Galiana/Gallardo/Alemany
January 13, 2025Entartete Improvisationen
Liquen Records LR CD 029
Strangely absent when creative music is discussed, Spain includes a goodly number of free improvisers, but somehow misses exposure on the wider stage. It may be because in the post-Franco environment emphasis has been on education with many of the players with advanced degrees and/or involved in academe. Which brings us to this more than 79-minute, demonstration of how the players and academics dub Entartete Improvisationen or “degenerate improvisations” can sound.
The sardonic title can only be taken with a full saltshaker since the improvising on these 14-tracks is as genuine as that from any other improvising trio. The degenerates on this disc are all veterans, and in the case of València-based soprano, tenor and baritone saxophonist Josep Lluís Galiana, who has played with Wade Matthews and Ramón López among others, have recorded frequently. His debased associates here are Joan Gómez Alemany who elsewhere uses samples and electronics and here plays so-called expanded piano and percussionist Jesús Gallardo, who has worked with Agustí Fernández
Except for solo or duo tracks, the three players’ interaction involves thrusting extended techniques projections of from all the trio members. Gallardo is probably the most restrained. His strategy involves tough ruffs, rumbles, echoing rebounds and cymbal scratches with the occasional plastic bottle-like clanks, tambourine shudders and bell-tree shakes used to break up the interface. Moving among his three saxophones Galiana’s expositions and amplifications are more extended. Capable of creating a nasal oboe-like yelp or high-energy snorts, he connects with the others using thin, high-pitched flutters or basement-level resonating honks. Disassociated split tones, note stretching, tongue stops and slaps also intersect with the others, especially Alemany’s inner string strums or pumping keyboard chording. On a track like “Entartete Improvisationen XV” Galiana balances stopped-key pressure with affiliated spetrofluctuation.
However Alemany’s note bending and affiliations are the centre of many of the pieces however. Just as Galiana is able to dig deep inside his horns’ body tubes to source unexpected timbres, Alemany has both the outer piano keys to stop, clip and pattern and the inner strings to strum, twang and frail with suggestions of harp, dulcimer, and on “Entartete Improvisationen XII”, guitar. Additionally while his contributions include heavy pounding, percussive inner piano rumbles and clanks from both sides of the keyboard, lyricism is also featured. This is especially obvious on “Entartete Improvisationen XIV”. Expressing both relaxed keyboard tinkles and pedal point strength, the pianist draws out the narrative further with a melodic comping even drawing in Galiana as he vibrates a single tone up and down.
Defined with different tempos, pitches, noises and note-bending, these degenerate improvisers’ program resolve around paying close attention to sound variations without the necessity of a defined conclusion. It also confirms the skills of at least one set of Spanish improvisers.
–Ken Waxman
Track Listing: 1. Entartete Improvisationen I 2. Entartete Improvisationen XII 3. Entartete Improvisationen XV 4. Entartete Improvisationen III 5. Entartete Improvisationen IV 6.Entartete Improvisationen X 7. Entartete Improvisationen VIII 8. Entartete Improvisationen XIII 9. Entartete Improvisationen IX 10. Entartete Improvisationen XIV 11. Entartete Improvisationen VII 12. Entartete Improvisationen V 13. Entartete Improvisationen XVII 14. Entartete Improvisationen XVI
Personnel: Josep Lluís Galiana (soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones); Joan Gómez Alemany (expanded piano) and Jesús Gallardo (percussion)