have much to offer. The Rub And Spare Change features him in the company of familiar players, while Nebulosa links him with younger players who will help shape Jazz in the future. As good as his playing his here, one would hope nonetheless that recording as the leader of a session is still part of his game plan.

--Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Nebulosa: 1. Intro 2. Nebulosa Part I 3. 3. Nebulosa Part II 4. Impala* 5. Nebulosa Part III 6. Nebulosa Part IV 7. Cobalto* 8. North 9. Nebulosa* Part V 10. Redemption*

Personnel: Nebulosa: Tim Berne (alto saxophone [except*]); Gabriel Pinto (piano and synthesizer); Hugo Carvalhais (bass and electronics) and Mário Costa (drums)

Track Listing: Rub: 1. Twenty Three Neo 2. The Rub And Spare Change 3. Inside The Box 4. Jack's Last Call 5. Tonal Suite 6. Too Big To Fail

Personnel: Rub: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Craig Taborn (piano); Michael Formanek (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums)

March 24, 2011

HERB ROBERTSON NY DOWNTOWN ALL STARS

Elaboration
Clean Feed CF042 CD

Organized to bring out the best qualities of trumpeter Herb Robertson’s more-than-48-minute composition when it was performed at the Vancouver (British Columbia) Jazz Festival, the NY Downtown All Stars is no misnomer.

Each of he players has a long history with one another, and all – with the exception of drummer Tom Rainey – have frequently recorded as leaders. Alto saxophonist Tim Berne has been had his own bands since the early 1980s, around the time he first met the drummer and the brassman, both of whom have played in his combos. Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier, who has a long-standing affiliation with another downtowner, violinist Mark Feldman, has worked with Robertson since the mid-1990s. As for bassist Mark Dresser, now teaching at the university level in California, his associations on both coasts run the gamut from multi-reedman Anthony Braxton to pianist Satoko Fujii – and everyone in between.

Not as well known as he should be, Robertson, who plays trumpet, cornet, mutes and megaphone here, has lived in both Europe and the United States and contributed distinctive brass tones to ensembles ranging from British bassist Barry Guy’s orchestra to the New Winds with flutist Robert Dick and woodwind player Ned Rothenberg to drummer Gerry Hemingway’s combos.

An all-out player and writer, ELABORATION is a particularly memorable showcase for his talents. Made up of tutti, thematic passages, as well as places where the quintet divides into different duos and trios, it uses all the variables implicit in the quintet’s playing without every lapsing into a string of flamboyant solos. Voiced so that the ensemble sounds as if it’s much larger than a mere five pieces, equal attention is focused on each member of the band.

With an exposition made up of wiggling blocs of reed tones and low-frequency piano cadences, “Elaboration” soon segues into a duet between Courvoisier’s chording and Robertson blowing plunger tones. Double-tongued, smeared vibrations from Berne mix with a walking bass line from Dresser, interrupted for col legno swipes, succeeds the initial duet. As the piece develops, the bassist’s double stopping and prepared piano scrapes and soundboard clinks and clicks make room for whining megaphone textures and reed tongue slaps.

A demarcation of protracted silence one-third of the way through finds the pianist soloing with recital hall correctness until understated drum bounces and harmonized trumpet and alto saxophone lines cut the tempo in half. Eventually triple counterpoint, call-and-response from the horns and double bass develop, until a martial figure from Rainey redirects the piece towards patterning piano and growled brass. This continues as a sub-motif beneath the major articulated theme inflated by Courvoisier’s vamps that literally shake items inserted in the instrument’s speaking length.

Berne’s repetition of the thematic figure here in an almost tenor saxophoneish timbre contrasts nicely with Robertson’s piercing plunger elaboration of the same motif. The pianist’s extended shifting dynamics coalesce into a solo that finds her working from one side of the keyboard to the other, sonorously darkening the lowest quadrant, then subsequently giving way to widely spaced growls and whinnies from Robertson’s cornet. Around them are calm-shattering reedy trills and tongue slaps from Berne and Rainey producing bare-handed conga drums-like bounces and ruffs.

Preparing for the resolution, the distinctive instrumental textures in the concluding section divide into sluiced glottal punctuation from the saxophone, mouthpiece tongue kisses from Robertson, spiccato lines from Dresser, rumbles and slaps from Rainey and flashing harmonic patterns from Courvoisier. Building up to a tutti finale, both the trumpeter and pianist append a single note coda.

Robertson may be helped by his friends here, but his composing and playing shape their contributions into a imposing whole.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Elaboration

Personnel: Herb Robertson (trumpet, cornet, mutes and megaphone); Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Sylvie Courvoisier (piano and prepared piano); Mark Dresser (bass); Tom Rainey (drums)

January 23, 2006

BIG SATAN

Souls Saved Hear
Thirsty Ear THI 5751.2

MS4
Smash the Tomatoes
ILK q04.1

Catapulting drum rhythms, chiming guitar runs and inventive saxophone lines unite this American trio and Danish quartet. But each has worked out its own way to mold the excitement of rock and adroit improvisations without falling into the trap of splashy fusion.

The secret of success seems to involve original compositions from more than one band member, an imaginative fretman, a laid-back drummer and a subtle reedist. Yet interestingly enough, the young Danes and slightly older Americans are affiliated in such a way that the MS4 could be siblings of Big Satan.

Both guitarist Mark Solborg and reedist Anders Banke lived in New York -- Big Satan’s stomping ground -- before returning to Copenhagen. In the Apple they were part of the so-called downtown scene that includes Satan’s saxist Tim Berne, drummer Tom Rainey and sometimes guitarist Marc Ducret. Berne himself has done projects with Danish musicians, including saxophonist Lotte Anker who also employs Solborg. Meanwhile, Paris-based Big Satanist Ducret is featured on MS4’s drummer Stefan Pasborg’s first solo CD, TOXIKUM (ILK TCB 004).

One shouldn’t make too much of the connection however. After all, MS4’s bassist Jeppe Skovbakke, one of the busiest in Copenhagen, plays with a clutch of local groups, as well as visitors like American saxist George Garzone. Banke’s gigs include a long-time commitment to Pierre Dørge’s Jungle Orchestra. On his own, Ducret has played with everyone from French drummer Daniel Humair to American tenor saxophonist Tony Malaby.

All and all though, it’s the taste exhibited by each guitarist and drummer that fully defines the two sessions. SMASH THE TOMATOES’ title tune for instance just skirts head banging. But Pasborg performs a bombast bypass with a shuffle that’s half Reggae and half Second Line, while Solborg introduces distorted lines that simultaneously reflect country picking. Flutter tonguing and reed-biting, Banke adds some sluicing buzzes on top.

Compare that to “Mr. Subliminal” on SOULS SAVED. Written by Berne, it shoehorns many time and tempo changes into the barely more than seven-minute track. Ducret starts things off double flanging with chromatic guitar runs that have plenty of echo. The alp horn-like echoes from the top portion of Berne’s sax soon break into split tones and squeaks so that it almost sounds as if he’s playing the bagpipes. Following that, there’s the intermingling of a second theme that’s all spiky horn lines and slurred guitar tones. Gradually, over a steady undercurrent of paradiddles from Rainey, the guitarist works his way to country music-like licks, while the altoist seems to be sounding out nursery rhyme melodies.

It’s Rainey’s taste and subtly that mute any power trio tendencies on the part of the others. Plus he brings that same restraint to his compositions. “Hostility Suite”, for instance, is a misnomer. Although initially designed as a showcase for Ducret’s wah-wah pedal and his exploration of tapered echoes that could be pre-programmed from a computer, guitar lines and stops and smears from Berne combine into an intermezzo of eiderdown-smooth pulsations and extended legato tones.

Throughout the three demonstrate polyrhythmic accord and overriding numerous counterpoint. Lines intersect and break apart as Rainey’s ratcheting rim shots accompany peeps, flattement and doits from Berne -- to take one example. Or Ducret’s heavy feedback distortion and finger slides meet the drummer’s double time ruffs and flams.

Snaky lines are tossed back-and-forth as on “Ce sont les noms des mots”, where draws back to extended acoustic guitar finger-picking from the fretman finally reveal the theme in legato smears from Berne. Rainey’s understated pulse balance’s the saxist’s altissimo smears and honks plus the guitarist’s distorted reverb until ringing chords complete the hardening and slackening of the theme.

That lead off track has echoes in the CD’s final number, a strategy similar to what unrolls on SMASH THE TOMATOES. More POMO however, both the Danish band’s first and final tracks are constructed out of loops and sine-wave space ship sounds sourced from elsewhere and re-imagined by the guitarist.

Banke’s reed arsenal gives MS4 more scope than Berne’s single horn in Big Satan however. “Toast”, for instance, is a full bore rocker featuring bottom-feeding baritone sax snorts and distorted reverb from the guitar, while “Slow Motion” floats chalumeau clarinet lines on top of strumming guitar fills and spreading ride cymbal textures.

“Unspoken”, a slower-moving power ballad, provides the best showcase for Pasborg’s drumming which moves from chain rattling and manipulation of unselected cymbals to bata-like resonation and eventual metallic cymbal scrapes and faux tam tam rattles. With Banke exhibiting sluicing coloratura clarinet work, Solborg demonstrates his jazzy fingerpicking on “Don Goppel”. Sounding more like Jim Hall than Jimi Hendrix, his work adds to strength to the straightforward, happy number that is held together by Skovbakke’s bass line and could be ascribed to the Hot Club of Denmark.

Skovbakke’s underutilization in anything but a supporting role is one CD weakness, though. The other shortcoming confirms the MS4’s comparative youth. “Bromf”, despite reed-biting squeals and tremolo traffic-jam reverb from the guitarist ends up as an “Iron Man” soundalike, meandering to rock rhythms not the superior jazz-like pulse the band maintains elsewhere.

Still everyone is allowed a few growing pains early in his career. Both these discs prove that harder and faster beats plus electric overtones can create fine discs as long as excesses are held in check.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Smash: 1. Welcome 2. Toast 3. Slow Motion 4. Smash the Tomatoes 5. Two Train Sleepers 6. Bromf 7. Unspoken 8. Don Who? 9. Don Goppel 10. Great Barrier

Personnel: Smash: Anders Banke (alto, tenor and baritone saxophone and clarinets); Mark Solborg (guitar); Jeppe Skovbakke (bass); Stefan Pasborg (drums)

Track Listing: Souls: 1. Ce sont les noms des mots 2. Hostility Suite 3, Geez 4. Rampe 5. Emportez-moi 6. Deadpan 7. Mr. Subliminal 8. Property Shark 9. Plantain Surgery

Personnel: Souls: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Marc Ducret (acoustic and electric guitars); Tom Rainey (drums)

November 22, 2004

TIM BERNE

The sublime and. Sciencefrictionlive
Thirsty Ear RHI 57139.2

MARC DUCRET
Qui parle?
Sketch SKE 333038

Leaving well enough alone has never had particular appeal to those involved in creating electrified jazz/rock fusion music. Why keep the volume control knob turned to nine when it can reach 10? And why play for a few minutes when a half-hour or so is available?

Alto saxophonist/composer Tim Berne -- who has proven his talents in many situations ranging from working in standard-size jazz combos to writing for a classical sax quartet -- flirts with excess on this two-CD set, recorded live in Switzerland. While he and drummer Tom Rainey stick to acoustic instruments, the allure of showing off the textures available from Marc Ducret’s guitar(s) and effects and Craig Taborn’s electric piano, laptop computer and virtual organ evidentially prove too seductive. Although in total the Science Friction band session clocks in at 109 minutes, it includes three tunes in the 20-minute range and one that rocks on for more than 30.

Sure the guitarist, keyboardist and saxist are impressive soloists in many contexts, but the acres of aural space seem to encourage combative immoderation, Because of this, Rainey, who is the most understated percussionist in other groups led by Berne or bassist Mark Helias, comes off best here. While his beat is as unflagging as it is inventive, he keeps his kit action under control, wallowing for only split seconds in the sort of jarring John Bonhamism that seem to be stock-in-trade for authentic fusion drummers.

Rainey may avoid Bonham comparisons, but there are points here that with his distortion phasers and flangers turned on full blast that Ducret appears to be trying to trump not only Bonham’s Led Zepplin partner Jimmy Page, but the effects master Page replaced in the Yardbirds: Jeff Beck.

The situation is slightly more balanced on the guitarist’s solo disc, QUI PARLE? But as hinted at by the title, there are often times you wonder just who is speaking ... or improvising. Featuring more than a dozen additional musicians in various combinations working with Ducret and his usual rhythm section of bassist Bruno Chevillon and percussionist Éric Échampard, the guitarist seems intent on existing as musical fish, fowl and most mammals in between somewhere on the 10 tracks. There are plenty of examples of the rock-jazzer who loves Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, but more impressively there are also bouncy gigues, flirtations with electronica and musique concrète, plus voices weaving in and out of several tracks as sound sources or reading excerpts from French literature.

On THE SUBLIME, Ducret restraint means that “Jalapeño Diplomacy/Traction” comes across as the best selection. Even at 20 minutes plus, he fittingly restricts himself to merely showcasing his effects rather than trumpeting the wretched excess of which his axe is very capable. A groove tune with a freer tempo, it features a guitar showcase that include reverb lines morphing into duple picking in both treble and bass registers, steady flat picking in an almost Country music style and Ducret flailing away on portions of the strings below the bridge. Here, Berne, who earlier plays at the top of his range, then takes off on a stop time display of slurred reed biting, split tones and irregular vibrato, with only Rainey’s pounding behind him. When he introduces brassy spetrofluctuation and textures seemingly pushed out of the sax bow, these mix with Taborn’s flashing octaves and are given an organ vamp from his electronics and nerve beats from the drummer. Finally the tempo slows to chiming chord patterns with a rolling backbeat shading Berne’s almost endlessly repeated lines.

On the other hand, at more than 30 minutes alone -- the length of some single LPs -- “Mrs. Subliminal/Clownfinger” unrolls at an excessive length and is literally exhausting. Maybe live the vibe was more exciting. On disc though, the tune starts off slowly with chirruped a cappella sax notes, then as the tempo gradually picks up, keyboard continuum and double time rattles and cymbal reverberations appear. Soon Ducret takes over, introducing loud, pulsing sequencer delays that turn to resonating, Sputnik-type signals. Sounding out abrasive, bottleneck tones, the guitarist seems to be using a phaser to double and triple his feedback. Taborn wedges in fleet, but fleshy electric piano timbres and Berne sounds out a repeated 15-note pattern, that is given added weight by Ducret’s flanging. Rainey tries to move the piece away from onanism by playing a broken rhythm tattoo on his rims, which encourages more assured and abstract smeared tones from Berne. But with Ducret reentering with the volume and protrusion of a jet plane landing, the guitarist’s arching feedback and quivering wah-pedal distortion encourages more sax squeaks and surmounted keyboard electronic impulses. Soon the droning pulses and lead guitar shimmies coalesce into a mass of chunky strums and pinched reed trills.

“Stuckon U” -- semi-balladic, but “not the Elvis version”, according to Berne -- at least gives Taborn some space for faint organ-like tremolos, some outer-spacey oscillating distortions from the electronic parts of the keyboard and some high-pitched celeste-like sounds. But again his two hands, Rainey’s tick-tock drumming and Berne’s rounded tones are no match for Ducret’s reverb or fuzztones that seem to have migrated over from a Yardbirds’ session.

“The Shell Game” at a tich below 24 minutes, is more of the same, with Taborn’s harpsichord approximations and Berne’s relaxed chirps and breezy lines intermittently audible among Ducret’s chiming, echoing riffs. In response to an irregular drumbeat, at the point when Berne introduces rough reed-biting tones and doits, Ducret turns up his volume knob and almost doubles the tempo. Riffs flash through the amplifiers as if the guitarist was channeling Alvin Lee’s speedy performance at the Woodstock Festival, and Taborn vamps organ-like chords. Even Rainey begins hitting parts of his kit individually, working out on the rims for a time, pounding the bass drum at another and coming up with what sounds like a whirl drum at another juncture. Heavy as a metal band’s output, the sounds reach a crescendo than fade away without resolution.

On his own Ducret has created a 75-minute CD that gets progressively more impressive as it goes along. Yet the convincing experimentation of the disc’s second half may not be enough to negate the self-indulgence that mars first few tunes.

Starting form the top, “Double Entendre” is nearly 12½ minutes of bouncy syncopation along the lines of what you’d expect from Continental little big bands. With both Échampard and second percussionist François Verly laying down what could be two-beat Dixieland drumming, the guitar licks and electric piano vamps from Benoît Delbecq and Allie Delfau float along on a continuum provided by Chevillon’s slap bass and Michel Massot’s huffing tuba. Then, while the snaking tempo speeds up, trumpeter Alain Vankenhove waves his plunger mute and bends his notes. Soon as the oral instruments unite in the approximation of a 19th century brass choir, the pianos stay in the 21st, creating off-centre, high frequency glisses and slides. Above all, with percussion ratcheting behind him, Ducret buzzes out some distorted lead guitar riffs.

Also impressive are the two time-traveling versions of “Emportez-moi”, which clock in at more than 11 minutes each. The first features Chevillon’s low-tone arco inventions that are amplified with cello-like legato lines from second bassist Hélène Labarrière. With simple drum and cymbal patterns in the background, Ducret picks out a simple folkloric melody made up of finger patterns and near blues tones on his acoustic. The pre-suicide correspondence of Henriette Vogel and Heinrich von Kleists from 1811 is read in French by Leslie Sévenier and Philippe Agaël to the melancholy, pedal point accompaniment of Thierry Madiot’s bass trombone, ending the piece with a brass respiration and a bass pluck.

In contrast, the composition’s second run through is definitely POMO. Beginning with Anne Magouët singing the poem of Henri Michaux (1899-1984), a Belgian-born, experimental painter, journalist, and poet, dual acoustic pianos spin out accompaniment potentially designed for plainsong. Then the piece opens up to showcase contorted electronic guitar riffs. As a secondary theme is sounded by bass trombone, double-stopping bass and shaded electric piano ostinato, a dramatic male voice reads an existential passage from Dans la labyrinthe, Alain Robbe-Grillet’s nouveau roman.

Somehow linked to buzzing rhythm box textures courtesy of Verly, mirrored electric piano tone and a cowbell emphasized montuno rhythm, another labyrinthe passage appears on “Ce sont les noms des mots”. But what it has to do with buzzing, sampler sine waves, pinpointed flat-picking from Ducret and a harsh syncopated melody is anyone’s guess.

Then there’s “Double, Simple”, where Ducret, playing simple rhythm guitar licks and Dominique Pifarély playing highly amplified, near-operatic violin glissandos prove that amplification and good ideas don’t make them Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grapelli. Plus there’s “L’Annexe (rural)”, which simply proves that Ducret can produce a bottleneck blues solo.

That’s not the least of the downhill turns. Abrasive guitar chording, artillery battalion drumming and slushy keyboard fill that role on other tracks, often appearing as if they migrated in from a 1970s Herbie Hancock session. Longest piece, “L’Annexe” evidentially tries to squeeze almost every influence together at once; the result is similar to trying to shove an elephant through a meat grinder. Africanized hand percussion, rock-style drumming, thumping bas guitar and riffing Stax-Volt horns make their appearance, with the guitar so abusing the pulsating delay effects and extended fuzztones that he almost drowns out everyone else. When the counter theme twists itself into a boogaloo, the brass and reed players contort themselves into retching out fowl (sic) cries and monkey gibbering. The end finds Ducret abusing his delay pedal to outline some cavernous, echoing solid state color.

Excess may succeed in limited situations like live concerts or truncated single releases. But, while no one is disputing their talent, technique or leadership, both Berne and Ducret could have stripped away surplus sounds and notes to produce more satisfying outings instead of the results here.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: sublime: CD1: 1. Van Gundy’s Retreat 2. The Shell Game 3. Mrs. Subliminal/Clownfinger CD 2 1. Smallfry 2. Jalapeño Diplomacy/Traction 3. Stuckon U (for Sarah)

Personnel: sublime: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Marc Ducret (guitar); Craig Taborn (electric piano, laptop computer and virtual organ); Tom Rainey (drums)

Track Listing: Qui: 1. On new peut pas dancer, là-dessus*+ #& 2. Le menteur*+ 3. L’Annexe (rural) 4. L’Annexe*+ 5. Qui parle?~ 6. Emportez-moi*#&^~$ 7. Double Entendre*+#& 8. Ce sont les noms des mots*#^$ 9. Double Simple 10. Emportez-moi#&^$

Personnel: Qui: Alain Vankenhove (trumpet, bugle)*; Yves Robert (trombone track1); Michel Massot (tuba, serpent, trombone)+; Thierry Madiot (bass trombone [tracks 6 ands 8]); Julien Lourau (tenor saxophone [tracks 1 and 7]); Christophe Monniot (alto and baritone saxophones [tracks 1 and 4]); Marc Ducret (six and 12-string electric, fretless, soprano, baritone and acoustic guitars); Dominique Pifarély (violin [track 9]); Benoît Delbecq#; Allie Delfau& (piano, electric piano, sampler)&; Hélène Labarrière (bass)^; Bruno Chevillon (bass and electric bass [all tracks but 3, 5, 9 and 10]); Éric Échampard (drums and percussion [all tracks but 3, 5, 9 and 10]);); François Verly (percussion and rhythm box [track 8]); Anne Magouët (vocals [track 10]); Leslie Sévenier~, Philippe Agaël$, Laurence Blasco [track 1] (voices)

January 26, 2004

XMARSX

XMARSX
Atavistic ALP138CD

TIM BERNE
Science Friction
Screwgun Screwu 013

Just because many -- most? -- of the advances transmitted by jazz-rock fusion had been ground into formula by the early 1980s, doesn’t means that there isn’t scope for exploration with that mixture of highly amplified instruments and improvisation.

Fusion doesn’t have to be what it has become -- bass guitar grandstanding, drummers using more equipment than finesse, and onanistic lead guitar indulgences -- as these two CDs set out to prove. Still its conventions are so strong that you can almost literally hear the musicians struggling to stretch the formula. Whether they prevail is open to interpretation and may depend on your history on the jazz or rock side of the fence.

Interestingly enough, while New York-based alto saxophonist Tim Berne’s crew and Chicago located XMARSX led by tenor saxophonist Mars Williams tackle the conundrum in divergent ways, neither has room for a bass guitar. Jaco Pastorius’ rapid, empty posturing may have retarded the instrument’s growth for many years. Sure Williams has help from Kent Kessler, whose timekeeping would be familiar to the saxophonist from their mutual activity in the NRG Ensemble, Peter Brötzmann’s Chicago Tentet and the Vandermark 5. But that bassman merely amplifies his acoustic bass in order to make himself heard, with a band filled out by improv cellist Fred Longberg-Holm and three rockers, most notably charismatic ex-MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, plus guitarist Greg Suran and drummer Dave Suycott of Slam.

Williams has worked both sides of the fence himself. Besides his improv experience, which also included Cinghiale, a reed duo with Vandermark, he was a sidemen with the Psychedelic Furs, Ministry and the Waitresses and now leads the jazz-funk band Liquid Soul.

Berne is firmly identified with jazz and improv, having over the years worked with the likes of saxophonists Julius Hemphill and John Zorn plus ROVA’s Figure 8, guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Joey Baron. Drummer Tom Rainey has been part of many bands with Berne and bassist Mark Helias; while keyboardist Craig Taborn has worked with saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and Berne’s trio. French guitarist Marc Ducret has been associated with Berne for more than a decade, as well as gigging with countrymen like drummer Daniel Humair; and manipulator/processor/guitarist David Torn has been behind the console for Berne’s last few CDs.

Starting in the Midwest, XMARSX’s almost 15 minute “Ultraman vs. Alienmetron” seems to sum up how the rock and jazz impulses vie for primacy. One of the few times when it sounds as if Kessler is playing acoustic bass with an electric pick-up, the piece begins with the bassist and cellist bowing in unison with Williams. Suddenly, the tune explodes into a “Bitches Brew”-style bombast with everyone playing at top speed and volume. Williams’ pitch heads skyward, both plectrumists exhibit some Sonny Sharrock-style chops with heavy electronica overtones and a hint of Third-World exotica. Soon guitar feedback and altissimo screeches combine to become a claxon as one guitarist -- Kramer? -- picks out something closely resembling “Purple Haze”. For a time, it seems as if the 1960s have returned as both fretmen create a classic guitar freakout, with the saxist reprising the theme for the coda. Finally, a full minute of silence is brought to an end by telephone signal bleeps and the reintroduction of the thematic vamp played even louder then before. Anyone got a doobie?

In contrast, “Unstuck” -- one of two Suran compositions -- “Punch the Monkey” and “Ratbastard” stay in rock-jazz --as opposed to jazz-rock territory. Before the guitarist exercises his wah wah pedal, the first piece resembles the sort of instrumental heavy metallers would use to break up a set; the next features screaming guitar feedback and frenzied chording duking it out with sax lines. Most impressively, however, the third manages to incorporate country and avant influences into its basic rock structure. Beginning with a stuttering country guitar feel, fuzztones and off kilter drumming are soon added to the mix. Neither Williams’ chorus of reed kisses nor the integration of constantly intersecting guitar lines make it anyway MTV friendly, though.

Alternately, “The Finger” -- written like all the rest of the material by Williams --sonically offers up the sort of riffs the saxophonist and bassist could play with Vandermark. Horn and cello team with a smoky jazz club feel, as Williams’ vocalized vamps recall Windy City funky saxist Gene Ammons. All the while Kessler is strumming a constant pattern and Suycott banging out a shuffle rhythm. In the end, reed tongue slaps meet guitar feedback, the way trace of psychedelica informed soul-jazz LPs of the 1970s.

Another Chicago reedman who was the epitome of soul jazz was tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris. He’s honored here on a piece bearing his name. Highlighting a slinky rhythm that moves the drummer’s flams to the foreground and the guitars to the back, the tune is given added heft by powerful bass intonation. Employing Harris’ favorite trick of constant theme repetition, Williams’ honks as if it was still 1969, while the ending takes another leaf from the EH songbook by reprising the head in double time.

If part of XMARSX references fusion halcyon days, then SCIENCE FRICTION, true to a variation of its title, tries to interpose even more influences into the genre. Traces of Byrds and Fairport Convention-style folk rock suggest themselves -- though Ducret would never be mistaken for a folkie -- and besides Torn’s electronica and cut-and-paste sound manipulation, Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time and Henry Threadgill’s Very, Very Circus bands join BITCHES BREW as an influence, as does so-called World Music.

The clearest indication of this is on the almost 12½-minute “Manatee Woman” -- an Ornette allusion? Starting off with what sound like electrified percussion, it then encompasses rhythmic guitar licks, speedy hand drumming and Berne in a trilling R&B mode. Imposing here as he is elsewhere on the disc -- Ducret sashays from a strict tempo rock vamp to simple flat picking -- reminiscent of The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn -- to an understated amp buzzing. Simultaneously Rainey is slackening and speeding up the theme and Taborn’s contribution varies from electrified keyboard splashes to dancing near acoustic-sounding piano glissandos.

“Sigh Fry” has the same sort of electric piano sprinkles mixed with diminutive trills from the alto saxophone. In this slow moving tune Rainey produces a straightforward rock band texture mixed with Cuban guiro-like scraping, while the droning electric guitar provides the countermelody.

Conversely, “Mikromaus” and “The Mallomar Maneuvre” appear to be as much Torn’s as Berne’s solo statements. On the first the reedman’s high-pitched lines seem to be filtered through processes so that shimmering clouds of sine waves intersect with a whistling flute-like sound. On the later, ethereal saxophone split tones and smears are distilled through stuttering phase-shifting.

Finally there’s “Clown Finger”, which as you can tell from the sardonic title is one of the tunes Berne wrote or co-wrote. It’s an allegro theme based on splayed electric piano notes and a twisting drum beat, often expressed on rims not heads. Soon all that is pushed aside by Berne and Ducret. With the lowest pitches of the saxophone getting a workout, the guitarist constructs light-fingered electric filigree with suggestions of a Neapolitan mandolin. Although Taborn is at his most melodic, his sustained low notes are hemisected by knife-sharp guitar chords.

There you have it, two attempts to reform fusion, give it a more outside character and bring it into the 21st century. Thought-provoking considering the sources, the CDs deserve to be weighed and considered along with both leaders’ acoustic works.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: XMARSX: 1. The Worm 2. The Finger* 3. Unstuck 4. Eddie Harris* 5. Punch the Monkey* 6. Ratbastard* 7. Floaty 8. Nothin’ Butnet 9. Ultraman vs. Alienmetron*

Personnel: XMARSX: Mars Williams (tenor saxophone); Greg Suran and Wayne Kramer* (guitars); Fred Longberg-Holm (cello)*; Kent Kessler (bass); Dave Suycott (drums, effects, loops)

Track Listing: Science: 1. Huevos 2. IHornet 3. Sigh Fry 4. Manatee Woman 5. Mikromaus 6. Jalapeño Diplomacy 7. The Mallomar Maneuvre 8. Clown Finger

Personnel: Science: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Marc Ducret (electric and acoustic guitars); Craig Taborn (electric keyboards); Tom Rainey (drums); David Torn (processing and manipulation)

February 10, 2003

GEORGE SCHULLER & SCHULLDOGS

Hellbent
Playscape PSR #J111300

Sometimes, it seems, it pays to live in what many people would figure are the jazz boondocks.

At least that’s what the audience in attendance at The Outpost in Albuquerque, N. M. must have felt a couple of years ago when they got to participate in this exceptional live recording by drummer George Schuller’s Schulldogs. What the Brooklyn-based percussionist did that night was to plop a little bit of downtown Manhattan into the American southwest, count off six of his compositions, and let the chips fall where they would.

Active in the New York-Boston corridor for years with the likes of tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, German multi-reedman Gebhard Ullman and the bands Conference Call and Orange Than Blue among many others, Schuller has led this crackerjack band for years, initially as a trio, then with two saxophones. He’s aided and abetted this time out by his brother, powerful bassist Ed Schuller, whose playing experience almost exactly parallels his; and one of his regular tenor saxophone mates, Tony Malaby, who would have empathy for the area, having been born and lived many years in neighboring Tucson, Arizona. Surprise participant is alto saxophonist/composer Tim Berne, who has employed the drummer on occasion, and obviously thinks enough of his talents to take this rare sideman gig.

Unquestionably everybody has enough space to stretch out in the welcoming desert atmosphere, since the shortest tune clocks in at a little less than seven minutes, and the longest at more than 17. At the same time, since Schuller’s experience encompasses producing and arranging sessions for a variety of ensembles of varying sizes, there isn’t the rote feeling that the tune here are merely blowing lines. Heads are more than intros for freeform solos, with the majority of pieces dependent on lockstep intuition among the participants.

Throughout, Malaby, who a while ago took Ellery Eskelin’s place in bassist Mark Helias’ working trio, brings the same combination of inside-outside ingredients here as he does to that band. Sometimes his darker tones will recall hairy-chested hyper masculine stylists such as Lovano or the Swing Era masters. Or times he’ll add a touch of R&B bar-walker emulation to his work. In contrast, his mid-range, protracted lines have an alto’s speed and acerbity. And he never lets the fear of producing off key amplified split tones stop him from completing his thoughts.

Not surprisingly, considering his pedigree as an experimenter since his first albums of the 1980s, even in this sort of restrained environment, Berne strives for more than commonplace sounds. Constantly spreading his output into the alto’s higher registers, he faces the risks of squeaks and pitch sliding to maintain his individuality. Much of the time he and the tenorist work to complement one another’s tones, sometimes mirroring each other’s note placement in different pitches. Still, Berne isn’t adverse to beginning one track with a couple of minutes in ear-splitting altissimo then continuing to advance the agenda flutter tonguing, with low-key percussion appearing only as the theme kicks in. Another time, the altoist goes off into an exercise in high-pitched, trilling multiphonics while the other three move in counterpoint, a half step more slowly and much lower-pitched.

Ed Schuller, whose own CDs have featured such old school tricksters as tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman and drummer Paul Motion, knows how to nail the pulse of any tune. Rarely upfront, even when alone he eschews most extended techniques and arco trills for stable timekeeping. What is most noticeable, though, is his sound. Unvarying and powerful it can usually be heard anchoring the tune, even when the hornmen are smashing the sound barrier.

Since it’s his date, George Schuller does get room for more drum features than if it was, say, a saxophonist’s CD. But like his sibling, he never tries to draw attention to himself with overlong, noisy imprudence. More likely you can comment on the chess-master’s skill with which he position each beat. On his own and as part of the bigger picture he keeps bass drum and snare rhythm going, but is just as likely to express himself in quick flams, rim shots and with a variety of ancillary percussion including cowbells, maracas and a bell tree.

More than a tour souvenir, HELLBENT is a rhythmically exciting listening experience. Plus it’s the sort of calling card for this band that will make many audiences wish they could replicate the New Mexicans’ sonic adventures.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Pumpkins 2. The Thaw 3. Ripe 4. Distant Cousin 5. Slightly Round 6. Band Vote

Personnel: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Tony Malaby (tenor saxophone); Ed Schuller (bass); George Schuller (drums)

January 2, 2003

TIM BERNE AND THE COPENHAGEN ART ENSEMBLE

open, coma
Screwgun Screwu 012

Finally, after more than 20 years of recording, card-carrying New York downtowner Tim Berne is able to show off his versatility by writing for and playing with uncommon aggregations.

Not that the alto saxophonist hasn’t created impressive -- some very impressive -- work using the standard horns-and-rhythm-section of traditional jazz trios, quartets and sextets. Yet in apparently less doctrinaire European countries, unusual combinations can be rehearsed and recorded. Recently a CD featuring notated compositions written for his alto and a Swiss classical saxophone quartet was released. Now there’s this fine two-CD set, recorded in 2000. It features Berne plus two of his close associates, American trumpeter Herb Robertson and French guitarist Marc Ducret, performing his music along with a conductor and the 10-member Copenhagen Art Ensemble (CAE).

Given the color field available from the additional brass, reeds and rhythm of this established group, the composer/improviser is able to express his ideas in greater depth and definitely at greater length. There are only four pieces spread over the two CDs, clocking in at more than 28, 46, 33 and just under 42 minutes each.

Just as importantly, unlike earlier efforts by some other jazzers, these tunes aren’t designed to be showcases for the foreign soloists with the complacent big band used for heft and background. Berne, who arranged three out of four pieces as well -- conductor Ture Larsen, a veteran of The Danish Radio Big Band and Thad Jones’ Eclipse did the other -- takes full advantage of the band members’ skills. Not only do many of the Danes get solo space, but with the creations fully orchestral, they also benefit from the interactions among musicians who have been playing in this formation since 1995.

As can be expected, besides the music, the usual Berne/Screwgun quirks are on display as well. A sticker on the package reads: “As herd (sic) on the Opie Book Club)”, and notes that the two discs -- labeled “9” and “117” instead of “1” and “2” -- supposedly have their labels reversed.

Working on that supposition, the massive “eye contact” is the piece closest to traditional big band jazz, with Robertson and Ducret both in the spotlight. Almost immediately CAE proves its worth by framing the trumpeter’s Harmon-muted lines, but never getting so loud as to drown him out. Following a blaring free-for-all tenor saxophone section, the quiet soprano saxophone of Lotte Anker, echoed by other horns, constructs a tranquil countermotif that resembles an orchestral concerto. So hushed that bassist Nils Davisen stinging lines can be heard, the swinging theme is then reprised, making room for an extended, wailing guitar solo from Ducret. Able to meld a rock-like rhythmic thrust with jazz sensibility, the guitarist has worked with Berne since 1991 as well as countrymen like clarinetist Louis Sclavis and drummer Daniel Humair. Yet while his attack may be strictly POMO, the riffing orchestral lines behind him are constructed not unlike how West Coast bandleader Gerald Wilson would have arranged a Joe Pass showcase for his big band. Eventually the piece is resolved with some rubato alto saxophone lines, speedy guitar licks, trumpet fanfares and press rolls from drummer Anders Mogensen.

An associate professor of music when he’s not touring, Mogensen, is a traditionalist, but one whose skills on a tune like the purported title track show that he can almost effortlessly and frequently vary the rhythm without calling attention to himself. Built on a floating Gil Evans-style orchestration, much of the contrast comes from Adolphe Sax’s inventions growling and honking while clarinetist Peter Fuglsang’s coloratura tone produces slurs even more legit-sounding than Benny Goodman’s after he changed his embouchure late in life. A uniform walking bass line, rock-inflected drumming that turns the beat around then rights it shortly afterwards vie with Fender Rhodes spikes that cut through the massed horns like a serrated knife slicing warm bread. Swelling horns, seemingly directed by Berne as lead altoist, resolve the theme before the coda.

On the other disc, “the legend of p-1” suggests what could have happened had Count Basie’s horn section met up with a player piano. Soon, call-and-response exhibitions are succeeded by a brassy half-valve excursion from Robertson accompanied by just bass and drums. Electrified guitar runs on top of a low-key, swaying, stop-time bluesy background ushers in some braying from the trumpeters as the tempo doubles and Mogensen exhibits his only heavy-handedness -- and leaden foot -- of the date. Berne’s alto saxophone explodes from the centre of all this, climbing into ever higher ranges and herding the other horns into a coda of rough, craggy unison smears.

Arranged by Larsen in a similar manner the almost 42-minutes long “impacted wisdom” cements Berne’s individual directions -- that include piano arpeggios, saxophone tongue slaps and smeary, soaring trumpet lines -- into a unified whole. When the composer surmounts this backing with some creamy alto lines sprayed like whipped cream on top of a cake, the internal structure is revealed with drum rolls, cymbal accents and assisting bass lines. Slip-sliding into other keys, the sax soloist uses squeaks and split tones to produce overtones that soar to higher pitches and fall to the instrument’s lowest register. Meanwhile the theme is gradually being reintroduced, first by clicking piano keys, then muted trumpet then jangling guitar. Soon with the horns hocketing back-and-forth, Robertson, who has had experience in a similar role with Bobby Previte’s Miles Davis tribute band, breathes out a quasi-Bitches Brew solo with undulating Fender Rhodes chords behind him.

As the groove takes hold the band morphs from a 1950s-style studio creation to resembling one of those horn-heavy jazz-rock aggregations like 10 Wheel Drive. Robertson spits out some trumpet lines while Berne double-times and smears. Eventually the vamp becomes as all pervasive as the riff at the beginning of Joe Zawinul’s “Birdland”.

As a composer and improviser, Berne has never settled for something as simplistic as that Weather Report groove piece. Aided and abetted by the CAE on the other hand, these discs provide a proper showcase for many of his advanced ideas. Hopefully this sort of large-scale performance can be repeated soon.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Disc 117: 1. open, coma 2. eye contact Disc 9: 1. the legend of p-1 2. impacted wisdom

Personnel: Herb Robertson, Lars Vissing (trumpet); Kasper Tranberg (cornet); Mads Hyhne (trombone); Klaus Löhrer (bass trombone, tuba); Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Lotte Anker (tenor and soprano saxophones); Thomas Agergaard (tenor saxophone and flute); Peter Fuglsang (clarinet, bass clarinet); Thomas Clausen (piano, Fender Rhodes); Marc Ducret (guitar); Nils Davisen (bass); Anders Mogensen (drums); Ture Larsen

(conductor)

December 9, 2002

ARUNDO DONAX

Dancers In Love
Splasc (H) Records CHD 742.2

TIM BERNE
The Sevens
New World 80586-2

Voiced properly, a saxophone quartet can perform with either the delicacy of an chamber string configuration or with the vigor and tempo of a New Orleans brass band. Because its musical history is so brief as well -- Adolphe Sax only invented the instrument circa 1840 -- the possibilities for invention and innovation with four reeds also seem almost limitless.

Each of these discs offers an excellent take on the joys of sax. More traditional, the Italian-based Arundo Donax ensemble follows aggregations such as the World Saxophone Quartet that create an all-reed showcase for jazz standards. Each soloist also gets to show off his improvisational prowess.

Conversely, Brooklyn-based alto saxophonist Tim Berne presents a combination of written and improvised sections on his CD. Two of his through-composed pieces feature the Swiss-based, ARTE (saxophone) Quartett, while others are showcases for French guitarist Marc Ducret and American guitarist/remixer David Torn. The more-than-25 minutes of the longest track add Berne on alto and guitarist Ducret to improvise on top of ARTE’s reading of his score.

Named for the herbaceous perennial grass from the Mediterranean that’s the source for woodwind reeds, the Arundo Donax quartet for the most part performs numbers from the canon of the preeminent American’ 20th century composer: Duke Ellington on DANCERS IN LOVE. During his long career as a bandleader, Ellington wrote many features for saxophone sections and Arundo Donax undertakes a combination of famous and obscure tunes written between 1928 to 1968. Uniformly creamy reed voicings bring out the comeliness of the tunes, but unfortunately the arrangements don’t approach any of the toughness that Ellington brought to the same material.

Still, the four are proficient enough to sometimes provide an original take on familiar tune, as they do with 1928’s “The Mooche”. Arranged, like the majority of the other numbers by Naples-born tenor saxophonist Mario Raja, it shows the sure hand of a man who has written and arranged for movies, television and groups ranging from combos to orchestras, including New York’s Mingus big band and bands led by himself and pianist Giorgio Gaslini.

Taken at a higher pitch than Ellington did, and given a more modern cast, featured soloist is baritone saxophonist Rossano Emili, who has played with the Italian Instabile Orchestra as well as with Gaslini. As the others modulate in lockstep, Emili creates variations on the theme, producing enough swing with one horn to take the place of an entire orchestra.

Altoist Pietro Tonolo bundles Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s 1956 composition “The Star Crossed Lovers”, into a blanket of notes. Venetian-born, he has worked with other arch romantics like Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava and as part of pianist Gil Evans’ Orchestra. Here Raja’s arrangement allows the four together to sound like a string section and to blend their tones together into unison prettiness. Another highlight is Tonolo’s variations on Ellington’s “UMMG”. Well-recorded enough to isolate each of the reedman’s individual sounds, the tune approximates the sounds of New York’s upper west side. After a while, though, you wish that the band didn’t so often resemble a MOR vocal group like the LA Voices, always playing in unison.

This irritation is compounded on non-Ducal fare like “After The Kiss”, written by soprano saxophonist Pasquade Laino, whose background encompasses membership in the Italian klezmer band KlezRoym, pop-jazz with Mango and theatre music. With Raja exhibiting a light (Stan) Getzian tone and the massed saxophone notes cascading like a waterfall, the smoothness of the performance seems to inch it towards sweet band rather than swing band territory.

All in all, DANCERS IN LOVE is pleasant enough and rife with impressive arrangements. But Arundo Donax’s use of the voices of the sax quartet is as conventional as its use in any number of similar groups.

That’s not something you would say about THE SEVENS, which showcases original concepts to each of its six tracks. Most traditional is “Repulsion”, featuring a straight reading of Berne’s score by the classically oriented ARTE Quartett, whose other collaborators have ranged from Swiss saxophonist Urs Leimgruber to American composer Terry Riley. Performed mostly in unison with the four saxophones phrasing as if they were united as a giant many-pitched instrument, the wistful tune ends with the music gradually leaking into the air.

“Reversion”, Torn’s remix of the track, manipulates the quartet’s source material as constant percussive sounds and cartoon-like calliope sounds. The endproduct finds his fiery guitar playing looping over the massed horn samples. He does something similar with Ducret’s bottleneck guitar solo, adding feedback guitar treatments and pseudo organ washes in such a way that “Tonguefarmer” morphs from an acoustic recital to something moved by a Bo Diddley beat.

Centrepiece of the album is the more than 25-minute “Quicksilver”, featuring all five saxophones and Ducret. Beginning with the ARTE's four members playing lockstep in different keys, you can make out the sigh of the soprano, the alto’s mocking tone, the screech of the tenor and the burbling rumble of the baritone. Then with the other horns cushioning him, Berne starts playing variations on his theme, trilling, overblowing and double-timing. Modulating down to a march beat, he then ratchets his solo up with some quasi-funk, complete with honks and wheezes. An unaccompanied interregnum from the altoist, deliberately played sharp, is done allegro as the others stay andante. Later on, Ducret joins in to move the proceedings into what is almost a definite dance tempo, as Berne begins circling around and trading licks with the guitarist’s steel strings. Finally, turning pastoral he gradually decelerates the sounds as a crescendo of unison quartet reeds combine into what sounds like a woodwind harmonium.

Taking advantage of the saxophone quartet’s many voicings, Berne has created a memorable, original composition which overshadows Arundo Donax’s proficient, but technical recreations.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Dancers In Love 2. Meditation 3. The Mooche 4. Ein Bokek 5. UMMG Variations 6*- 12.

Personnel: Pasquade Laino (soprano saxophone); Pietro Tonolo (sopranino* and alto saxophone); Mario Raja (tenor saxophone); Rossano Emili (baritone saxophone)

Track Listing: 1. Repulsion^ 2. Sequel Why+ 3. Reversion^% 4. Quicksand^*+ 5. Tonguefarmer+% 6. Sequel Ex+

Personnel: ARTE Quartett [Beat Hofstetter (soprano saxophone); Sascha Armbruster (alto saxophone); Andrea Formenti (tenor saxophone); Bert Kappeler (baritone saxophone)]^; Tim Berne (alto saxophone)*; Marc Ducret (acoustic guitar)+; David Torn (electric guitars, loops, sonic redistribution)%

September 23, 2002

TIM BERNE

The Shell Game
Thirsty Ear THI 57099.2

Tim Berne's first studio session in eight years may surprise a lot of people. For while the downtown New Yorker has always been one of the city's more vehement improvisers, this trio disc is the first he's organized where electronic keyboards define the shape of his four compositions.

Suddenly he's able to do so, he says, because the group showcases the multidimensional electric impulses of Craig Taborn. Taborn, who is a veteran of stints with the bands of James Carter and Roscoe Mitchell, knows enough about electronics' inner workings to be able to perform the dual role as soloist an accompanist -- often at the same time. Third member is inventive drummer Tom Rainey, who has a long working relationship with both the saxophonist and bassist Mark Helias.

Taborn, Berne and Rainey have been working in this formation for the past year. The results here are so commendable, that they may almost make fusion respectable again.

Not that this CD is another entrant in the "see-how-fast-I-play" sweepstakes to which contemporary fusion has degenerated. Instead, like some Miles Davis, Henry Threadgill and Ornette Coleman projects, it's a return to the concept of using electric instruments to provide different sounds, not an attempt to make a dent in Billboard's contemporary jazz charts with an ever-constant beat.

THE SHELL GANE is also not that different from Berne work with many of his other bands. If the epitome of modern European improv is the acceptance of space and silences, then Berne's Lower East Side nihilism has always involved cramming as many notes, tones, thoughts and ideas into his compositions as possible. In fact, there are times that the band's work is reminiscent of comedian Jackie Mason's comments about rock bands: "They work like horses, they sweat, they jump, they fly, they scream. Are they busy."

Showcase of the disc is "Thin Ice", which at almost 30 minutes is the length of many LPs. Beginning very much like a Sun Ra cosmic odyssey with outer space synthesizer chords and organ runs in the background, it's molted by the occasional squawk from Berne and thump from Rainey. Very soon it developed into a full-fledged aural assault that waxes and wanes as the minutes evaporate. Employing an airy, bluesy tone reminiscent of that of his mentor Julius Hemphill, the saxophonist tosses the motif back to Taborn's 1970s-style bubbling electric piano after he shapes it himself. Shortly afterwards, using rims, snares and finally the bass drum, Rainey knocks out a solo, which in other circumstances might bring out the lit matches. Meantime, the joys of electricity allow Taborn to construct what appears to be an electric bass counterpoint to all this. Finally Berne comes alive with an uninterrupted melody, Rainey craftily shifts tempos, and Taborn produces a variety of new tones as the three jump back and forth from head banging to smooth rhythms. Throughout the CD, the reference point seems to be Davis' Bitches Brew: Even the tune entitled "Heavy Metal" likely won't attract fans of Mettalica or Black Sabbath. That is, unless those hard rockers are prepared for the thump and bump of what could be a sabotaged garage band anthem. On it, Taborn's creates MIR satellite-like exploration of every key in his electronic tool kit, while a discordant alto saxophone pitch insists on filling every millimetre of air with high flying multiphonics.

These impulses to push electricity to its limits every time out are the desires that the three will have to mute. That's why the CD doesn't work at all levels. Judging from the track record of each man, though, and how they approach the electric challenge, they do prove that serious music can be made in this format.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1 Hard Cell 2. Twisted/Straight Jacket 3. Heavy Metal 4. Thin Ice

Personnel: Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Craig Taborn (keyboard and electronics); Tom Rainey (drums)

April 29, 2001

ENTEN ELLER & TIM BERNE

Auto da fé
Splasc(H) Records CDH 819.2

Grafting the talents of a visiting soloist onto the interplay a long-established group has established for itself can often be a recipe for disaster. The newcomer wants to plays the way he has in the past; while the band doesn't particularly want to alter its style to make allowances for another person.

AUTO DA FÉ avoids this situation however. It seems that Enten Eller -- the Italian group founded by percussionist Massimo Barbiero in 1984 -- and the visitor -- American alto saxophonist Tim Berne -- were already investigating similar areas before they met. Not only has Berne toured and recorded with this band before, but the instrumentation even resembles that of some of his more own groups.

The saxophonist functions here as an equal partner: one-fifth of the quintet, contributing solos where needed, but more importantly helping to build on the architecture of each composition. Barbiero's morose "Pulizie di Natale" for instance, is shaped by long, echoing reed tones and short trumpet bursts. Fattened with a cello-like tone from the bass and Brunod's fret board explorations, the composition finally dissolves into variegated drum patterns, hopefully suggesting calm rather than a still birth.

The loopy "Torquemada", on the other hand, written by Mandarini, relies on an extended bass ostinato, resembling offbeat soul jazz. True to form, the trumpeter, who gets most of the solo space, uses it to display his muted tone -- midway between banda and bop. His brassier outbursts -- which also get a workout in his membership in the Italian Instabile Orchestra -- come into focus on other tunes such as "Rosencrantz e Guildenstern".

Maier is a self-effacing tower of strength throughout, while Barbiero resists the temptation to showboat on every number, limiting himself to section work. To make up for that restraint on other tunes, "Amras" is solo traps workout, while "Ri.Co." highlights his vibes and gamelan skills on an out of character trio -- guitar-bass-percussion -- outing that slips perilously close to New Age sheen.

Brunod's acoustic playing here conforms to that slack impression and over the course of the session, it often seems as if he's not sure which guitar persona to adapt. While his string stretching workout on "7/13" is definitely in character with the pile driver rhythm section work and this-side-of-free, reverberating saxophone and brass countermelody, he doesn't fare as well elsewhere. His chording on "Vilene per top" seems to fall into Bill Frisell territory, while his tango "Traveling Day", recalls one of those lightweight, Chick Corea "Spanish" pieces, drifts towards soft rock and is out of sync with the rest of the disc.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Konos 2. Torquemada 3. Amras 4. Pulizie di Natale 5. Traveling Day 6. Veleno per topi 7. Rosencrantz e Guildenstern 8. 7/13 9. Ri.Co.

Personnel: Alberto Mandarini (trumpet, flugelhorn); Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Maurizio Brunod (guitars); Giovanni Maier (bass); Massimo Barbiero (drum, vibes, percussion, gamelan)

February 21, 2001