By Paul Acquaro
The opening moment of Live at Terzo Mondo is quick jab in the ribs. You jolt upright, take quick stock of who just jabbed you, and reckon with your fight or flight instinct. Simultaneously hitting, saxophonist Ignaz Schick plays a short riff while guitarist Christian Kühn strikes a bottom-heavy, dissonant chord and drummer Joe Hertenstein rolls confidently along. Fight or flight, the first option seems right as the group digs in, wave after wave of attack. The pace lets up after a little, sort of, and then they are back with a thrusting velocity.
Schick is front and center, leading the assault with a sharp melodic sense and an inexhaustible supply of ideas. Kühn, an excellent guitarist who leads his own group "Kuhn Fu", provides fierce textured background as well as moments of gentle melody. Hertenstein is invaluable, adding ample energy and direction.
There is a moment where it seems Schick quotes Ornette Coleman, as a familiar, uptempo riff jumps out of the general melee. It is seamless, passes quickly and proves to be just one of many ear-catching moments in the 29-minute piece. In another moment, at about 20 minutes, the entire approach changes. Schick plays almost alone, developing a questioning melody as Kuhn and Hertenstein provide at first incidental sounds and then begin adding more and more until they are back in fighting form.
The second half of the album, encapsulated as a track called 'Shameless' (the first was 'Shameful'), starts out a little differently than the flip-side, but the effect is delightfully similar. Full, furious, and rife with ideas, the trio engages playfully, challenging each other with bold improvisations that blur the line between turmoil and cohesion.
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