Harri Sjöström / Achim Kaufmann / Emilio Gordoa / Adam Pultz Melbye / Dag Magnus Narvesen

August 28, 2021

In Moers

Fundacja Sluchaj FSR 07/2021

Gratkowski/Kaufmann/de Joode/Buck

Flatbosc & Cautery

NoBusiness NBCD 133

Having moved from Germany to the Netherlands and back again over the past quarter century, Aachen-born pianist Achim Kaufmann has been part of many ensembles in both countries and beyond. These sessions are not only prime instances of free improvisation, but also find Kaufmann’s playing integrated among musical contributions from an international cast. More familiar, Flatbosc & Cautery is an extension of the trio the pianist, German multi-reedist Frank Gratkowski and powerhouse Dutch bassist Wilbert de Joode have had for many years by adding Australian percussionist Tony Buck of The Necks. The quartet ranges over six instant compositions. In Moers in contrast features only one improvisation and the quintet is more international. Besides Kaufmann, saxophonist Harri Sjöström is Finnish; vibraphonist Emilio Gordoa Mexican; bassist Adam Pultz Melbye Danish; and drummer Dag Magnus Narvesen Norwegian.

Parameters are swiftly established on Flatbosc & Cautery starting with “Biomes”, the first track. Introduced with whirling piano stretches, bowed double bass and drum rumbles, the broken octave elaboration is interrupted with Gratkowski’s Trane-like tenor saxophone sweeps and patterns, which escalate to screeching split tones, As his input hardens so do the others’. Drum smacks and keyboard sweeps surge until Gratkowski breaks the spell with flute flutters. De Joode’s astringent spiccato and slamming string extensions are also featured. Overall there isn’t track that doesn’t benefit from De Joode’s his rhythmic prodding or enhancements, often created in cello-range. Each band members contributes to the tunes’ architecture throughout, whether it’s the pianist’s aggressive kinetics or comping tinkles; rumbling percussion tones which can add rococo decorations or intensify the beat with rubs and scratches; or Gratkowski ranging through his horn collection adding doits and spetrofluctuation, But nothing stops the narrative flow. At more than 21½ minutes or almost half the length of the other CD though, “Small Ways, Chasmal” is obviously meant to be the band’s magnum opus. It’s also a profound nod to Energy Music since piano dynamics and double bass plucks are secondary to the saxophonist’s harrowing reed slaps and smears with tone extrapolation into nasal whines and sandpaper-rough squalls. Buck’s ruffs and rolls follow along and soon the pianist is adding prestissimo pummels. At about the half way point though, cymbal resonation subverts the motif so that the narrative shifts from allegro to adagio. Seconded by place-holding double bass thumps and moderated keyboard patterns, Gratkowski introduces a warm clarinet tone which gives way to de Joode’s commanding strokes and drum shuffles. A final sequence matches slippery reed vibrations with buzzing string slides from the bassist.

Kaufmann’s playing is metronomic and aggressive on Flatbosc & Cautery. Yet on the more restrained In Moers, he spends as much time tweaking his instrument’s inner strings and soundboard as on the keyboard to integrate within an extended group improvisation. Piano sweeps and rumbles introduce the narrative on this live festival set along with intermittent peeps and trills from the saxophonist. Then more brightness is brought to the exposition with melodic tremors vibes tremors and drum clipping. As textures are stitched together from each player the program evolves alongside Sjöström’s distinctive slurs and sucks and Narvesen’s hollow pops and cymbal slides as well juddering piano strings. Preserving the balance between heavy and horizontal however, Gordoa’s spidery decorations pump space into the proceedings. His bell-like pealing also signals a pressure drop so that by the mid-point the saxophonist is engaged in swapping tremolo tones with the vibist. Following that interlude buzzing pulses from bassist Pultz Melbye, keyboard kinetics that rumble from the soundboard and Narvesen’s idiophone slides and scratches swell the exposition until a shift occurs. Sjöström’s vibrations now create a line both moderate and melodic, which shakes and shuffles until the finale. This release in tension is characterized by timbral fluctuations among the five with soprannino slurs and expressive piano processes alternating with rugged percussion bangs and double bass thumps, as Gordoa and Kaufmann’s ivory and metal clips and glides fill in the middle.

Able to adapt to varied circumstances, Kaufmann’s ideas and those of the other musicians make these discs astute if unlike musical statements.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Flatbosc: 1. Biomes 2. Roughly Parallel 3. X-ularities 4. Tenuous Links Beyond 5. Small Ways, Chasmal 6. Tangible Thin Threads

Personnel: Flatbosc: Frank Gratkowski (alto saxophone, clarinets and flute); Achim Kaufmann (piano); Wilbert de Joode (bass) and Tony Buck (drums and percussion)

Track Listing: Moers: 1. Move in Moers

Personnel: Moers: Harri Sjöström (soprano and sopranino saxophones); Achim Kaufmann (piano); Emilio Gordoa (vibraphone); Adam Pultz Melbye (bass) and Dag Magnus Narvesen (drums)