Spindrift

Larry Ochs/Joe Morris/Charles Downs
Every Day → All the Way
ESP 5106

A German and an American take on classic Free Jazz improvising, both the long-constituted Spindrift band and the ad hoc Ochs/Morris/Downs group prove that there’s plenty of room left to innovate in this configuration and go on to demonstrate that.

Over the course of eight almost concise untitled tracks on the German Trio Studies there’s plenty of room to express the harsh tumult from the alto and soprano saxophones of Frank Paul Schubert, who has recorded with Olaf Rupp and many others; the undulations and pacing of bassist Dieter Manderscheid, who plays with Simon Nabatov and multiple groups; and the controlled patterning cadences of percussionist Martin Blume, who frequently pairs with the bassist and has recorded with Peter Brötzmann.

Across the Atlantic the other trio consists of innovations from tenor and sopranino saxophonist Larry Ochs, known for his membership in the ROVA saxophone quartet; veteran drummer Charles Downs who often works with William Parker, Joe McPhee and others; while the understated bass pulse comes from Joe Morris, who is usually a guitarist  and has played with Matthew Shipp and many more.

Although bass and drum intonation on Trio Studies remains thick and concentrated because of strokes from Manderscheid that range from judicious to jarring and Blume’s drum rebounds and tough rotations, Schubert’s switch between reeds means that slurs, tongue stops and shrills are frequently balanced by stutters, irregular vibrations and taut whistles. The drummer doesn’t limit himself to regularized beats either. At points he abridges syncopation from his regular kit with lagging gong reverb, rotund pops, wood block and bell accents and subtle nerve beats that emphasize drum stick woodiness.

Straight-ahead when needed Manderscheid’s fat arco strokes and weighty thumps provides a counterbalance to the saxophonist’s pitch ascension. This is most obvious on “III (10’05)” and “V (9’36)”.  On the first, bass thumps and drum beats pump and rumble on the bottom as Schubert’s soprano timbres are stripped to wire-thin shrills. Stridency characterizes “V” as the three players interject challenging motifs as the exposition moves from andante to allegro. Breaking up the flow are the bassist’s stretched arco undulations; the drummer’s cymbal clangs; and the saxophonist’s astringent split tones and tongue slaps. Extended and staccato expositions retain a certain edge even when the trio members relax into a more moderated feel.

Fewer and more extended tracks give the Ochs/Morris/Downs group more space to stretch out, hut the members’ energy is no less vigorous than that from the other trio. Crucially Morris’ concentrated string rubs and Downes’ pumping and pummeling patterns frequently draw back behind Ochs’ note bending, renal snort and prolonged nephritic tonal excavations. Usually collective improvisations quickly accelerate upwards from andante with thin bowed bass lines and bass drum resonations intensifying to complete the saxophonist’s bent notes, trilling smears and tremolo explorations.

Morris’ ability to preserve forward motion with a barely heard pulse is helped by Downs’ creative beats faces its toughest test on the extended “HIDDEE-YAY-YOH-YONK – YOHHH” and the title tune, with the all-capital letters titles on each track expressing the earnest ferocity of the program. Designed as a nearly seamless exhibition of repeated reed snarls, multiphonics and rugged scoops, “HIDDEE-YAY-YOH-YONK – YOHHH” continues almost unabated throughout, with emphasized double and triple tonguing raspy split tones constantly challenging the rhythm section, but with these contorted notes still containing a kernel of melody. Top of Form

“EVERY DAY → ALL THE WAY”  take this contrapuntal match up still further.  Pinched prestissimo tones from the sopranino saxophone emphasizes atonality as passages thin. Yet the relentless dissected reed vibrations are still moderated enough by drum pitter patter and bass undercurrents that slip a logical horizontal undercurrent into the narrative.

With go-for-broke activity and uncompromising sound adventure paramount neither set is for those who prefer their Jazz smooth and standard. The many who seek out adventurous sounds however will be impressed that vigorous Free Jazz is still healthy and being played with the same depth and vigor as in the past.

–Ken Waman

Track Listing: Trio: 1. I (5’59)  2.II (13’39)  3. III (10’05)  4. IV (4’00)  5. V (9’36)  6. VI (7’04)  7. VII (7’32)  8. VIII (1’29)

Personnel: Trio: Frank Paul Schubert (alto and soprano saxophones); Dieter Manderscheid (bass) and Martin Blume (drums and percussion)

Track Listing: Every: 1. YAY-HIDDEE-YONK-YO 2.YONK-HIDDEE-YO-YAY-YAY 3. HIDDEE-YAY-YOH-YONK – YOHHH 4. YOH-YONK-YONK – HIDDEE-YAY 5. EVERY DAY → ALL THE WAY

Personnel: Every: Larry Ochs (tenor and sopranino saxophones); Joe Morris (bass) and Charles Downs (drums)