Littorina Saxophone Quartet

Bertrand Gauguet/Jean-Luc Petit
Radiesthésie
Unrec 251

Reed repartee times two and times four, with one duo and one quartet ingeniously outline how to concoct polychromic intonation  by consolidating and contrasting dappled and flecked woodwind  timbres. A profusion of French kisses, slurs, stop and gargles, Radiesthésie offers up the alto and baritone saxophone techniques of Bertrand Gauguet with reed transformations from Jean-Luc Petit’s contrabass clarinet and sopranino saxophone. The sonic equivalent of an EU challenge to Russia’s imperial ambitions, the fluid Leaking Pipes’ woodwind flow come from the alto saxophone of Estonian Maria Faust; the sopranino, soprano and bass saxophones of Lithuanian Liudas Mockūnas; the soprano and tenor saxophones of Swede Fredrik Ljungkvist; and the alto, sopranino and baritone saxophones of Finn Mikko Innanen as the Littorina Saxophone Quartet (LSQ).

All are experienced innovators. Gauguet is also a composer in many media as well as playing with the likes of Sophie Agnel. Petit is a committed avant-gardist working with innovators like Jean-Marc Foussat. Besides pe4rforming on their own, LSQ members have worked with Jacob Anderskov (Faust); Barry Guy (Mockūnas); Gard Nilssen (Ljungkvist) and Antti Lötjönen (Innanen).

Essays in basement tones, Gauguet and Petit start off with bellicose tongue slaps on “Le pendule de Thot” and go on advancing every low-pitched snort, renal snarl, nephritic spew and cohered drone possible. Deftly avoiding the clichés of subterraneant-pitch singularity, the two use the sopranino’s and alto’s shrilling yelps and altissimo cries to fragment the low-pitched billows and rumbles that expose interludes of almost pure lyricism. Here and throughout the constant murmur of note bending undulations means that a patina of extended reed timbres continue to hang in the air even as upfront improvising fades. This also reflects the spatial properties of the Chapelle Saint Martin where the CD was recorded. Most prominently n the concluding “Sonusmancie”, the ghostly reflections bouncing from the walls create the faint impression of a third reed voice.

More crucially the Gauguet/Petit interaction is based on tone layering from elevated to sunken and as the two simultaneously project modulations reed textures bleed one into the other. These can be spittle-laced thick dissonance, almost unending swells, siren-like cries or note-bending airs which seem to flow without really differentiating one player from the other. However reed transformation creates the most distinct dual expression on the extended “L’antenne de Lecher”. Here, as Petit’s shrills and spetrofluctuation are moderated by Gauguet’s breathy tremolo judders and sibilant smears, later mid-point reed cascades judder between altissimo saxophone barks and clarinet chalumeau. Modulating into intensity the reed lines forcefully fragment before melding into a high-pitched climax.

Unlike its namesake snail, the Baltic quartet members move equally well at speedy and sluggish tempos. This  can also be attributed to the multiplexity of timbres available from the nine saxophones featured. In terms of foot-lifting projects the introductory “Kop Kop” and later “Matkalla Poitiersiin”, they could easily fit the repertoire of a marching band or circus ensemble. Carefully layered and harmonized with the lead switching down the scale and story telling and head recapitulation emphasized, the four include enough tone sputters, air slurps, body-tube screams and tongue slaps to assert sophisticated individuality. These are joyous animated sounds not canned merry-go-round ditties.

Perhaps relating to the fact that Innanen and Ljungkvist often play together, round robin and antiphonic blends are often an extension of the pitch stratum throughout. So are subtle upwards and downwards tones in stairstep fashion. Multiple reed coloration is also arranged so that the polyphonic results emphasize individual strategies. Dog whistle-like shrills and wallowing reed snorts are frequently heard, Overall though, circular intersections lead to defined melodies. This is expressed in a protracted instance on “Shadows” where lowing bass and baritone saxophones grunts are decorated with trilling harmonies from the higher pitched saxes until a horizontal sequence is established which fades among unison harmonies.

Whether in duo or quartet forms, woodwind groups can provide all the textures needed for a memorable program, which is proven here.

–KenWaxman

Track Listing: Radiesthésie: 1. Le pendule de Thot 2. L’effet idéomoteur 3. L’antenne de Lecher 4. L’effet Barnum 5. Sonusmancie

Personnel: Radiesthésie: Bertrand Gauguet (alto and baritone saxophones) and Jean-Luc Petit (contrabass clarinet and sopranino saxophone)

Track Listing: Leaking: 1. Kop Kop  2. Hells Bells 3. Matkalla Poitiersiin 4. Nils-Olof  5. Shadows 6. Leaking Pipes

Personnel: Leaking: Liudas Mockūnas (sopranino, soprano and bass saxophones); Fredrik Ljungkvist (soprano and tenor saxophones); Maria Faust (alto saxophone) and Mikko Innanen (alto, sopranino and baritone saxophones)