Josep Lluís Galiana/Thomas Bejelkeborn/Jesὐs Gallardo

Schindler/Dafeldecker/Geisse
Traveling Sound Images (Trio)
Creative Sources CS 851 CD

Despite the geographic distance two European horn experimenters have created equally decisive takes on free form improvisation by mostly blending reed timbres with electronics and a rhythm instrument. Experienced in all sorts of groupings and improvisations, Krailling-based Udo Schindler offers three extended improvisations playing cornet, sopranino and tenor saxophones and double bass clarinet along with fellow Germans bassist Werner Dafeldecker and Gunnar Geisse’s laptop guitar and virtual instruments. Meanwhile Valencia-based tenor and soprano saxophonist Josep Lluís Galiana propels the sonic north-south interchange still further by recording his eight extemporizations with Stockholm’s electronic expert Thomas Bjelkeborn as well as percussionist Jesús Gallardo from nearby Castellón.

Over the years Schindler has worked with a small army of associated sound explorers from Damon Smith to Paul Rogers; Dafeldecker with Burkhard Beins and Ignaz Schick among many others; and Geisse with everyone from Vinko Globokar to Evan Parker. Galiana and Gallardo, who both have extensive academic experiencer. often work together with others such as Matías Riquelme, while Bejelkeborn, with similar background is known as a composer, sound artist and curator.

Eschewing conventional textures on Traveling Sound Images the German trio members push their instruments to their limits, exposing individualistic timbres and techniques. This approach is bolstered by Schindler’s ability to roam among his four horns and Geisse’s concentrating more on processing wave forms than any expected guitar-like tones. Additionally Dafeldecker plays up the double bass’s tough rather than tuneful qualities.

Building up to the 30½ minute “TSL_ Cognitive Transfers (Trio)- part #2”, the trio announces its intent with nearly undifferentiated jagged reed bites, col legno string pressure and cumulative guitar flanges, as live voltage sweeps cushion the others peeps and drones. With a coda involved with widening chalumeau reed snorts integrated with laptop buzzes and purring oscillations, it’s “part 2” where ideas are most comprehensively expressed.

Overcoming the initial nearly opaque electrified drone as shifting sound waves inflate, Schindler’s clarion smears and ascending timbral strains soon pierce the oscillated murmurs as do the occasional double bass stops and rumbles. Later expression from both acoustic players keep the exposition linear in spite of programmed peals and hisses. The flat line soon intensifies however as arco string sawing and reed whimpers and tongue suctions become more obvious, finally superseded by aviary half-valve expressions and squawks from the cornet. Reflecting both acoustic and component affiliations, Geisse’s piano key like tinkles and programmed laptop whirrs eventually make common cause with subsiding plunger brass tones for a group summation.

On Swedish Connection in contrast it’s the conveyer belt of percussion timbres which initially define the trio members’ layered interaction. Martial drum raps, claves-like shakes, metal reverberations and idiophone rattles set up a horizontal continuum. From that point on buzzing and splashing programmed wave forms and interludes of circular breathed reed flutters and stops evolve in tandem.

As Gallardo’s clip-clops and rumbles increase alongside Galiana’s low-pitched scoops and slurs a climax is reached during the extended “Swedish Connection VIII”. Bookended by drum top rubs, cymbal clatter and metallic reverberations at its beginning and completion, chugging computer-projected voltage vibrations share space with irregular bird-like reed peeps, tongue slaps and concentrated breaths. Circular breathing trills then intensify alongside measured gong-like shakes until Bejelkeborn’s echo-chamber-like affiliations first mask then mirror saxophone breaths. With reed and computer textures inflated to strident squeals it’s Gallardo’s reverberating cymbal scratches that bring down to earth the seemingly unstoppable oscillations and saxophone trills.

From that point forward broken octave projections encompass synthesized crackles and hisses, reed tongue stops and scoops plus steadying drum ruffs for maximum timbral exploration. Reaching another climax with “Swedish Connection II” – which perversely arrives much later on the disc than “Swedish Connection VIII” – a variation of nearly unstoppable lowing and widening bottom timbres are exposed. Among the connected idiophone abrasions, reed snarls and electronic pulses, interludes of near-vocalized squeaks, voltage rumbles and drum-stick-on-Mylar scratches are heard along with silences. Conclusive coordinated harmonica- tempered reed squeaks, machine hisses and kettle drum like resonations are advanced and live processed by Bejelkeborn so that group resonations conclude the experiments.

Diffident and dissonant but not different or disturbing those interested in sound exploration will find much to scrutinize on these trio discs.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Traveling: 1. TSL_ Cognitive Transfers (Trio)- part #1 2. TSL_ Cognitive Transfers (Trio)- part #2 3. TSL_ Cognitive Transfers (Trio)- part #3

Personnel: Traveling: Udo Schindler (cornet, sopranino and tenor saxophones and double bass clarinet); Gunnar Geisse (laptop guitar and virtual instruments) and Werner Dafeldecker (bass)
Track Listing: Swedish: 1. Swedish Connection VI 2. Swedish Connection V 3. Swedish Connection IV 4. Swedish Connection VIII 5. Swedish Connection III 6. Swedish Connection VII 7. Swedish Connection II 8. Swedish Connection I

Personnel: Swedish: Josep Lluís Galiana (soprano and tenor saxophones); Jess Gallardo (percussion) and Thomas Bejelkeborn (electronics)