Markus Eichenberger & Christoph Gallio

Gallio/Girod/Ulrich
Day & Bus
Creative Sources CS 720 CD

Like a funhouse mirror two recent CDs showcase two contrasting aspects of Swiss saxophonist Christoph Gallio’s work, one harsh and one gentle. Gallio, who has been part of many ensembles for decades, most prominently the Day & Taxi trio since 1988, is featured improvising with associates with whom he rarely plays.

Day & Bus – whose title suggests a more cost-efficient transportation option to Day & Taxi – consists of one track of uncompromising astringent sounds. Joining Gallio who plays soprano, alto and C-melody saxophones, are fellow Swiss, bassist Dominque Girod, an academic who plays Jazz and Contemporary Music and drummer Dieter Ulrich, an art historian as well as a musician who also adds bugle blasts to part of the program. Another Swiss, clarinetist Markus Eichenberger, who often creates solo projects, partners Gallio on Unison Polyphony, featuring 10 tracks where the two do precisely that.

Slightly more than half hour in length, brevity doesn’t stop the trio members from infusing almost every manner of extended technique, sly detours and distinctive sound surprises into the performance. A stop-and-go elaboration with several silent interludes, angled reed pressure is often harmonized with string bass buzzes and drum ruffs as well as running through a panoply of a capella screams, tongue stops and ejaculated gasps. Following each solo burst however are equally interpretive segues from the others. Harsh overblowing is met with cowbell whaps, while altissimo screams bring out intense and repetitive single string pulsations. Nephritic runs even bring forth choker bugle blats. The three continue to project mid-range excitement to the end, being sophisticated enough to limit unusual techniques to accented tinctures rather than coloring the whole production. Sensitively alternating between speculation and story-telling, Gallio’s slap tongue attack and descending flattement signal the end.

Playing soprano saxophone on all but one track, Gallio’s minimal flutters are often indistinguishable from Eichenberger’s clarion peeps on the other disc, especially when they move from broken octave advancement to unison playing. These high pitches often remain in the air after a particular track ends as sonic after-images. Alternately atom-sized bites are stacked into thin sheets of undulating texture. “Strange Cave System’, the longest track, for instance, evolves with ample motion and eventually hardens into a single horizontal line as staccato crackles and bursts of splayed tones are heard from each player. Playing the C-melody sax, Gallio’s distinctive textures help create a mellowing narrative. The following “Gift Of The Artists” is the complete opposite – 35 seconds of the highest pitched, most strident and shrillest yelps sprayed every which way. In the end the players artfully reflect the CD title. While they advance expositions with a leisurely collection of peeps, pauses and projects often in lockstep. More importantly, not only do motifs cross over from one reed to the other, but perceived timbres reflect back on one another’s expositions.

Whether you prefer the Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde version of Gallio’s playing there’s much to consider on these sessions.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Day: 1. Day & Bus

Personnel: Day: Christoph Gallio (soprano, alto and C-melody saxophones); Dominque Girod (bass) and Dieter Ulrich (drums and bugle)

Track Listing: Unison: 1. New Ways 2. When The Day Is Short 3. When The Day Is Long 4. How To Sleep Better 5. How Does My Cat Think 6. Strange Cave System 7. Gift Of The Artists 8. Update 9. A Walkable Swamp 10. The Balance Of A City Figure

Personnel: Unison: Markus Eichenberger (clarinet) and Christoph Gallio (soprano and C-melody saxophones)