Torben Snekkestad/Søren Kjaergaard/Tomo Jacobson

ACM
ACM
Aut Records aut 086

Working out a series of improvisation without a percussion instrument is a challenge overcome by these similarly constituted European trios. That’s because resilient double bass techniques and durable piano flexibility replace rigorous idiophone rhythms. Spirit features trio members with Copenhagen connections who have played together since 2016: Norwegian saxophonist Torben Snekkestad, Danish pianist Søren Kjaergaard and Polish bassist Tomo Jacobson, all of whom who worked with the likes of Barry Guy. On the other hand the Berlin-based ACM is an all-German affair with saxophonist Anna Kaluza, also in the Berlin Improvisers Orchestra; pianist Celine Voccia, who often plays with Silke Eberhard; and bassist Matthias Bauer, who works with Matthias Müller and many others.

Technically both programs are divided into nine parts, although the Danish disc has a further epilogue. But it is also airier and more minimalist than the German session. Balanced on hard double bass thumps and keyboard clinking, the Danish disc soon opens up as Snekkestad’s light soprano saxophone trills add airiness to the continuous arco string sawing and pressurized piano emphasis. By midpoint with “Spirit V”, reed flutters chip away at buzzing bee-like bass string strokes and thick piano key shudders so that by the following track Kjaergaard and Jacobson too join the linear flow with speedy bass string glissandi and high-pitched piano key splintering. This key-and-string ruggedness returns on “Spirit VIII”, as reed trilling is replaced by dark piano pedal point and nail-on-blackboard-like stress that supplies all the percussiveness needed. Finally the penultimate “Spirit IX” combines each instrument’s textures into a resilient whole which matches buzzing bass-string distention, dark keyboard patterns and high-pitched doits saxophone squeaks. Advancing from the bottom board piano echoes upwards, “Spirit Epilogue” wraps up the program as barely there string strums and reed puffs affiliate as they disappear.

Although Kaluza sometimes exhibits a gentle Paul Desmond-like brightness and Voccia lightness in her emphasized cadences, Bauer’s steadying bass strums work the three players towards more robust interaction. Often the solidity is projected as two of the three evolve sequences in tandem. The defining parts of the disc occur during “Part 4” and “Part 5”. On the first track, as piano pedal power pull out the horizontal theme with descriptive key clinks, straight forward reed trilling and flutter tonguing repeatedly interrupts the flow to expel expressive honks and stutters which rest atop layered crunches from the bassist. While the seesawing exposition is later restrained with vibrating sax tones and a double bass drone, the extended “Part 5” launches a collection of theme variations. Elongated reed accents define the narrative with broken-octave flutters; rhythmic percussiveness is preserved with ringing soundboard clangs from piano innards; and enough double bass string thwacks are heard to preserve the suite’s horizontal ballast. From that point on intermittent variations in terms of sharpened keyboard glissandi and irregular reed tonguing add sparkle to the sequences, while the bassist’s percussive note patterns and woody slaps ensure the piece stays grounded and linear at even as timbral deviations are present.

Neither mirror images of each one’s structure nor hobbled by any lack of textures, each trio creates a distinct take on a challenging configuration.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Spirit: 1. Spirit I 2. Spirit II 3. Spirit III 4. Spirit Spirit IV 5. Spirit Spirit V 6. Spirit Spirit VI 7. Spirit Spirit VII 8. Spirit Spirit VIII 9. Spirit Spirit IX 10. Spirit Spirit Epilogue

Personnel: Spirit: Torben Snekkestad (tenor and soprano saxophones); Søren Kjaergaard (piano) and Tomo Jacobson (bass)

Track Listing: ACM: 1. Part 1 2. Part 2 3. Part 3 4. Part 4 5. Part 5 6. Part 6 7. Part 7 8. Part 8 9. Part 9

Personnel: ACM: Anna Kaluza (alto saxophone); Celine Voccia (piano) and Matthias Bauer (bass)