Falco/Sinton/Wilson

June 22, 2022

Adumbrations
Form is Possibility SBR 037/fpcd033

Küchen/Fernández/Kaučič
The Steps that Resonate
NotTwo MW 1025
Dispensing with the double bass and its rhythmic pulse is only a risky matter if a band faces unexpected breaches in musical strategies. There’s no chance of that happening on these well-paced sets, since the groups involved are well acquainted with split second decision making during instant improvising.

New York reedist Josh Sinton, whose baritone saxophone, bass clarinet and alto flute excursions have been featured in solo sets and in bands like Ideal Bread, creates a dissonant, but mostly quiet and lyrical program on the six “Adumbrations” that are featured on that trio CD. He reaches these goals with confidence, since the other players are associates of two decades: pianist Jed Wilson, who often works with Dominique Eade, and drummer Tony Falco, who thrives in Tiszji Muñoz’s band. As EU as the other band is US, the players on The Steps that Resonate resonate one extended and one brief encore dedicated to tussling, sometimes brawling, high-octane Free Music. Each is a veteran of that genre. Slovenian percussionist Zlatko Kaucic plays with partners like Evan Parker; Catalan pianist Agustí Fernández, works with Parker, Barry Guy and many others; while Swedish saxophonist Martin Kuchen has recorded solo sets and with everyone from Ingebrigt Håker Flaten to Raymond Strid.

Stopping infrequently for brief quiet refueling, Küchen/Fernández/Kaučič begin with a collective pounding that’s one-part rugged drum crashes, one-part dynamic keyboard pressure and one-part rooster crowing reed shrills. The three operate at that elevated level for almost the next 40 minutes. Along the way the saxophonist unearths nearly every manner of extended reed techniques, with his parts peppered with pinched yelping and buzzing, continued tongue slaps and tongue stops, strident overblowing and piercing split-tone screams. Shaking metal objects, squeezing plush toys as well as clanking and clattering regular drum kit parts and cymbals, Kaučič maintain a percussive overlay that squires, shifts and shoves the interface. Not to be outdone, Fernández not only vibrates the keyboards with dynamic, staccato patterns, but also rumbles low tones from the woody parts of the piano and strums and pinches the instrument inner strings, something juggling items upon them.

After the saxophonist’s stretched duck calls and aviary gargles are met by piano soundboard rumbles and descending drum slaps, a brief interlude of stopped piano keys rattling and straight ahead trebly vibrations from the saxophonist adds emotional resonance to the situation. Shortly afterwards however all three revert to energetic output with Fernández sweeping what could be a metal comb across the strings for added resonance, Küchen snarling and whining tsopranino timbres and Kaučič’s slaps and rattles keeping pace. Finally they reach a crescendo of trilling cries, doits and smeared vibrations from the saxophonist that coupled with drum nerve beats and simultaneous keyboard battering reaches a point of no return and dissolves into silence. In response to audience demands the brief coda reaches some semblance of the initial commotion, but is a bit superfluous since the trio members have said all they needed to in the first instance.

A studio rather than a live session, Adumbrations is slower moving, more melodic and quieter than the other disc. Setting up a paradigm as early as the first track, baritone saxophone color, discreet piano comping and distant percussion sweeps establish the linear exposition, then push forward into thicker and more discordant territory. Wilson’s glossy key searches and pinpoint connections make a perfect backdrop for Sinton’s matched slurs and tone extensions, projecting a wider scene setting. By the finale though the three have reached a level of expressive connection like an updated John Coltrane quartet without a bassist. Notably proficient on baritone, Sinton adds sophisticated flattement and decorative glissandi elsewhere, but without upsetting ther session’s linear flow. The large horn’s unique texture also add no queasy decoration to the others’ sound forays. Bass clarinet chalumeau register runs are used for the empathy they can project, especially when in double counterpoint with Wilson’s sympathetic key tinkling as on “Adumbration 3”. Yet as drum beats become more regularized and piano comping gets higher pitched, Sinton can also challenge the others with individual altissimo dissidence, before the three settle into a mellow finale with overlapping low-pitched tones. Sinton’s flute playing is better served on “Adumbration 5”, overcoming whimperings elsewhere. Meeting restrained swing from the pianist and understated drum rattle, his vocalized transverse piping adds the necessary roughness to the otherwise relaxed narrative.

Tough or tender, raging or relaxed, the antithetical expositions of these session both reach the aim of choice improvisations.

—Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Adumbrations: 1. Adumbration 1 2. Adumbration 2 3. Adumbration 3 4. Adumbration 4 5. Adumbration 5 6. Adumbration 6

Personnel: Adumbrations: Josh Sinton (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet and alto flute); Jed Wilson (piano) and Tony Falco (drums)

Track Listing: Steps: 1. The steps that resonate

Personnel: Steps: Martin Kuchen (soprano, sopranino saxophones, and small percussion); Agustí Fernández, (piano and objects) and Zlatko Kaučič (drums and objects)