Susana Santos Silva / Mette Rasmussen / Kaja Draksler

An unusually constituted ensemble, the Hearth quartet asserts that not only can inspired exploratory sounds be created by only two saxophones, trumpet and piano, but also that the Free Music paradigm is so wide that country of origin makes little difference to sonic integration.

Consisting of Portuguese trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, Slovenian pianist Kaja Draksler, Danish alto saxophonist Mette Rasmussen and Argentinean tenor saxophonist/clarinetist Ada Rave, the four first decided to collaborate five years ago. Confirming musical internationalism, but complicating combination, none lives in the same country and all live in different places than their native lands. No noticeable chasm divides the six group improvisations however. The three horns often operate in layered cooperation or separate to contribute capillary smears and sour buzzes (Silva) or split tones, vibrating hacks or strangled blows (Rave and Rasmussen) move alongside Draksler’s rolling arpeggios or more frequently intermittent plinks. Occasionally adding to the clamor are penny-whistle-like peeps and disassociated vocal murmuring.

Recorded at a festival, the quartet builds up from an introductory near-rondo to piano echoes, mouthpiece kisses and reed tongue slaps finally letting loose on the final two tunes. “Diving Bells” is the most expansive as high-pitched witch-like cries and piano key clipping envelop hard capillary blows and strangled reed bites. Pumping strokes from Draksler solidify the exposition enough so that both saxophonists’ glissandi can splinter and squeak. A silent pause precedes an explosion of stacked brass blasts and low notes scooped from the tenor saxophone. Timbres stacked with high (Silva), medium (Rasmussen) and low (Rave) expositions lead to a concentrated ending. Looser, the final “Turbulent Flow” alternates thin reed cries and brass slurs that are broken up by harsh textures from the keyboard and inner string set. These toned ping-pong and undulate until Draksler deconstructs the theme with echoes from deep inside the piano as wispy unison horn trills blow away the remaining sound.

Despite its idiosyncratic instrumentation, Hearth’s music is only unconventional in its inclusive excellence.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Fading Icebergs 2. Tidal Phase 3. At Daybreak 4. In Oscillation 5. Diving Bells 6. Turbulent Flow

Personnel: Susana Santos Silva (trumpet); Mette Rasmussen (alto saxophone); Ada Rave (tenor saxophone and clarinet); Kaja Draksler (piano) and Everyone (preparations and voices)