Matthew Ottignon

Unionen
Unionen
We Jazz WJ CD 79

Preserving mainstream Jazz with touches of amplifications  – electronic or not – are two quartets led by experienced multi-horn players. On Volant, Kiwi turned Aussie Matthew Ottignon divides his impressions among tenor, alto and baritone saxophones, ably affiliated with a down-under rhythm section of pianist Lauren Tsamouras, bassist Hannah James and percussionist Holly Conner. Meanwhile on Unionen, Swede Per “Texas” Johansson divides his improvisations among tenor saxophone, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, English horn and flute, with fellow Scandinavians keyboardist Ståle Storløkken, bassist Petter Eldh, percussionist Gard Nilssen aided by vibraphonist Mattias Ståhl on the penultimate track.

That track, “Search Party” is one in which Johansson uses his English horn skills. He colorizes the pinched woodwind’s textures into story telling lines that affiliate with spidery vibe comping, thick double bass pulses and cymbal shimmers as well as electric piano echoes or measured acoustic piano chords. Meanwhile a track like “Ganska Långt Ut På Vänsterkanten” or “Pretty Far Out on the Left” – a shift now needed as numerous governments move to the right – uses the basement power of overdubbed contrabass clarinet growls and flute or synth reverberations to musically resolve the contradictions which should be similarly dealt with by countries.

Also giving the other players sufficient space to contribute, the horn man constantly demonstrates his versatility. It can range from a simple flute flight backed by bell-ringing percussion and electric piano twangs on “Ståhlbad” to the hard-rock-like undercurrent on “6983’, matching sax with Nilssen’s hard ruffs and Storløkken’s Rhodes replicating guitar flanges; and “Tomikron”, a contrafact of a couple of Mingus tunes with a Blues flair emphasised through a bass into and further string slides. Unionen take takes its name form the period from 1814-1905 when there was a united kingdom of Sweden and Norway. Overall it seems this meld of Swedish and Norwegian players has created music as lasting as that union.

Although both Antipodean, New Zealand and Australia were never united, despite the populations’ geography and politics having more in common then say Canada and the United States, especially now. Volant’s eight tracks however emphatically confirm this close association between Kiwi and Ozzie players. Listen how James’ repeated bass string patterns, bowed or plucked; Conner’s press rolls and hard Mylar thumps; and Tsamouras’ across the keyboard intensity from measured comping to piano-reed harmonies serve as Ottignon’s perfect partners as he moves through his reed arsenal.

Switching from one saxophone to another allows him to express different ideas and emotions. But of course as a veteran improviser, with an evolved style, it’s as if hearing expressions from three musical triplets On the tenor saxophone, for instance, he can create a groove piece with “Rocky Lux”.  Here coiled piano keys meet a slurry reed respite from regularized tone expression. Then on “Rolling and Circling” tenor reed extensions get busier and busier as they spill out and smear upwards playing off drum rolls. Meanwhile union piano key judders and bass string thumps form the perfect backdrop to baritone saxophone antiphony on “Bilpin” as Ottignon leaps between reed flutters and snores. In contrast, the alto saxophone exposition on “Moon Rock” projects eloquent reflections and rhythmic, almost Latineque flutters that soar over pressurized keyboard swing and the bassist’s arco buzzes.

It’s indisputable that each quartet has presented a through-going session of contemporary creative music created in two widely distant locations. Yet the drawback of each is that story telling is wrapped up in such a perfect package that there are apparently no lose ends. A bit  more sweat and sloppiness obvious from both quarts would have demonstrated that they value passion as much as professionalism.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Unionen: 1. Ståhlbad 2. Den Grimme Elling 3. Ganska Långt Ut På Vänsterkanten 4. 6983 5. Tomikron 6. Unionen 7. Search Party 8. Kolgruvan#

Personnel: Unionen: Per “Texas” Johansson (tenor saxophone, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, English horn, flute); Ståle Storløkken (piano, fender Rhodes, synthesizers); Petter Eldh (bass, electric bass, mpc samples);  Gard Nilssen (drums, percussion) and Mattias Ståhl (vibraphone)#

Track Listing: Volant: 1. Moon Rock* 2. Naturis 3. The Third Bardo 4. Murmuring 5. Rocky Lux 6. Singing Bowls^ 7. Bilpin^ 8. Rolling and Circling

Personnel: Volant: Matthew Ottignon (tenor, alto*, baritone^ saxophones); Lauren Tsamouras (piano); Hannah James (bass) and Holly Conner (drums, percussion)