Christoph Gallio, Dominic Lash & Mark Sanders

Liba Villavecchia Trio
Birchwood
Clean Feed CF 634 CD

Although the improvising saxophone-bass-drums configuration has become common over the years, stripping interactive sounds down to these essentials still presents challenges. Different approaches are exhibited on these sessions as equally valid ways to project the most interesting sounds available. Devised with multi-sectional tracks, Birchwood’s improvisations were created by a trio of players from Spain. Alto saxophonist Liba Villavecchia, drummer Vasco Trilla and bassist Alex Reviriego are involved with multiple bands, though all have worked with Agustí Fernández. More singular, the other CD finds Swiss saxophonist Christoph Gallio, leader of the Day & Taxi group, in a first-time meeting with two of the UK’s most accomplished rhythm players: bassist Dominic Lash and drummer Mark Sanders.

Working their way through two extended improvisations, the three easily suture the drummer’s alternately brawny and benign patterns and the bassist’s unshakable pulse to the jagged thrusts and stinging tongue flutters of Gallio, who switches among alto, soprano and C-melody saxophones. Shaping the interactions as they go along, during “Wildlife”, the British players parry the Swiss saxophonist’s introduction of such motifs as slap tones, spetrofluctuation and triple tonguing with sometimes paint-stripping intensity with their own extended techniques which involve col legno and spinning lines from Lash and rolling paradiddles and emphasized slaps from Sanders. This collective perception remains especially when there’s a sudden tempo change at tune’s end as reed squeaks and bites thin to brief yelps. An arco string drone and rumbling drum press rolls confirm how in sync the three players have become.

Gallio’s switch to the breathy C-melody on “Homelife” provides more instances of this coordination when joined by understated cymbal slaps and multi-string bass vibrations. However the bassist and drummer are left preserving horizontal progress, when abandoning that horn for another, the saxophonist fragments the lower case narrative. He does so with ascending slurs and split tones that reach their zenith – or is it nadir? – turning unaccented air into a suspended drone. Eventually bow slapping against the bass’ tautly stretched strings and a protracted drum roll show that the improvisations formerly dominated by Gallio’s repeated trilling patterns can reach a concentrated climax as each instrument’s upsurge quiets with a single rim shot, a single string pop and a single reed squeak.

Such synchronous action is present on the other CD as well, with equivalent elevated and lessened timbres made more obvious since the majority of the six instant compositions are multi-sectional. Like Gallio and company it also means that trio members are able to emphasis linear and fragmented sections with equal skill.

Tracks usually include apt space for each player. Buzzing split tones, triple-tonguing and emphasis on multiple pitches and tempo changes from Villavecchia; woody slides and low-pitched strums and stops from Reviriego; and positioned press roll and razzle dazzle cymbal clacks from Trilla all have their place. But the tunes’ structures usually allow the three to come together for tandem, horizontal theme expression by the finale.

“Blue Quinoa” and “Anima” are the most succinct examples of these strategies. The first weaves together an introduction of thin, almost piccolo-pitch-elevated note shaking, tolling drum pops and understated string claps that suddenly explodes into emphasized string bowing, drum clatters and harsh flutters. These reach an apogee then just as suddenly revert back to string buzzing shakes, rim shots and reed trembles. This quick change from leisurely to lively happens repeatedly until an andante groove connects the pieces until the conclusion. “Anima” is more of the same, except this time a four-note pattern defines the melancholic theme and keeps reoccurring even as Reviriego’s thick bass strokes, Trilla’s drum raps and Villavecchia’s screaming split tones frequently interrupt the defining story telling exposition.

Working within the structures and limitations of this stark musical focus, each trio makes its points by emphasising solid linear momentum as well as interpolating interludes of unstructured playing.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Live: 1. Wildlife Part 1 2. Wildlife Part 2 3. Wildlife Part 3 4. Homelife Part 1 5. Homelife Part 2

Personnel: Live: Christoph Gallio (alto, soprano and C-melody saxophones); Dominic Lash (bass) and Mark Sanders (drums and percussion)

Track Listing: Birchwood: 1. Birchwood 2. Lublin 3. Blue Quinoa 4. Anima 5. Deep Yellow 6. Senan

Personnel: Birchwood:  Liba Villavecchia (alto saxophone); Àlex Reviriego (bass) and Vasco Trilla (drums and percussion)