Festival Report:

“Might I Suggest”
By Ken Waxman

With characteristic British understatement, saxophonist Evan Parker’s curated “Might I Suggest” (MIS) festival celebrated its second birthday in late January uniting German and British improvisers at the second-floor Vortex club, located in London’s moderately gentrified Dalston district. Quality of the performances during the six evenings testified not only to the worth of Parker’s recommendations but also to their scope. With funding from the Goethe Institute, the performances ranged from Kurt Weill songs performed by vocalist Norma Winstone’s trio to the electronic processing utilized by bassist Adam Linson’s Systems Quartet; and from the intense expression of guitarist John Russell’s expanded British-German unit to the balanced arrangements Bavarian-born, London resident Hans Koller crafted for his Fun House Living (FHL) nonet.

Koller was a triple-threat. His quartet, filled out by Canadian saxophonist François Theberge, bassist Percy Pursglove and veteran drummer Jeff Williams ran through a series of standards and Koller originals one evening; with steady Oli Hayhurst on bass and flashy Gene Calderazzo on drums, he backed German avant pioneer saxophonist Gerd Dudek, 73, two night later; and during the second set of his first gig premiered the seven-horn FHL with Pursglove this time on trumpet and himself on valve trombone. Enlivened by expressive work from contemporary UK heavy-hitters like saxophonist Julian Siegel and French hornist Jim Rattigan, FHL specialized in slowly building, steady-tempo themes played with conscientiously stacked horn timbres, featuring sharp interjections from Siegel’s tenor or soprano sax plus stirring capillary momentum from Pursglove and fellow trumpeter Robbie Robson.

Besides Koller, the most active MIS participants were German: drummer Paul Lovens and bass clarinetist Rudi Mahall. Lovens’ unique percussion set encompassing miniature hand-held gongs, wood blocks, a Chinese-motif decorated, cunningly wired, snare plus a mini-pancake tom, was not only heard to its best advantage in pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach’s trio with Parker; but also created ingenious beats to frame the chromatic tonal experimentation of guitarist Russell’s below-the-bridge plucks alongside juddering growls from Ute Voelker’s accordion, the narrowed split tones of Stefan Keune’s soprano or alto saxophones, plus resonate sweeps and measured pizzicato from Phil Wachsmann’s violin. Together for four decades, the Schlippenbach three’s variant of classic Free Jazz is now almost a mode onto itself, with Lovens’ clip-clops, cross-handed rim shots and hand-slapped cymbals plus the pianist’s high frequency pulses, Monkish asides and dynamic cadences framing Parker’s magisterial split tones and herculean displays of circular breathing.

Mahall and percussionist Paul Lytton were the acoustic components of the Systems Quartet, which otherwise featured Axel Dörner sourcing microtones from his slide trumpet while processing sounds through his laptop; and Linson’s percussively thumping or atonally bowing his bass in addition to using real-time electronics to process multiple variants of each of the quartet members’ timbres. While Lytton’s unmatched cymbal sizzles and shell side scraps plus Mahall’s staccato reed bites were most obvious, Linson’s electronic work multiplied the number of textures in a restrained fashion, so it was never certain whether Dörner’s singular Theremin-like pitches were self-created or synthesized or whether the spacey crackles that suddenly emanated from Mahall’s horn were aided by Linson’s manipulations.

There was no doubt about the source of Mahall’s stand-out playing a couple of nights later, when his acoustic horn prowess and offbeat humor were put to good use in a duo with pianist Aki Takase. With fare encompassing Forties film ditties, Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo”, Thelonious Monk’s “Pannonica” and original from both players – including “Trumpet for Beginners”, a hesitant, huffing-and-puffing line the reedist composed as an affectionate dig at the style of Dörner, his long-time associate – the pianist’s characteristic mixture of pounding Fats Waller-emulating stride plus angular Monk-like digressions came in handy when meeting the reedist’s idiomatic command of the curved instrument.

Monk’s repertoire was also celebrated on MIS’s concluding night by the Dudek/Koller quartet, playing appropriately related themes by John Coltrane, Tadd Dameron and other 20th Century heavy hitters. By conviction a Trane devotee, the German saxophonist was most effective when the quartet tackled less familiar material like Herbie Nichols’ “Step Tempest” and Ornette Coleman’s “Congeniality”. On the former Dudek’s spherical lines and stentorian flutter-tonguing reconfirmed the melody while the pianist’s slurred fingering and chromatic note exposure created theme variants. On “Congeniality” Dudek subtly changed the tempo once the head was stated, while Hayhurst and Calderazzo maintained the original line. Further on, the saxman’s lower-case, altissimo slurs evolved in stark contrast to Koller’s decorative note clusters and novel voicing atop the bassist’s and drummer’s rhythmic pull.

Similar reconfigurations were the stock-in-trade of vocalist Winstone’s emotive second set one night previously, accompanied by pianist Nikki Iles and reedist Mark Lockheart. Concentrating on Weill’s American-period songs, except for the inevitable “Mack the Knife”, the singer brought an adult wistfulness to melodies like “September Song”, “My Ship”, and “The Bilbao Song” – in the middle of which she cleverly interpolated the street-smart verse of “The Alabama Song”. Her renditions were helped immeasurably by outstanding lyrics provided by, among others, Maxwell Anderson and Ira Gershwin.

Those glorious German-American musical collaborations could be heard as a precursor to similar first-class German-British teamwork presented at the Vortex that week.

--For New York City Jazz Record March 2012

March 6, 2012

Festival Report:

Freedom of the City 2010
By Ken Waxman

“To Thine Self Be True” is lettered horizontally in careful script above the stage at Conway Hall in London’s Bloomsbury district, where London’s annual Freedom of the City (FOTC) festival took place May 2 and 3. Although related to the philosophy of the Ethical Society which built the edifice in 1929, the slogan can easily also be applied to five dozen or so improvisers featured at FOTC.

Organized about decade ago by saxophonist Evan Parker and AMM percussionist Eddie Prévost to showcase the city’s vibrant improvising scene, FOTC today welcomes as many tyros as veterans – and from the Continent and North America as well as the United Kingdom. Participants ranged from eccentric soprano saxophonist Lol Coxhill, 77 and American trumpeter Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith, 67, to young participants in Prévost’s weekly improv workshop and American brassman Peter Evans.

One first-class demonstration of FOTC’s mix’n’match philosophy was the set by London guitarist John Russell’s Quaqua, consisting of musicians he plays with elsewhere, but who never worked as a group. Besides Russell, pianist Chris Burns, synthesizer player Matthew Hutchinson violinist Satoko Fukuda and trumpeter Henry Lowther are British; alto saxophonist Stefan Keune is German and soundsinger Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg is from Brussels. Shifting among Russell’s licks that ranged from rhythm guitar strums to pinging twangs plus spiccato fiddle scrapes and buzzes and bell-like twitters from the synth, the ever-shifting interface made room for bursts of lyrical trumpet, unaccented air from the saxophonist – both sounds which are replicated by Hutchinson’s synthesizer – and slides, stops and strums from the piano’s internal strings created by fingers, mallets and an e-bow. Most expressive in reflecting the split-second decisions that go into group improvising was Van Schouwburg whose facial expressions contorted themselves differently whether he was soothingly lullabying, Apache yelling or duck quacking.

German vocalist Ute Wassermann was much less flamboyant but as expressive during her meeting with two British electronic manipulators – Adam Bohman and Paul Obermayer – plus percussionist Phillip Marks. Marks, a last-minute replacement for Obermayer’s FURT partner Richard Barrett, varied his output among rat-tat-tats, rim shots, snare pops and drum top rubs, leaving ample space for squeaks, crackles, hisses and reverberations from the electronics. Meanwhile Wassermann – whose vocal gymnastics ranged from mouth-widening cries and gurgles to bel-canto warbles – ensued that her improvisations were in synch with the others’ sonic shifts.

Percussion sounds were more upfront when South African Louis Moholo-Moholo and Briton Steve Noble combined behind trumpeter Smith. Although more jazz-oriented than most improvisations during FOTC’s 16 concerts, this was no Rich vs. Roach battle royal. Instead either could elaborate on any rhythm generated by the other, although Moholo-Moholo’s smacked ruffs and tympani-like resonations toughed the beat, which was nimbly redefined by Noble’s vibration of undersized cymbals on drum tops, swish through the air of what resembled palm fronds, or bongo-like pops with bare hands or wetted fingers. Blasting grace notes with a clear, bright tone or fluttering rubato through a Harmon mute, the trumpeter eventually settled on staccato and juicy bugle-like flutters after the drummers’ rhythms dislocated his sedate tongue flutters.

Smith’s musical adaptability was highlighted in two other situations: as featured soloist in a concerto backed by the 40-member London Improvisers Orchestra conducted by guitarist Dave Tucker; and as part of FOTC’s last set with clarinetist Alex Ward guitarist John Coxon, keyboardist Pat Thomas and drummer Paul Lytton.

Unlike the conductions and group improvisations that made up the remainder of the LIO’s set, which lurched from passages of controlled tutti cacophony to miniature set pieces for soloists such Charlotte Hug’s spirited, sawing violin runs or Coxhill’s understated off-centre lyricism, the Smith piece was as interconnected as Gil Evans’ arrangements for Miles Davis. Unruffled, Smith splintered timbres that floated as often as they popped, isolating his textures from the riffing reeds, lowing brass and the clamber let loose when three drummers, two electric guitars, two pianists, a vibraphonists and three electronics manipulators polyphonically sound simultaneously.

Before Smith and crew wrapped things up, other notable meetings included a set by the Stellari String Quartet of violinists Hug and Philipp Wachsmann, cellist Marcio Mattos and bassist John Edwards whose layered textures demonstrated that intersecting and combining well-designed arco and pizzicato run extends classic string ensemble strategies into atonality and multiphonics, while retaining moments of lyricism; and the duet between tenor and soprano saxophonist John Butcher and percussionist Mark Sanders. Switching from one horn to the other, and utilizing staccato pops, gravelly tones and a wide, round mouth vibrato, Butcher’s elongated flutters, reed bites, slaps and flutters enlivened the duet either mid-range, barely there or fortissimo. Meanwhile Sanders clattered, slapped and shook different parts of his kit, at one point stabilizing the interaction with military precision, anther not only whapping a small bell and wood block, but using them instead of sticks on drum tops.

Percussionist rather than drummer, Prévost played in two formations, most notably eschewing the standard kit for an enormous gong and ancillary cymbals in a set with baritone saxophonist David O’Connor, violinist Jennifer Allum and Grundik Kasyansky on electronics. With the saxman expelling high intensity, tongue slaps and fortissimo yelps; the fiddler striking her strings with the bow’s frog when not scrubbing them, and Kasyansky dislocating time with bursts of static, crackles and snatches of processed voices, Prévost maintained equilibrium, by sawing upon the gong or rubbing squeaking timbres from the tempered metal.

Parker played in a unique trio filled out by cellist Okkyung Lee and Evans – who used piccolo and regular trumpet in a solo set that opened FOTC; puffing, vocalizing, screaming and even melodiously sounding his horn(s) with effects and to spectacular effect. With Lee’s connective ostinato underneath, Evans’ phenomenal brass command was matched and reined in by Parker on tenor and soprano saxophone, demonstrating the ease in which tone splintering, circular breathing and flutter tonguing could be amplified with lyrical twitters and peeps. In double counterpoint the horn players both exercised super-fast tonguing or built gurgles, puffs and tongue clacks into a satisfying textural display.

Also satisfying was the concluding quintet set. Mixing metallic twang from Coxon’s guitar, a combination of breakneck piano runs plus jagged synthesizer pumps from Thomas and the steady clatter and cymbal scratches from Lytton, the developing stop-time improvisation finally reached a point of layered cacophony. But this wasn’t before Ward extended the sound palate from his purposely whiny lines and altissimo screams by blowing into his unattached mouthpiece. Meanwhile Smith used vibrato buzzes to propel soaring high-pitched triplets over the others’ sounds.

Told after the climatic finale that there was only time for a short tune, Smith theatrically unleashed a curt flourish of brassy insouciance and led the others off stage. Adding a particular brand of Yankee showmanship to the proceedings and confirming the slogan above the stage, the trumpeter summed up the proceedings and set the stage for future FOTCs.

-- For All About Jazz – New York June 2010

June 6, 2010

Avram Fefer Trio

Ritual
Clean Feed CF 145 CD

Tony Bevan/Chris Corsano/Dominic Lash

Monster Club

Foghorn FGCD 010

Keune-Schneider-Krämer

No Comment

FMP CD 133

Pedants who classify Free Music according to countries or areas of origin will likely be flummoxed by this trio of saxophone-bass-drums sessions from the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. While each is striking, not one traffics in the clichés associated with regionally based sounds.

British improvisation, for instance, is often described as “insect music”, made up of miniscule, understated gestures and sounds. Monster Club – note the in-your-face title – is anything but that. Lead by reedist Tony Bevan, who has collaborated as much with pioneering Free Jazz drummer Sunny Murray as Free Music forefather guitarist Derek Bailey, the sounds on the CD’s four tracks are often rip-snorting and riotous. Part of this may be attributed to Bevan’s young associates. Oxford-based bassist Dominic Lash not only works regularly with lower-case improvisers such as violinist Angharad Davies, but also with outgoing North Americans like cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and percussionist Harris Eisenstadt. Uncompromising saxophonist Paul Flaherty is a frequent playing partner for drummer Chris Corsano, part of the Sunburned Hand of Man avant-rock band.

Unlike the expected bellicose and shrieking interface pigeonholers associate with German Free Jazz, the Keune-Schneider-Krämer trio seems to take part of its orientation from the shaded timbre-stretching of classic U.K. Free Music. Tellingly, two of the band members’ closest associates are British: saxophonist Stefan Keune with guitarist John Russell and bassist Hans Schneider with cornetist Mark Charig. The bassist was also affiliated with pianist Georg Gräwe, as was drummer Achim Krämer. No Comment isn’t insect music either, however. There are enough spicatto lines, split tone and snare drum strokes to add a touch of mammalian interplay to the sounds. But the resulting mercurial blasts are tempered with restraint.

So too is the music of American multi-reedman Avram Fefer, who has played and lived in both Europe and the U.S. A duo partner of pianist Bobby Few, Fefer’s helpmates here are bassist Eric Revis, who oddly enough works regularly with mainstream saxophonist Branford Marsalis; and drummer Chad Taylor, a member of the Chicago Underground bands who has played with people as varied as multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore, guitarist Marc Ribot and saxophonist Fred Anderson.

To be more descriptive, Monster Club ’s most forceful performance is the 38-minute “This is Murder”. Beginning with almost off-mike sul ponticello strokes from Lash and leveraging drum head recoils from Corsano, it expands as Bevan blasts Bronx cheers, unearthly werewolf-like wails and subterranean slurs from his bass saxophone, settling the chromatic action into an adagio tempo. After parrying sideswipes from the bassist, Bevan moves the tempo to andante with a series of snorts that precede wriggling split tones and reed-biting stops. Fortissimo his largo timbres operating in double counterpoint with Lash’s strummed arpeggios as Corsano multiples his pardiddles, pops and ratamacues. As his sheets of sounds unroll with multiphonic theme variations, the saxophonist’s guttural yowls resonate and reflect back onto themselves, at least until Lash recreates the original head.

None of the other tunes maintain this fortissimo intensity for such an extended period, but the cumulative effect of the three-part interface is staggering. However, among Corsano’s flams, rebounds and rolls, Lash’s boiling sprawls and plucks plus Bevan’s spectrofluction, glossolalia, reed bites and guttural pumps, a satisfying concurrence is attained. Apparent too is the band’s distinctive originality.

Similarly Fefer’s aural trio essay manages an attachment to both the pre- and the post-Free Jazz tradition. As a matter of fact, the top of “Club Foot”, featuring Fefer’s curvaceous soprano saxophone line and Taylor’s tambourine-enhanced strokes, sounds like a variant on “Night in Tunisia”. In between episodes of triple-tonguing timbral variations from the reed man, who could be playing a musette, Revis’ solid resonation and Taylor’s press rolls and bass drum smacks lead to a set of phraseology variations from Fefer than to a higher-pitched recap of the head.

This parallel strategy is apparent in other tines such as “Feb. 13th” and “Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing” as each trio member adds something unique to the improvisations. The former for instance, with Fefer on tenor saxophone, approximates a balladic mode. Thick, connective bass lines plus cymbal slaps and rim shots confidentially frame the reedist’s honks as well as his double-and-triple tongued extensions and key pops.

“Sheep” on the other hand, features smoothly vibrated flutters from Fefer using a juicy, lyrical tone. Additional reed heft arises when he blows his alto and tenor saxophones simultaneously. Untangling the lines as he blows – with reed-biting forays into the altissimo range – Fefer builds to a climax of sharp, staccato notes that fade into Revis’ straight-ahead walking and Taylor’s back beat clip clops.

Although the German trio here functions as democratically as the other two, Krämer’s percussion forays give it a distinctive feel. Many times his mallet-on-metal resonations sound as if they’re reverberating from a gong or bell tree rather than from conventional cymbals.

Similarly, Schneider eschews walking about 90 per cent of the time, preferring to make his points with arched sul tasto lines, scrubbing sul ponticello extensions and double-stopped and double-pumped emphasis. A track like “Details” for example, depends on the bassist’s abrasive string-scrubbing and strongman-like swipes, as the drummer replicates a creaking door hinge and the saxophonist puffs out squeals, singular reed bites and spetrofluctuation.

“Rough Edges” – which provides a succinct description of most of the tracks on No Comment – finds Keune on baritone saxophone, mixing strident cries and bell-muted, chalumeau snorts. At times he could be playing duets with himself. Meanwhile Krämer accelerates his thwacks and snaps with flams, drags and ruffs, allowing the reedist free range to busy himself with Brötzmann-like slap-tonguing and overblowing.

Interconnected, the three sonically sum up their philosophy, with a noticeable level of concordance on “Rapid Movement”, the CD’s final track. Krämer pings his cymbals and pops his drum tops so they resemble conga drums; and Schneider vibrates tremolo sul tasto patterns. Meanwhile Keune’s vocalized overblowing reaches such a state of timbre-straining that the fear arises that he will push himself into squeaking solipsism. Just in the nick of time, Krämer’s rattling and rebounds bring the reedist back into the orbit of the other two’s lines and all reach a trembling, abrasive climax.

Geographic divisions are pushed to one side on these CDs, as each trio produces outstanding work.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Ritual: 1. Testament 2. Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing 3. Ritual 4. Feb. 13th 5. Blinky Polermo 6. Club Foot 7. Ripple 8. Outspoken 9. When the Spirit Moves You

Personnel: Ritual: Avram Fefer (soprano, alto and tenor saxophones and bass clarinet); Eric Revis (bass) and Chad Taylor (drums)

Track Listing: Monster: 1. I Think That’ll Be OK … 2. Monster Club 3. This is Murder 4. You’re Telling Me!

Personnel: Monster: Tony Bevan (soprano, tenor and bass saxophones); Dominic Lash (bass) and Chris Corsano (drums and percussion)

Track Listing: Comment: 1. In Layers 2. Handpicked 3. Brushes 4. Raw 5. Rough Edges 6. Splinters 7. Details 8. Chunks 9. Mesh 10. Spick and Span 11. Rapid Movement

Personnel: Comment: Stefan Keune (sopranino, tenor and baritone saxophones); Hans Schneider (bass) and Achim Krämer (drums and percussion)

August 3, 2009

Tony Bevan/Chris Corsano/Dominic Lash

Monster Club
Foghorn FGCD 010

Keune-Schneider-Krämer

No Comment

FMP CD 133

Avram Fefer Trio

Ritual

Clean Feed CF 145 CD

Pedants who classify Free Music according to countries or areas of origin will likely be flummoxed by this trio of saxophone-bass-drums sessions from the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. While each is striking, not one traffics in the clichés associated with regionally based sounds.

British improvisation, for instance, is often described as “insect music”, made up of miniscule, understated gestures and sounds. Monster Club – note the in-your-face title – is anything but that. Lead by reedist Tony Bevan, who has collaborated as much with pioneering Free Jazz drummer Sunny Murray as Free Music forefather guitarist Derek Bailey, the sounds on the CD’s four tracks are often rip-snorting and riotous. Part of this may be attributed to Bevan’s young associates. Oxford-based bassist Dominic Lash not only works regularly with lower-case improvisers such as violinist Angharad Davies, but also with outgoing North Americans like cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and percussionist Harris Eisenstadt. Uncompromising saxophonist Paul Flaherty is a frequent playing partner for drummer Chris Corsano, part of the Sunburned Hand of Man avant-rock band.

Unlike the expected bellicose and shrieking interface pigeonholers associate with German Free Jazz, the Keune-Schneider-Krämer trio seems to take part of its orientation from the shaded timbre-stretching of classic U.K. Free Music. Tellingly, two of the band members’ closest associates are British: saxophonist Stefan Keune with guitarist John Russell and bassist Hans Schneider with cornetist Mark Charig. The bassist was also affiliated with pianist Georg Gräwe, as was drummer Achim Krämer. No Comment isn’t insect music either, however. There are enough spicatto lines, split tone and snare drum strokes to add a touch of mammalian interplay to the sounds. But the resulting mercurial blasts are tempered with restraint.

So too is the music of American multi-reedman Avram Fefer, who has played and lived in both Europe and the U.S. A duo partner of pianist Bobby Few, Fefer’s helpmates here are bassist Eric Revis, who oddly enough works regularly with mainstream saxophonist Branford Marsalis; and drummer Chad Taylor, a member of the Chicago Underground bands who has played with people as varied as multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore, guitarist Marc Ribot and saxophonist Fred Anderson.

To be more descriptive, Monster Club ’s most forceful performance is the 38-minute “This is Murder”. Beginning with almost off-mike sul ponticello strokes from Lash and leveraging drum head recoils from Corsano, it expands as Bevan blasts Bronx cheers, unearthly werewolf-like wails and subterranean slurs from his bass saxophone, settling the chromatic action into an adagio tempo. After parrying sideswipes from the bassist, Bevan moves the tempo to andante with a series of snorts that precede wriggling split tones and reed-biting stops. Fortissimo his largo timbres operating in double counterpoint with Lash’s strummed arpeggios as Corsano multiples his pardiddles, pops and ratamacues. As his sheets of sounds unroll with multiphonic theme variations, the saxophonist’s guttural yowls resonate and reflect back onto themselves, at least until Lash recreates the original head.

None of the other tunes maintain this fortissimo intensity for such an extended period, but the cumulative effect of the three-part interface is staggering. However, among Corsano’s flams, rebounds and rolls, Lash’s boiling sprawls and plucks plus Bevan’s spectrofluction, glossolalia, reed bites and guttural pumps, a satisfying concurrence is attained. Apparent too is the band’s distinctive originality.

Similarly Fefer’s aural trio essay manages an attachment to both the pre- and the post-Free Jazz tradition. As a matter of fact, the top of “Club Foot”, featuring Fefer’s curvaceous soprano saxophone line and Taylor’s tambourine-enhanced strokes, sounds like a variant on “Night in Tunisia”. In between episodes of triple-tonguing timbral variations from the reed man, who could be playing a musette, Revis’ solid resonation and Taylor’s press rolls and bass drum smacks lead to a set of phraseology variations from Fefer than to a higher-pitched recap of the head.

This parallel strategy is apparent in other tines such as “Feb. 13th” and “Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing” as each trio member adds something unique to the improvisations. The former for instance, with Fefer on tenor saxophone, approximates a balladic mode. Thick, connective bass lines plus cymbal slaps and rim shots confidentially frame the reedist’s honks as well as his double-and-triple tongued extensions and key pops.

“Sheep” on the other hand, features smoothly vibrated flutters from Fefer using a juicy, lyrical tone. Additional reed heft arises when he blows his alto and tenor saxophones simultaneously. Untangling the lines as he blows – with reed-biting forays into the altissimo range – Fefer builds to a climax of sharp, staccato notes that fade into Revis’ straight-ahead walking and Taylor’s back beat clip clops.

Although the German trio here functions as democratically as the other two, Krämer’s percussion forays give it a distinctive feel. Many times his mallet-on-metal resonations sound as if they’re reverberating from a gong or bell tree rather than from conventional cymbals.

Similarly, Schneider eschews walking about 90 per cent of the time, preferring to make his points with arched sul tasto lines, scrubbing sul ponticello extensions and double-stopped and double-pumped emphasis. A track like “Details” for example, depends on the bassist’s abrasive string-scrubbing and strongman-like swipes, as the drummer replicates a creaking door hinge and the saxophonist puffs out squeals, singular reed bites and spetrofluctuation.

“Rough Edges” – which provides a succinct description of most of the tracks on No Comment – finds Keune on baritone saxophone, mixing strident cries and bell-muted, chalumeau snorts. At times he could be playing duets with himself. Meanwhile Krämer accelerates his thwacks and snaps with flams, drags and ruffs, allowing the reedist free range to busy himself with Brötzmann-like slap-tonguing and overblowing.

Interconnected, the three sonically sum up their philosophy, with a noticeable level of concordance on “Rapid Movement”, the CD’s final track. Krämer pings his cymbals and pops his drum tops so they resemble conga drums; and Schneider vibrates tremolo sul tasto patterns. Meanwhile Keune’s vocalized overblowing reaches such a state of timbre-straining that the fear arises that he will push himself into squeaking solipsism. Just in the nick of time, Krämer’s rattling and rebounds bring the reedist back into the orbit of the other two’s lines and all reach a trembling, abrasive climax.

Geographic divisions are pushed to one side on these CDs, as each trio produces outstanding work.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Ritual: 1. Testament 2. Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing 3. Ritual 4. Feb. 13th 5. Blinky Polermo 6. Club Foot 7. Ripple 8. Outspoken 9. When the Spirit Moves You

Personnel: Ritual: Avram Fefer (soprano, alto and tenor saxophones and bass clarinet); Eric Revis (bass) and Chad Taylor (drums)

Track Listing: Monster: 1. I Think That’ll Be OK … 2. Monster Club 3. This is Murder 4. You’re Telling Me!

Personnel: Monster: Tony Bevan (soprano, tenor and bass saxophones); Dominic Lash (bass) and Chris Corsano (drums and percussion)

Track Listing: Comment: 1. In Layers 2. Handpicked 3. Brushes 4. Raw 5. Rough Edges 6. Splinters 7. Details 8. Chunks 9. Mesh 10. Spick and Span 11. Rapid Movement

Personnel: Comment: Stefan Keune (sopranino, tenor and baritone saxophones); Hans Schneider (bass) and Achim Krämer (drums and percussion)

August 3, 2009

Keune-Schneider-Krämer

No Comment
FMP CD 133

Tony Bevan/Chris Corsano/Dominic Lash

Monster Club

Foghorn FGCD 010

Avram Fefer Trio

Ritual

Clean Feed CF 145 CD

Pedants who classify Free Music according to countries or areas of origin will likely be flummoxed by this trio of saxophone-bass-drums sessions from the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. While each is striking, not one traffics in the clichés associated with regionally based sounds.

British improvisation, for instance, is often described as “insect music”, made up of miniscule, understated gestures and sounds. Monster Club – note the in-your-face title – is anything but that. Lead by reedist Tony Bevan, who has collaborated as much with pioneering Free Jazz drummer Sunny Murray as Free Music forefather guitarist Derek Bailey, the sounds on the CD’s four tracks are often rip-snorting and riotous. Part of this may be attributed to Bevan’s young associates. Oxford-based bassist Dominic Lash not only works regularly with lower-case improvisers such as violinist Angharad Davies, but also with outgoing North Americans like cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and percussionist Harris Eisenstadt. Uncompromising saxophonist Paul Flaherty is a frequent playing partner for drummer Chris Corsano, part of the Sunburned Hand of Man avant-rock band.

Unlike the expected bellicose and shrieking interface pigeonholers associate with German Free Jazz, the Keune-Schneider-Krämer trio seems to take part of its orientation from the shaded timbre-stretching of classic U.K. Free Music. Tellingly, two of the band members’ closest associates are British: saxophonist Stefan Keune with guitarist John Russell and bassist Hans Schneider with cornetist Mark Charig. The bassist was also affiliated with pianist Georg Gräwe, as was drummer Achim Krämer. No Comment isn’t insect music either, however. There are enough spicatto lines, split tone and snare drum strokes to add a touch of mammalian interplay to the sounds. But the resulting mercurial blasts are tempered with restraint.

So too is the music of American multi-reedman Avram Fefer, who has played and lived in both Europe and the U.S. A duo partner of pianist Bobby Few, Fefer’s helpmates here are bassist Eric Revis, who oddly enough works regularly with mainstream saxophonist Branford Marsalis; and drummer Chad Taylor, a member of the Chicago Underground bands who has played with people as varied as multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore, guitarist Marc Ribot and saxophonist Fred Anderson.

To be more descriptive, Monster Club ’s most forceful performance is the 38-minute “This is Murder”. Beginning with almost off-mike sul ponticello strokes from Lash and leveraging drum head recoils from Corsano, it expands as Bevan blasts Bronx cheers, unearthly werewolf-like wails and subterranean slurs from his bass saxophone, settling the chromatic action into an adagio tempo. After parrying sideswipes from the bassist, Bevan moves the tempo to andante with a series of snorts that precede wriggling split tones and reed-biting stops. Fortissimo his largo timbres operating in double counterpoint with Lash’s strummed arpeggios as Corsano multiples his pardiddles, pops and ratamacues. As his sheets of sounds unroll with multiphonic theme variations, the saxophonist’s guttural yowls resonate and reflect back onto themselves, at least until Lash recreates the original head.

None of the other tunes maintain this fortissimo intensity for such an extended period, but the cumulative effect of the three-part interface is staggering. However, among Corsano’s flams, rebounds and rolls, Lash’s boiling sprawls and plucks plus Bevan’s spectrofluction, glossolalia, reed bites and guttural pumps, a satisfying concurrence is attained. Apparent too is the band’s distinctive originality.

Similarly Fefer’s aural trio essay manages an attachment to both the pre- and the post-Free Jazz tradition. As a matter of fact, the top of “Club Foot”, featuring Fefer’s curvaceous soprano saxophone line and Taylor’s tambourine-enhanced strokes, sounds like a variant on “Night in Tunisia”. In between episodes of triple-tonguing timbral variations from the reed man, who could be playing a musette, Revis’ solid resonation and Taylor’s press rolls and bass drum smacks lead to a set of phraseology variations from Fefer than to a higher-pitched recap of the head.

This parallel strategy is apparent in other tines such as “Feb. 13th” and “Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing” as each trio member adds something unique to the improvisations. The former for instance, with Fefer on tenor saxophone, approximates a balladic mode. Thick, connective bass lines plus cymbal slaps and rim shots confidentially frame the reedist’s honks as well as his double-and-triple tongued extensions and key pops.

“Sheep” on the other hand, features smoothly vibrated flutters from Fefer using a juicy, lyrical tone. Additional reed heft arises when he blows his alto and tenor saxophones simultaneously. Untangling the lines as he blows – with reed-biting forays into the altissimo range – Fefer builds to a climax of sharp, staccato notes that fade into Revis’ straight-ahead walking and Taylor’s back beat clip clops.

Although the German trio here functions as democratically as the other two, Krämer’s percussion forays give it a distinctive feel. Many times his mallet-on-metal resonations sound as if they’re reverberating from a gong or bell tree rather than from conventional cymbals.

Similarly, Schneider eschews walking about 90 per cent of the time, preferring to make his points with arched sul tasto lines, scrubbing sul ponticello extensions and double-stopped and double-pumped emphasis. A track like “Details” for example, depends on the bassist’s abrasive string-scrubbing and strongman-like swipes, as the drummer replicates a creaking door hinge and the saxophonist puffs out squeals, singular reed bites and spetrofluctuation.

“Rough Edges” – which provides a succinct description of most of the tracks on No Comment – finds Keune on baritone saxophone, mixing strident cries and bell-muted, chalumeau snorts. At times he could be playing duets with himself. Meanwhile Krämer accelerates his thwacks and snaps with flams, drags and ruffs, allowing the reedist free range to busy himself with Brötzmann-like slap-tonguing and overblowing.

Interconnected, the three sonically sum up their philosophy, with a noticeable level of concordance on “Rapid Movement”, the CD’s final track. Krämer pings his cymbals and pops his drum tops so they resemble conga drums; and Schneider vibrates tremolo sul tasto patterns. Meanwhile Keune’s vocalized overblowing reaches such a state of timbre-straining that the fear arises that he will push himself into squeaking solipsism. Just in the nick of time, Krämer’s rattling and rebounds bring the reedist back into the orbit of the other two’s lines and all reach a trembling, abrasive climax.

Geographic divisions are pushed to one side on these CDs, as each trio produces outstanding work.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Ritual: 1. Testament 2. Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing 3. Ritual 4. Feb. 13th 5. Blinky Polermo 6. Club Foot 7. Ripple 8. Outspoken 9. When the Spirit Moves You

Personnel: Ritual: Avram Fefer (soprano, alto and tenor saxophones and bass clarinet); Eric Revis (bass) and Chad Taylor (drums)

Track Listing: Monster: 1. I Think That’ll Be OK … 2. Monster Club 3. This is Murder 4. You’re Telling Me!

Personnel: Monster: Tony Bevan (soprano, tenor and bass saxophones); Dominic Lash (bass) and Chris Corsano (drums and percussion)

Track Listing: Comment: 1. In Layers 2. Handpicked 3. Brushes 4. Raw 5. Rough Edges 6. Splinters 7. Details 8. Chunks 9. Mesh 10. Spick and Span 11. Rapid Movement

Personnel: Comment: Stefan Keune (sopranino, tenor and baritone saxophones); Hans Schneider (bass) and Achim Krämer (drums and percussion)

August 3, 2009

Stefan Keune/Hans Schneider/Achim Krämer

The Long and the Short of It
Creative Sources CS 091 CD

Real-time, pedal-to-the-floor Free Jazz is the long and the short description of this CD, with this German trio proving that masterful improvising can result from the almost extrasensory interaction among experienced players.

Improvisers who also dabble in New music, bassist Hans Schneider and percussionist Achim Krämer both played with pianist Georg Gräwe in the 1970s and since then have collaborated with such other experimenters as reedists Wolfgang Fuchs and Joachim Zoepf, in the bassist’s case, and violinist Albrecht Maurer and the KHW Trio in the drummer’s. Saxophonist Stefan Keune too is versatile enough to not only improvise in n the intense fashion he advances on this CD, but in more restrained chamber-music-like settings with British guitarist John Russell among others.

This session will never be confused with chamber music however. Keune’s reed eruptions encompass frequent wheezing, crying and spitting. He engages in enough parlando interfaces with the others to suggest that the saxophone is taking a theatrical lead role in a highly melodramatic opera. Meanwhile Schneider maintains the tempo of the tunes with either swift sul tasto sweeps or a steady bowed ostinato. Criss-crossing the others’ output Krämer breaks up the time with rolls, pops, pitter-pattering, cymbal resonation and sudden bell ringing.

Parallel improvising such as this means that the saxophone’s compact unattached drone can also be the base on which winnowing double bass tones or ruffs and flams from the drums are showcased. Alternately as on “Alive and Kicking”, Schneider’s double-string stroking is muscular enough to suggest the presence of two bassists instead of one. Because of this the saxophonist has license to striate his tone even more, with reed-biting fortissimo wails, bell-shaking internally voiced false register explorations and animal cry-like split tones.

Cunning enough to be able to also improvise in a quieter mode, Keune at one point decelerates his output to curt, mouse-whimpering peeps matched by sliding and stopping resonations from Schneider and restrained hand-drum pattering from Krämer.

The bassist’s double-stopped thumps define lower-key tracks such as the self-descriptive “On the Quiet”, though this is not the sort of quiet that would satisfy mainstreamers. Instead Keune’s slide-whistle-like reed timbres and the drummer’s pinpointed ruffs, bangs and cymbal sways merely downshift a bit from all out agitato. However an extended interlude of legato style plucks and stops from Schneider could be the reason for the track’s title. Building these variations to summation, first Krämer’s rebounds and strokes join with the bass line, and then intersect with irregularly vibrated trills from the reedist. Polyphonically, additional slurred overtones echo from the horn’s body tube as well as its bell and mouthpiece.

Distinctive definite Free Jazz is the trio’s rasion d’etre and its achievement.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Straight From the Gut 2. Sing Another Tune 3. Alive and Kicking 4. In Due Form 5. Three 6. Nothing Daunted 7. On Thing after Another 8. On the Quiet 9. Offhand

Personnel: Stefan Keune(sopranino and alto saxophones); Hans Schneider (bass) and Achim Krämer (drums and percussion)

September 8, 2008

John Russell

Analekta
EMANEM 4138

John Russell/Jean Demey/Jean-Michael Van Schouwburg

The Mercelis Concert

Inaudible 006 CD

A fixture on the London Free Music scene since the early 1970s, guitarist John Russell has never had the same high profile as some other improvising guitarists, despite his association with the long-running Mopomoso concert series and partnership, with, among others, saxophonist John Butcher and pianist Chris Burn.

Part of the reason for this can be heard on these two collaborative CDs. Although mostly a series of duos and trio – with one nonet showcase – Russell’s sharp, metallic styling frequently seems to recede into the background. No matter whether he’s matched with an instrumentalist or a sound-singer, and despite how well the guitarist plays, the overall impression is that he’s accompanying the other performer(s).

This situation is in clearest focus on The Mercelis Concert, a whimsically-packaged CD that comes with a distinctive, cartoon-like cover and a disc that resembles an old LP. Except for one trio track which adds Belgium bassist Jean Demey – who also and separately has his own impressive solo feature on another track – this mostly Brussels-recorded material finds Russell’s contribution nearly buried beneath the verbal and gullet gymnastics of Waterloo-based vocal improviser Jean-Michael Schouwburg.

A dramatic performer in the Phil Minton extended-vocal-tradition, of what he terms phonési, Van Schouwburg – who is also the administrator of the Belgian Inaudible Collective – attracts the aural spotlight as effortlessly as a starlet does paparazzi’ cameras. Here he unleashes a distinctive array of throat, mouth and tonsil intonation that encompasses guttural murmuring, duck-like quacks, extended nattering, Satchmo-style growls, saliva-filled expositions, Bedlam-like mumbles and vibrating warbles.

Russell responds with crossbow-like pulls on his strings, rasps beneath the guitar’s bridge and abrasive extended slides. Nevertheless, even when Demey is on hand to provide some additional rhythmic bass lines on “The Mercelis Trio”, the focus remains on the singer’s mumbles, retches and theatricalism. As examples of Ur-improvisation, the CD can’t be faulted – but it’s Van Schouwburg’s show all the way.

Instructively Van Schouwburg shares the stage with eight other improvisers – including Nicole Legros, another vocalist – on “So It Goes”, the more-than-24-minute group free improv on Analekta – and doesn’t yield an inch. Although Russell is more assertive – or at least louder – here, despite his sliding fret action and tough rasgueado, attention is still drawn towards the male singer. Apparently energized by the fast company, Van Schouwburg introduces a new repertoire of Count Dracula-style cackles, banshee-like shrieks and deep breathing caws. Together with Legros, the singers unite to keen, daven and sputter nonsense syllables. On her own, Legros introduces Tuvan-styled falsetto squeals as well.

On the instrumental side, German alto saxophonist Stefan Keune makes his claim on the proceedings with smeared split tones, snorting trills and peeps, while harmonized, nearly legato arco swipes from violinist Philipp Wachsmann and what sounds like swizzle stick and glass tube percussion from Javier Carmona impress as well. Eventually, however, the guitarist help define the track’s resolution as he steadily strums a bass line over which the vocalists reach a sort of faux harmony and Wachsmann unleashes a series of arpeggios that burlesque the legit tradition while wrapping up the piece.

Elsewhere on Analekta, the guitarist’s individual duets seem of a piece. Facing trumpeter Henry Lowther or tenor saxophonist Garry Todd, Russell showcases curiously flattish strokes and different, tougher fingering systems. Although Lowther, usually an orthodox jazz trumpeter, tries out unique note patterns accelerating to a full-bore buzz; and the little-recorded reedist relies on pulsating tongue-slaps and irregular trilling, again the guitarist subsumes himself into the improvisations rather than staking out a particular musical identity.

Overall it appears that the duet with soprano saxophonist/percussionist Chefa Alonso is the most pleasing interaction. With Russell strumming powerfully as if he’s piloting a 1930s dance band, echoing concussive rattles and pops from wood blocks, glass tubes and squeaky toys are her response. Finally genuine rapprochement seems to be made – with each duo member an equal partner. Russell’s interpolations range from delicate finger-style expositions featuring ethereal chords and pings which make a virtue out of miniscule gestures, to thick hammering on the strings. Able to divide her musical rejoinders, Alonso swirls and snakes out double-tongued flutters from her saxophone or rings bells and vibrates her percussion kit.

A guitarist with a unique method of working, Russell is best celebrated as a contributor to the overall sound picture, not an upfront soloist.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Analekta: 1. The Bite 2. Blart 3. Chamarileros 4. So It Goes

Personal: Analekta: John Russell (guitar); with Henry Lowther (trumpet ([track 2]); Chefa Alonso (soprano saxophone and percussion ([track 3]); Garry Todd (tenor saxophone [track 1]); and [track 4]: Stefan Keune (alto saxophone); Philipp Wachsmann (violin and electronics); Ashley Wales (piano); Ivor Kallin (bass and preparations); Javier Carmon (percussion); Steve Beresford (electronics and objects) and Nicole Legros and Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg (voices)

Track Listing: Mercelis; 1. Light Stagin’ 2. The First One 3. The Mercelis Trio 4. The 50th Birthday Party 5. Zen Garden Gift

Personal: Mercelis: John Russell (guitar); Jean Demey (bass) and Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg (voice)

December 5, 2007

John Russell/Jean Demey/Jean-Michael Van Schouwburg

The Mercelis Concert
Inaudible 006 CD

John Russell

Analekta

EMANEM 4138

A fixture on the London Free Music scene since the early 1970s, guitarist John Russell has never had the same high profile as some other improvising guitarists, despite his association with the long-running Mopomoso concert series and partnership, with, among others, saxophonist John Butcher and pianist Chris Burn.

Part of the reason for this can be heard on these two collaborative CDs. Although mostly a series of duos and trio – with one nonet showcase – Russell’s sharp, metallic styling frequently seems to recede into the background. No matter whether he’s matched with an instrumentalist or a sound-singer, and despite how well the guitarist plays, the overall impression is that he’s accompanying the other performer(s).

This situation is in clearest focus on The Mercelis Concert, a whimsically-packaged CD that comes with a distinctive, cartoon-like cover and a disc that resembles an old LP. Except for one trio track which adds Belgium bassist Jean Demey – who also and separately has his own impressive solo feature on another track – this mostly Brussels-recorded material finds Russell’s contribution nearly buried beneath the verbal and gullet gymnastics of Waterloo-based vocal improviser Jean-Michael Schouwburg.

A dramatic performer in the Phil Minton extended-vocal-tradition, of what he terms phonési, Van Schouwburg – who is also the administrator of the Belgian Inaudible Collective – attracts the aural spotlight as effortlessly as a starlet does paparazzi’ cameras. Here he unleashes a distinctive array of throat, mouth and tonsil intonation that encompasses guttural murmuring, duck-like quacks, extended nattering, Satchmo-style growls, saliva-filled expositions, Bedlam-like mumbles and vibrating warbles.

Russell responds with crossbow-like pulls on his strings, rasps beneath the guitar’s bridge and abrasive extended slides. Nevertheless, even when Demey is on hand to provide some additional rhythmic bass lines on “The Mercelis Trio”, the focus remains on the singer’s mumbles, retches and theatricalism. As examples of Ur-improvisation, the CD can’t be faulted – but it’s Van Schouwburg’s show all the way.

Instructively Van Schouwburg shares the stage with eight other improvisers – including Nicole Legros, another vocalist – on “So It Goes”, the more-than-24-minute group free improv on Analekta – and doesn’t yield an inch. Although Russell is more assertive – or at least louder – here, despite his sliding fret action and tough rasgueado, attention is still drawn towards the male singer. Apparently energized by the fast company, Van Schouwburg introduces a new repertoire of Count Dracula-style cackles, banshee-like shrieks and deep breathing caws. Together with Legros, the singers unite to keen, daven and sputter nonsense syllables. On her own, Legros introduces Tuvan-styled falsetto squeals as well.

On the instrumental side, German alto saxophonist Stefan Keune makes his claim on the proceedings with smeared split tones, snorting trills and peeps, while harmonized, nearly legato arco swipes from violinist Philipp Wachsmann and what sounds like swizzle stick and glass tube percussion from Javier Carmona impress as well. Eventually, however, the guitarist help define the track’s resolution as he steadily strums a bass line over which the vocalists reach a sort of faux harmony and Wachsmann unleashes a series of arpeggios that burlesque the legit tradition while wrapping up the piece.

Elsewhere on Analekta, the guitarist’s individual duets seem of a piece. Facing trumpeter Henry Lowther or tenor saxophonist Garry Todd, Russell showcases curiously flattish strokes and different, tougher fingering systems. Although Lowther, usually an orthodox jazz trumpeter, tries out unique note patterns accelerating to a full-bore buzz; and the little-recorded reedist relies on pulsating tongue-slaps and irregular trilling, again the guitarist subsumes himself into the improvisations rather than staking out a particular musical identity.

Overall it appears that the duet with soprano saxophonist/percussionist Chefa Alonso is the most pleasing interaction. With Russell strumming powerfully as if he’s piloting a 1930s dance band, echoing concussive rattles and pops from wood blocks, glass tubes and squeaky toys are her response. Finally genuine rapprochement seems to be made – with each duo member an equal partner. Russell’s interpolations range from delicate finger-style expositions featuring ethereal chords and pings which make a virtue out of miniscule gestures, to thick hammering on the strings. Able to divide her musical rejoinders, Alonso swirls and snakes out double-tongued flutters from her saxophone or rings bells and vibrates her percussion kit.

A guitarist with a unique method of working, Russell is best celebrated as a contributor to the overall sound picture, not an upfront soloist.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Analekta: 1. The Bite 2. Blart 3. Chamarileros 4. So It Goes

Personal: Analekta: John Russell (guitar); with Henry Lowther (trumpet ([track 2]); Chefa Alonso (soprano saxophone and percussion ([track 3]); Garry Todd (tenor saxophone [track 1]); and [track 4]: Stefan Keune (alto saxophone); Philipp Wachsmann (violin and electronics); Ashley Wales (piano); Ivor Kallin (bass and preparations); Javier Carmon (percussion); Steve Beresford (electronics and objects) and Nicole Legros and Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg (voices)

Track Listing: Mercelis; 1. Light Stagin’ 2. The First One 3. The Mercelis Trio 4. The 50th Birthday Party 5. Zen Garden Gift

Personal: Mercelis: John Russell (guitar); Jean Demey (bass) and Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg (voice)

December 5, 2007

STEFAN KEUNE/JOHN RUSSELL

Frequency of Use
Nurnichtnur 102 12 31

Listening to FREQUNCY OF USE by British guitarist John Russell and German saxophonist Stefan Keune raises the question of just how tonally minimal reductionist improvisations can be and still reach listeners.

On the evidence of the almost-72 minutes of microtonal meandering from Russell’s acoustic guitar and Keune’s sopranino and alto saxophones, the answer, in this case, seems to be quiet a lot if strings are attached; a lot less so if singular reed tones dominate the output.

Both men have concentrated on this sort of intense chamber music for years. Co-founder of London’s MOPOMOSO concert series, the guitarist has been involved in interdisciplinary projects, as well as playing with such sympathetic, low-resolution improvisers as pianist Chris Burn and saxophonist John Butcher. The reedist has worked with similar thinkers such as guitarist Erhard Hirt and bassist Hans Schneider.

Unlike a similar session released a couple of years ago, where Keune expressed himself in a lexicon of flutter tonguing, reed biting, split tones, overblowing, aviary toots and elongated smears, his vocabulary appears to have shrunk to repetitive, slurred reed trills that last only a few seconds each. Russell, on the other hand, showcases a tool chest full of unique techniques, though it must be admitted that a powerful, resonating strum is his particular favorite.

“What”, the longest track at more than 16 minutes, point out these differences. Beginning with a sound that appears to be replicating Russell wiping his strings with furniture polish and then producing an extended pure tone like an oscillating sonic wave by rubbing on the newly abrasive surface, Keune responds with a whistling trilled squeak. As his chirps get louder and faster, the guitarist fingerpicks a line that could be the beginnings of a very primitive blues. Exhausting this route, he tries string plucking with a harpsichord-like resonance and slurred fingering that recalls a British folk ballad interlude. Miniscule tugs on the string tree above the nut, contrasted with hand slides across the strings bring out some smeared nasal honks and more squeals from the saxophonist.

On “Anyway”, the plectrumist almost produces a standard tune, as his strumming of expansive portamento notes seems to be trying to form itself into a melody. Alternately quicker or leisurely, Russell picks away with a bluesy intensity without creating anything even vaguely resembling the blues.

Then there’s “Who”, which showcases Russell’s flailing power as he uses his favorite technique of strumming all over the neck and body without often coming close to the f-holes. Here sympathetic vibrations that create a more comprehensive tone arise from his wrenching string tugs. Meanwhile Keune’s timbres may be higher-pitched and almost ear splitting, but they also sound somewhat familiar, as if they had already been expressed by earlier free improvisers.

Elsewhere, the reedist produce bird-like trills, reed kisses, irregular vibrations and even pinched tones plus duck quacks. But this versatility doesn’t get aired often enough. Contrast the consistent muffled piglet squeals that appear on nearly every track with the acoustic guitarist’s improvisations. Russell explores the sides of his axe and its fretboard, energetically tugging, jerking and yanking his string set from the front and producing reverberations from the top of the neck and beneath the bridge.

Fanatical improv followers may give the CD higher marks and it certainly will interest admirers of either player. But the best advice for the reedman would seem that he should introduce new extended techniques, as he has tried to do in the past. Perhaps Keune and Russell together should try recording with another musician or two to see what shakes loose.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Where 2. When 3. Why 4. How 5.What 6. Who 7. Anyway 8. How much 9. Just that 10. Oops

Personnel: Stefan Keune (sopranino and alto saxophones); John Russell (acoustic guitar)

December 15, 2003

STEFAN KEUNE/JOHN RUSSELL

Excerpts & Offerings
Acta 14

Once thought of a particularly British affectation, improvisations of subdued tones and tiny gestures has, like bog-trotting brogues and tweed tailoring, been adopted by players on the Continent and North America. Some, especially in Germany and Austria have become the equivalent of American businessmen who refuse to wear anything but Saville Row suits. More English than the English, the sounds they produce are so miniscule and restrained that they’re nearly inaudible.

Luckily sopranino and alto saxophonist Stefan Keune isn’t like that; you can still hear all the sonorities of his improvisations throughout this more than 57-minute session. Born in Oberhausen, Germany in 1965 Keune is comfortable with the idiom because he has been involved with almost nothing else since his early twenties. He is closely associated with other German improv practitioners such as synthesizer player Thomas Lehn, violinist Gunda Gottschalk and guitarist Erhard Hirt. But at the same time he has also had a long relationship with his partner here, British guitarist John Russell as well as other U.K. experimenters like drummer Roger Turner, saxophonist John Butcher and violinist Phil Durrant.

Eleven years older, the guitarist also became interested in BritImprov early and recorded his first free music before Keune was 10. A longtime colleague of both Butcher and Durrant, not to mention Turner and saxophonist Evan Parker, over the years he has colluded with other creative types in poetry, composition, theatre and performance art. Not that there’s any touch of theatricality in these seven performances recorded in real time in Liverpool and London. There may be poetry here, but it’s very much of the sound poetry function. Additionally, despite the age and nationality difference, the guitarist and saxophonist fit very well together.

That’s because the two musicians came together in the two designed locations for a specific period of time and relied on their own experience and knowledge of the other’s reactions to produce this work. With titles described as “cryptic allusions to events that took place ...”, the tuns coalesce into one restrained whole, with a few seconds pause among them. Apparently sticking more-or-less to the sopranino, the saxophonist limits himself to an in-this-case expected vocabulary of flutter tonguing, reed biting, split tones, overblowing, aviary toots and elongated smears. Very rarely does he rouse himself to push out an excited flurry of notes and when that happens, the moment quickly passes.

Also seemingly limiting himself to the exterior edges of the guitar, prudently sounding individual and massed strings, plus scratches on the guitar’s bridge and neck, Russell makes it his business to introduce countervailing motifs and asides. Although he does produce some pointed banjo-like tones, at times it’s hard to distinguish the string rasps from Keune’s slap tonguing.

Despite being related to the circumstances of the moment, free improvisation like this has now been established and has a history of pitches and indication that’s easily older than the saxophonist. So while you can be impressed with the duo’s performance and quick reflexes here, there’s no indication that either singly or together they’re venturing where no one has ever been before.

Full time free improv fanciers will probably be most impressed by this meeting of minds and instruments and many will marvel at their musical cohesion. But unlike some other discs, while this CD may serve up EXCERPTS & OFFERINGS, it doesn’t create the hair-standing-on-its-end thrill of uncharted musical investigation.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Big George 2. Norma and Sharon 3. Don’t do it again 4.305 5.Tom and Irina 6.Just say cheese 7.Late arrivals

Personnel: Stefan Keune (sopranino and alto saxophones); John Russell (guitar)

May 3, 2002