Motian & More

Christian Marien Quartett
Beyond the Fingertips
MarMade Records MMR 003

Similar instrumentation but diverse expressions, these European quartets demonstrate the breathe of creative music can be as elastic as it is excellent. A direct-to-disc experience – one takes with no studio additions – Beyond the Fingertips highlights four veteran players on the Berlin scene: drummer Christian Marien, bassist Antonio Borghini, Dutch guitarist Jasper Stadhouders and UK tenor saxophonist/clarinetist Tobias Delius. Meanwhile Gratitude’s point is suggested by the band’s name and involves a quartet of Portuguese musicians putting their own spin on mostly compositions by American drummer Paul Motian (1931-2011).

The Lusitanian band consists of some of the country’s busiest players: alto saxophonist José Lencastre has recorded with Dirk Serries and Carlos Zíngaro; bassist Hernâni Faustino with Daniel Levin; drummer João Sousa with João Almeida and Zíngaro; and guitarist Pedro Branco with Albert Cirera. While most of Gratitude’s musical gratefulness is confined to Motian tunes, the group begins with a respectful reading of Monk’s “Misterioso” uniquely characterized by the contrast between Lencastre’s mellow and moderated reed variations and Branco’s strained string fingering which encompasses rock-like flanges, country music-like twangs and some R&B-like chicken scratching rhythmic licks.

This C&W emphasis also shows up on a track like “Mandeville” as part of its panoply of  pivots. The guitarist exposes spiccato picking, sustained stop-time sluices and mandolin-like tuning that suggests Latin dance echoes. Not be outdone the saxophonist varies his dissonant smears and doits with a secondary line which resemble calypso rather than contemporary Jazz. Walking bass points and drum clip clops are serviceable.

Faustino is more prominent on “It Should’ve Happened A Long Time Ago’ where wiggling and whiny sax cries that lead to theme statement are introduced by thick col legno strokes and arco swells from the bassist. As  the horizontal line evolves however, it’s distinguished by the string players’ contrapuntal challenges with positioned double bass thumps as the guitarist slides up the scale. The finale involved a saxophone trill and crash cymbal duet.

Overall the nearly 20-minute “Dance/Abacus” amplifies most of these sonic tendencies as harder and speedier textures are projected by all four. The saxophone vibrates among aggressive split tones, scooping slurs and linear moderation as the guitarist moves from flat-line licks to upward glides and then hammering strings beneath the bridge. With simple double bass stops and drum clicks, the finale creates groove affiliation between finger-tip guitar plucks and shaking double tonguing from the saxophonist.

These elaboration and more in real time are expressed on Beyond the Fingertips perhaps because of the experience of the other quartet’s members. Delius is part of the ICP Orchestra and worked with Sean Bergin; Borghini has played with Hamid Drake, Alexander von Schlippenbach and many others; Stadhouders has worked with musicians ranging from Bart Maris to Dave Rempis; and Marien with everyone from Silke Eberhard to Matthias Müller.

Consisting of two Marien composed medleys of four specific tunes, the quartet aggressively attacks each while preserving seamless transitions. Underlying both are drum rumbles, ruffs and cymbal splashes with thick double bass thumps and pulses, strengthened with the occasional arco string squeaks. Self-contained with the conclusion related to intro refraction, the group depends as much on guitar-reed interaction as did Motian & More. Stadhouders’ frequent speedy string strops can ascend from strums to strained metallic licks and concentrated busses. There are also instances of tandem string-reed expositions, but the quick changes are better served by Delius’ slide from tenor saxophone to clarinet and back again. Blaring and buzzing saxophone lines slam hard against guitar frails and drum pops; while clarinet tones can note bend, but also trill gently enough to bring out supple guitar finger-picking to aim towards lyricism.

Inspiration playing is super-sized on the even more extended second medley as harsh andante guitar runs almost replicate tenor banjo clangs while altissimo clarinet shrills become no less ferocious when Delius switches to a slap-tongue tenor saxophone exposition. Further dog-whistle-pitched yelps from the tenor saxophonist seem to encourage equally strident guitar licks. It’s only the drummer’s almost pre-modern woody drum clanks that push metallic guitar runs and fruity sax overblowing into a simpler more linear theme that survives additional shudders and squeaks from Delius to right itself to linear expression by the end.

Two divergent quarte displays confirm that creative music is only hampered – and here overcomes – the limits of the players’ imagination.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Gratitude: 1. Misterioso 2. Dance/Abacus 3. It Should’ve Happened A Long Time Ago 4. Mandeville 5. White Magic

Personnel: Gratitude: José Lencastre (tenor saxophone); Pedro Branco (guitar);  Hernâni Faustino (bass) and João Sousa (drums)

Track Listing: Beyond: 1. I Love all Play!/Blues in Aspik/Cardinale 2. Nantucket Nostalgia/For Toby/Look Left, Look Right/No Place for Illusions

Personnel: Beyond: Tobias Delius (tenor saxophone and clarinet); Jasper Stadhouders (guitar); Antonio Borghini (bass) and Christian Marien (drums)