Kaptain Ørenvist & Giancarlo Schiaffini

Herzog/Muche/Nillesen
anasỳmthesi
Thanatosis THT 43

Angling the timbres from a trombone and percussion to a chordal instrument with few strings can be challenge. But these two trios handle it with aplomb, even though they accomplish their aims by evolving improvisations in discrepant manners. Made up of Germans, trombonist Matthias Muche and bassist Constantin Herzog, plus Dutch drummer Etienne Nillesen, were formerly known as T.ON, and are embedded in the Köln music scene. They’re also committed microtalists  and have collaborated with everyone from Anna Webber to Christian Wolff. Attuned to more freeform improvisation however, the trio on Grappa Rules consists of Danish players Jørgen Teller on acoustic steel string guitar and percussionist P.O. Jørgensen, who as Kaptain Ørenvist, singly or together have recorded with everyone from Jeffrey Morgan to Maria Faust. Joining them is trombonist Giancarlo Schiaffini, one of the founders of Italian free music, whose numerous contributions include membership in the Italian Instabile Orchestra.

Although the Danish-Italian combination interacts on seven tracks of varying lengths,  anasỳmthesi is instead a single program of slightly more than half an hour that gradually and in a muted manner is animated with a collection of restrained broken chord timbres. The gradual textural and dynamic transformation slowly ascend to reveal tinctures in the nearly opaque exposition. This takes the form of brass smears, scraped cymbal extensions and bass string arco buzzing. Separated by brief silences, the hills and valleys of the performance are more cleanly noted when repressed trombone breaths turn to quivering reflux and gradually resolve tonal ambiguity by affiliating with overtones from the other players as well as extending textural partials. Contrapuntal sequences become harsher and more indurate as scouring on unyielding metal, shattered brass burbles and sul ponticello string throbs intensify and then dissolve simultaneously.

If anasỳmthesi can be compared to a monochrome painting, then Grappa Rules could be a canvas of free hand abstraction, though one that reflects Nordic solidity as well as Latin chromaticism. That means that almost from the beginning of “Bella lì!” the first track, affiliated and ascending drum paradiddles and maracas-like shakes, speedy banjo-like string clanks and shaking half-valve shudders spatter and shower extended timbres onto the narratives.

This use of idiophones rather than Nillesen’s gran casa, not only multiplies the rhythmic textures, but also create percussion cadences ranging from woody pops metallic ratchets that encourage the other two to aurally color the improvisational canvases’ remaining blank sections.

In essence that means that on “Non Esiste”, the most extended track, which is almost half the length of Herzog/Muche/Nillesen’s complete improvisation, upwards partial and affiliated motifs are continuously added to alter the sonic depiction. This takes the form of portamento warbling from Schiaffini, blurred fingering, bottleneck stops and wide twangs from Teller and slaps and pats on drum tops from Jørgensen. With the occasional vocalized yell added to the exposition, pivots to upwards and downwards cadences continue throughout until a final drum smack.

As well as varying tempos and pitches with overriding emphasis, Schiaffini, Teller and Jørgensen don’t neglect grace notes and continuum. But as indicated by other tracks there seems to be no note that could be treated gently when it could be toughened. The concluding “L’ultima Paglia” is an instance of this. Overall it’s a compendium of hunting-horn-like echoes and human sounding slurs from the trombonist; sawing and scouring deep into cymbals and other metal from the drummer; and thick finger picking string frails and strums that are almost as percussive as Jørgensen’s idiophone resonations.

Each trio has advanced a progressive manner in which to blend disparate timbres uniquely. How these contradictions are resolved in disparate, but fascinating fashions is what makes both profoundly listenable.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: anasỳmthesi: 1. anasỳmthesi

Personnel: anasỳmthesi: Matthias Muche (trombone); Constantin Herzog (bass) and Etienne Nillesen (drums)

Track Listing: 1. Bella lì! 2. Ravanando in Fa 3. Daje! 4. Che Sbornia! Chissene 5. Non Esiste  6. La Grande Zella 7. L’ultima Paglia

Personnel: Giancarlo Schiaffini (trombone); Jørgen Teller (acoustic steel string guitar) and P.O. Jørgensen (percussion)