Antonio Borghini & A Banquet of Consequences

Darrifourcq/Hermia/Ceccaldi
Unicorn And Flexibility
Hector 06

Creating a progressive ensemble that includes a cello has become increasingly common over the past couple of decades as previously unconventional instruments have been integrated into creative music. This newly available sound color can be used in various ways, with or without an affiliated double bass. A Banquet of Consequences for instance has chosen to have it take the place of  a horn in the front line, while Darrifourcq/Hermia/Ceccaldi concentrate on its rhythmic orientation.

Yet another instance of Berlin’s ever-growing gestalt of international improvisers. Antonio Borghini’s A Banquet of Consequences is led by an Italian bass player and includes Turkish cellist Anil Eraslan, French alto saxophonist Pierre Borel, Japanese pianist Rieko Okuda, Australian drummer Steve Heather and UK tenor saxophonist/clarinetist Tobias Delius. The six play in many ensembles including Die Hochstapler, the Great Sakata Quintet and the Umlaut big band. Representing fewer countries the trio on Kaiju Eats Cheeseburgers includes two natives of France, cellist Valentin Ceccaldi and drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq, plus Belgian tenor saxophonist Manuel Hermia. Each is also is many ensembles including the milesdavisquintet and Bonbon Flamme.

Although Resta Chi Va is divided into two “tempos” with an interval in-between its 10 tracks are more unified than singular. Turns through motifs that seem to be lifted from Cool Jazz or Hard Bop evolve cheek by jowl besides more abrasive textures usually emanating from sul ponticello rubs from the cello and double bass as well as interjected squeaks, swells and split tones from the saxophonists. Heather’s clip-clop echoes, drum slaps and/or carefully measured cadences mediate between those impulses, while pianist Okuda’s playing is the most straight-ahead.

This is particularly noticeable on tracks such as “The Applicant” and “…the dropper”. While the latter apparently complete the introductory “Throwing At…” which sets up the cleavage between the accessible and the atonal, “…the dropper” comes across as modernized Bop with the head reappearing at intervals and the piano hunting and pecking its way into an anthematic groove. In contact the saxophonists move from Hard Bop to hard core with harsh slides and high-pitched flutters.

At point the theme of “The Applicant” seems to vibrate in such a way that it threatens to go beyond tarantella dance suggestions into resolutely tuneful. However a swift cello counter line and a Delius reed cry that seemed as much Big Jay McNeeley as Pharaoh Sanders, stops that. It also follows “Avanti Tartarughe” where overall sprightliness is projected by clarinet flutters, restrained drum plops and piano comping, as Borghini’s thick bass rubs preserving the theme.

While the “Intervallo” sounds like a contrafact of some standard West Coast head with Borel and Delius seemingly channeling Bud Shank and Bob Cooper, the Secondo Tempo’s four tunes both amplify and resolve the sound contradictions. With expositions initially defined by strident pressure as the cellist pushes string sweeps even further out, the final “Memories of Who?” – another potential contrafact – and the final “Societé de la Solidarité Linguistique” impress by blending swing and stridency into a welcome resolution. Emphasizing the piano’s metallic jangles plus reed sputters and distended growls, Delius’ hunting-horn-like trills matched with Eraslan’s string chugs on “Societé de la Solidarité Linguistique” eventually reveal a dance rhythm underneath, climaxing in a group groove.

Groove, grit and gentleness, with emphasis on the middle adjective suffuse Unicorn And Flexibility, this trio’s second outing. With half the number of musicians as on the other disc, the cellist is more upfront, often taking on the double bass part with pizzicato thump, as well as moving among concentrated viola-like string buzzes, guitar-like twangs and more conventional harmonies with the saxophonist.

Almost projecting as much tough power as the reed players on the other disc, Hermia slithers and slides his way through snorts, split tones and smears, but also alters his pitches and tempos to properly fit the expositions. Darrifourcq solidifies the bottom with rumbles and ruffs or uses rim shot clatters and pointed pops to break up the rhythm. So overall, each player gets space to express himself along with trio sequences that are so concentrated that they’re nearly opaque. Furthermore at points mainstream impulses vie with  multiphonics for supremacy.

Instances of ferocity giving way to tone fastening and then fragmentation are common throughout, with the title tune a prime instance of that. Overblown squeaks and slurs in broken octaves from the saxophonist churn against drum rattles and string strums that are replaced by a solid linear movement as the exposition develops. Sul ponticello string scratches and chain rattles from the percussionist, double the time as pressure and harmony overlap.

Tracks like “Archaism” are more moderated with Ceccaldi’s cello defining itself as a walking bass. This encourages Hermia to fasten onto repeated circular breathed patterns mixed with Darrifourcq’s cymbal hisses and shakes and climaxed with forward motion drum thumps.

As ferment mixes with fluidity, never do the trio members lose track of basic horizontal motion. For every emphasized rim shot there’s a connective rumble and for every harsh string stab an equivalent place-marking stop.  Irregular snorts and split tones are expressed throughout with intensity, but always with an intersecting strategy.

Each session expresses a singular contemporary musical vision. Part of their distinction is how well cello impulses add to the narratives.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Resta: Primo Tempo: 1. Throwing At… 2. …the dropper 3. Avanti Tartarughe 4. The Applicant 5. Inapropriation Intervallo: 6. Intervallo Secondo Tempo: 7. Nothing Changes Like the Past 8. Escargot à la Rostropovic 9. Memories of Who? 10.  Societé de la Solidarité Linguistique

Personnel: Resta: Pierre Borel (alto saxophone); Tobias Delius (tenor saxophone/clarinet); Rieko Okuda (piano); Anil Eraslan (cello); Antonio Borghini (bass) and Steve Heather (drums)

Track Listing: Kaiju: 1. Moustache Et Vernis, Sans Cape Et Sans Collants 2. Unicorn And Flexibility 3. Cognitive Kebab 4. Homo Narrans 5. Archaism 6. Fatification 7. Celle Qui Ne Tombe Pas

Personnel: Kaiju: Manuel Hermia (tenor saxophone); Valentin Ceccaldi (cello) and Sylvain Darrifourcq (drums)