By Paul Acquaro
When pouring over Globe Unity 60 by FMP label head Marcus Müller, one
starts getting the impression of the label as a central node in a nerve system. In his previous book about the storied Berlin based institution, FMP – The Living Music from a few years ago, Mueller told the story of FMP (Free Music Productions), which was both a chronicle of a record label and of a time of creative and political tensions. In this
new book, we are treated to the exploration of one of the neural tendrils that both intertwine deeply with the center node as well as makes connections of its own. Here, we learn of the impulses received and the messages transmitted.
A collection of ephemera - gems really - from several different archives fill the
books structure - these being FMP's own, as well as pianist and orchestra leader Alex von Schlippenbach’s, the
legendary label MPS/Saba, ECM, Intakt and more. Album art, liner
notes, reviews from scathing to laudatory, along with graphical scores and
hand written notes festoon the pages. These are connected by essays and
insights from people who were in the orchestra to those influenced deeply by
it.
Careful to say that his book is only one of the possible ways into the story
and history the Globe Unity Orchestra, Müller offers some historic insights
into the development of the group, starting with the commission from the Berlin
Jazzfest's programmer Joachim Ernst Berendt in 1966 to its evolution in the 1970s to
include, if not synthesize, the influences of co-organizers Peter Broetzmann
and Peter Kowald, who injected some politics into
the music, whereas Schlippenbach was focused on the music. We also learn of
Schlippenbach’s main influence, Bernd Alois Zimmermann, a German composer and
teacher of the pianist in Cologne whose own fusion of modern classical ideas,
jazz and historic motifs are foundational to the works of Globe Unity. Müller lets the artifacts do a generous amount of the talking - reproductions from the
archives follow, each liner-note and reflection offering its own biased and
timely explanation of the orchestra.
Particularly interesting is the excerpt from Wolfgang Burde’s “Materials
on European Free Jazz” from the For Example book that
accompanied the FMP box set released in 1978 documenting the Workshop
Freie Musiks that took place at the Akademie Der Künste Berlin from ‘69 - ‘78.
In his essay, Burde traces the development of the orchestra, from its learning to
really let loose to later refinement and virtuosic playing. His review stops
at the end of the 70’s, but we get an update in form of a retrospective look at
Globe Unity from 1975 when it reformed in a smaller configuration due to
budgetary limitations, as the Globe Unity Special. Liner notes for the release
of Globe Unity ’75: Rumbling (FMP, 1991), discuss how other also
influenced the group, citing the compositions from Misha Mengelberg, Steve
Lacy and Evan Parker as showcasing the flexibility and free-jazz chops of the
group. This release (actually a rerelease of the Evidence Vol 1 and
Vol 2 LPs (FMP, 1975)) also feature one of Schlippenbach’s visitation
to the well of Thelonious Monk - a continual source for him to this day - in
his arrangement of the song ‘Evidence.’
An interview with Schlippenbach by journalist Maxi Broecking serves as a
centerpiece for the book and really an introduction to what the pianist alludes to as probably the final performance of the orchestra in November of
this year at Jazzfest Berlin and Cafe Oto in London. In these pages, one gets
a sense of the heady concepts behind Schlippenbach’s music - the 12-tone
serialism, the influence of Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman and Monk, but also
the history of composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki and the
contributions of colleagues like Evan Parker, Mengelberg and many
others.
After this, we visit the the ECM/JAPO years with reviews of Improvisations (1978), Compositions (1980) and
Interglactic Blow (1982) by Tyran Grillo (who has
published his own book of reviews focusing on ECM), all three of which featured an
even more international line-up of the group, including at various times
trumpeters Enrico Rava, Kenny Wheeler and Toshinori Kondo, as well as
trombonist George Lewis. The latter, in fact, is featured in an interview with
Broecking that places the orchestra’s work in historical context as well as
seeing connections with the AACM, saying “It’s not the same music,
but it’s about the same thing: being free and open-minded.” John Corbet’s
essay recalls the 1987 appearance of the orchestra at the Chicago Jazz
festival in balanced words: acknowledging the challenges of the music, sound mix and
audience, but also talking about how it influenced him to release many
recordings on his own labels.
There is much more to experience in the book, including commentary on the
later releases on the Intakt record label as well as a dip into the work of
the celebrated Schlippenbach Trio with Parker and drummer Paul Lovens. In
the closing reflection from saxophonist Mats Gustafsson whose own vary large
Fire! Orchestra is continuing in this musical space, taking its own mix of
modern classical compositions, deep-funky riffs and free jazz explosions from
festival to festival in Europe today. In it he states, “Inspiration for all of
us, and especially anyone working with larger ensembles as a tool. Any and
every large ensemble active now owes the Globe unity. Big time.“
The book is rich in images and texts, essays and reflections, offering both
the Schlippenbach fan and the free jazz enthusiast a deep immersion into the
world of music that a festival commission 60 years ago sparked. Thanks
to Müller, whose sensitive curation skills and deep
access to source materials, Globe Unity 60 book is an important and
valuable artifact in its own right.
Plus, it’s available just in time for holidays!
0 comments:
Post a Comment