Ziv Taubenfeld

Taking his cue from landmark sessions such as Machine Gun, Israeli bass clarinetist Ziv Taubenfeld organized a well-integrated multi-national septet to interpret his compositions. Mostly Amsterdam-based, the band includes Dutch musicians, trombonist Joost Buis, pianist Nicolas Chientaroli and percussionist Onno Govaert; plus American clarinetist/saxophonist Michael Moore, Portuguese trumpeter Luis Vicente and Isareli bassist Shay Hazan. Committed to free form the bass clarinetist, who has worked with Guus Janssen among others, sets up the tracks as improvisational vehicles not closely arrangement statements.

Beginning with a cymbal splash and double bass thump, the performances encompass horizontal rhythm directions and Energy Music-styled group choruses as well as soloists’ excursions into extended techniques. Most notable are contrapuntal variations where one brass player, usually Vicente, spews out high pitches while a reedist, often Taubenfeld, projects downwards turning slurs. Vicente’s strident triple tongued brassiness that fishes bent notes from within his horn plus Govaert’s hard drum accents and bass clarinet snarls characterize “Tchicai”. Meanwhile the two-part “Forest Weather” splinters the exposition from atmospheric andante with layered horn harmonies and internal piano string stops to encompass Buis’ plunger growls and reed cackles. Augured by edgy pointed whistles on “Part 1”, the second section moves into allegro swing, driven by keyboard shakes and crackles from horn harmonies. By the concluding “Natufian Dream” accents and emphasizes are organized among the seven players. That way Moore’s nasal clarinet slides and trumpet stutters are regularize with the narrative as the drummer maintains the beat. Confirming timbral experiments as well as logical movement is the final sequence that evolves from polyphonic horn vamps to a conclusion marked by a single low-pitched trombone smear. Using this instrumentation cannily, Taubenfeld captures the enhanced colors and experimental turns available.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Orange Shoes 2. Tchicai 3. Forest Weather Part 1 4, Forest Weather Part 2 5. Natufian Dream

Personnel: Luis Vicente (trumpet); Joost Buis (trombone); Michael Moore (clarinet, alto saxophone); Ziv Taubenfeld (bass clarinet, percussion); Nicolas Chientaroli (piano, objects); Shay Hazan (bass); Onno Govaert (drums, percussion)