Clairvoyance

Improlevitas
EROS
Setola di Maiale SM 4700

Purposeful chamber improv that’s anything but restrained and proper, these Italian trios. with the exact same instrumentation, show that intertwining stripped-down textures with affiliated and thought-out procedures can produce results that are animated as well as austere.  Dedicated collectives, the better-known Clairvoyance threesome is made up of soprano saxophonist Gianni Mimmo, pianist Silvia Corda and bassist Adriano Orrù. Together or singly the trio members have worked with Satoko Fujii, João Pedro Viegas, Carlos Zingaro and many others. Meanwhile the Bologna-based Improlevitas consists of soprano saxophonist Maurizio Lesmi, pianist Lorenzo Tosarelli and bassist Roberto Bartoli. Each player’s associations stretch from Adriano Rugiadi and Eugenio Colombo to Sara Tinti and Dino Barioni

The timbral weaving that goes into EROS’ six instant compositions is actually expressed at greatest length on “Puer Aeternus”, the almost 17-minute introductory track. From that point on the trio members work variations on the paradigm advanced at the top. This includes a central drone, sul ponticello sweeps, thick plucks below the bridge and the occasional lyrical interlude from Bartoli; decorated high-pitched single notes or pedal point pressure to connect with the bassist’s string stops from Tosarelli; and squeaky trills and concentrated flutters from Lesmi.

Along with the outright seriousness expressed by the longer tracks, the three also scatter brighter motifs in between the sequences, balancing earnestness with excitement. The pianist introduce a swing groove to “Vaghezza Blues” and adding together delicate piano clips, speedy double bass string sweeps and clarion reed note bending, turns a section of “Hier Ist’s Richtig” into a variant of a peasant dance.

Of course the sheer length of “Puer Aeternus” shifts attention to it and that’s well deserved as a microcosm of improvisational transformation. Beginning with a single piano clip, a bell ping and singular sax flutters at the top, restraint is put aside as it opens up with thicker reed smears, darting keyboard pressure and strumming bass strings. By midpoint dynamic glissandi, vibrating bass pulses and elevated reed peeps build to an emotional climax that descends to a continuous bagpipe-like drone from the saxophonist. “Memento Mori”, the final track completes the circle as horizontal rubs, key tinkles and an unbreakable reed line are harmonized until a gentling saxophone trill signals the ending.

Together for years, the members of Clairvoyance use their affiliated skills in a live context to build up and descend from the disc’s 27½ minute title track. Before that, upfront double bass rubs, note-bending reed flutters and a methodical piano exposition set the scene until the three realize new interactions with double tongued reed overblowing, hammering on the piano’s string harp and unbroken double bass stops. “After the Stirring”, the brief – for this disc – coda is a collection of treble reed trills, swift bass walking and progressive piano coloration.

Nonetheless the mammoth “Chapters of a Day” filters all sorts of maneuvers and moods within its time frame. Col legno string hits, harsh tongue slaps and piano keyboard pressure up the intensity from the first before branching into timbral reed beeps and low-pitched piano rolls. Adding a soupçon of moderated and lyrical patterns a slowed down sequence contrasts key percussion from Corda and a thick bass continuum to sweeten reed twitters until a role reversal has Mimmo pushing rugged split tone sup the scale doubled by wood and metal smacks from the pianist. Orrù’s rubs, basement tones from Corda and final contrasting quavers from Mimmo signal the wrap up, with the band having created an intertwined catalogue of  angular and alleviating tones.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: EROS: 1. Puer Aeternus 2. Epilogo della Tempesta 3. Hier Ist’s Richtig, Eldorado! 4. Vaghezza Blues 5. Tango a Tre 6. Memento Mori

Personnel: EROS: Maurizio Lesmi (soprano saxophone and effects); Lorenzo Tosarelli (piano) and Roberto Bartoli (bass)

Track Listing: Chapters: 1. As Pages Drift 2. Chapters of a Day 3. After the Stirring

Personnel: Chapters: Gianni Mimmo (soprano saxophone); Silvia Corda (piano and sound objects) and Adriano Orrù (bass)