Keefe Jackson, Jakob Heinemann, and Adam Shead - Stinger (Irritable Mystic, 2025)

By Gary Chapin

Keefe Jackson is someone on my “notice” list. Whenever the Chicagoan puts anything out or broadcasts a live performance I make sure to hear it. His sax and compositional voice put him squarely in my sweet spot for listening: the sort of “loft aesthetic” exemplified by the amazing Studio Rivbea and the Wildflowers record series that documented it. Jackson—and his compatriots on this record, bassist Jakob Heinemann and percussionist Adam Shead—would have been right at home in that scene. Stinger, the trio’s new recording on Irritable Mystic Records, is glorious stuff.

To focus on some specifics: the track “12345” is propulsive, riding on a syncopated bass/drum riff, with bass clarinet playing the role of storyteller. The whole piece comes to a short pause, a stuttering interlude, some right angle melody options, then off to the races again. “Gun Shy” begins with a slow crawl evocative of Eric Dolphy, deep and languorous with suspiciously wide intervals. It’s like an instrumental noir, action and chaos bracketed by sleepy reflection about how the whole situation may be fakakta, but at least it’s my situation. A few tracks later we get “God of the Fickle,” a swinging thing with bass and drums stringing their ebullience under the tenor’s knowingly good natured solo. It may be that I'm reacting to these too cinematically, but that’s my idea of a good time. In a way this trio brings to mind the fabled Thomas Chapin Trio, which swung hard and skronched hard. 

The compositions are split evenly between Jackson and Heinemann each contributing four, with one additional by Bobby Bradford and another by John Tchicai. The opening piece, by Heinemann, “Regent,” starts with an intriguing minimal, chromatic melody with a blowout bridge that sets the pace for the improv that follows, tenor goodness with a shimmering excess of fast percussion and bass surrounding it all. One thing I love about a trio in “this kind of music” is how they have an equality of place, each has autonomy within the mix to shape the beast. The coda of this relatively short piece (!) goes into a kaiju-stomping moment that is *chef’s kiss.” Like I said, glorious stuff.

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Carol Liebowitz/Nick Lyons - The Inner Senses (Steeplechase, 2025)

By Hrayr Attarian

Pianist Carol Liebowitz and alto saxophonist Nick Lyons are kindred spirits not only because they studied with erudite pianist Connie Crothers, but also because they are thoughtful and sensitive improvisers. Liebowitz excels in duet settings with like-minded saxophonists and her sublime The Inner Senses is her second collaboration with Lyons, a dozen years after the brilliant First Set (Line Art Records, 2017). In the intervening time between the two dates the pair’s synergy has crystallized and matured.

Liebowitz and Lyons improvise freely without sacrificing lyricism. For instance, Lyons opens “Phantasm” with a bluesy solo. Liebowitz enters with a series of resonant chords. The contemplative exchanges create an otherworldly atmosphere with an undercurrent of meditative spirituality. Liebowitz’s reverberating notes echo against silent pauses building a loose rhythmic framework within which Lyons weaves sparse, introspective lines. The expressive conversation is thought-provoking and accessible, pushing the boundaries of the music but never giving in to full-on dissonance.

Nine of the 10 pieces on the album are spontaneously created and the tenth is a Crothers composition “Ontology”. The pair plays the soulful theme in unison before diverging into independent and complementary performances. The shimmering melody flows within an expectant ambience as each musician embellishes it with angular and expressive phrases. Despite the overlap of simultaneous yet individual monologues the result is moving and quite harmonious further underscoring the sublime camaraderie within the duo.

The title track, meanwhile, also has a pensive mood with a haunting cascade of piano notes within which Lyons weaves sinewy refrains. The dialogue has a reserved passion that boils to the surface frequently while the duo flirts frequently with atonality. As the tune evolves, the musical discourse becomes more fiery yet naturally concludes on a solemn note.

This intimate meeting of inventive minds is a multilayered work that makes for a rewarding listening experience. It is a superb example of synergistic creativity, and both provocative and delightful. Hopefully Liebowitz and Lyons will continue to collaborate in the future.

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Christian Pouget: Maëlstrom for Improvisers

After directing films about violin player Théo Ceccaldi (Corps à Cordes, 2018) and Joëlle Léandre
(Affamée, 2019, and Duende, 2023), director Christian Pouget embarked on a two and half year project, involving 22 multi-generational musicians from Europe, America and Japan, displaying their art in solo situations and musing on life, music, creation, inspiration, the ghosts of Ayler, Cage, Coltrane, Scelsi, ancestral chant, Noh theater, racism, resistance, rebellion, subversion, and the search for freedom in improvisation.

The sequences were shot in France, Spain and Italy, in unusual locations. There is no concert footage;
everything was specifically staged for the film.

 Releases in October.  

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Zoh Amba - Sun (Smalltown Supersound, 2025)

By Ferruccio Martinotti

There’s no point in denying that the 2024 forum’s final playlist was suffering for the lack of one of the year’s aces, There is a garden, by Beings, the group that saw Zoh Amba (saxophone, vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonium, piano) along with Steve Gunn (electric guitar), Shahzad Ismaily (bass, synth) and Jim White (drums). The blog’s rules of the game are crystal clear: no database/no review, no review/no playlist: fair and simple, “dura lex sed lex.”* 

Beside such small, negligible personal regrets, the reason to remember and to quote the above mentioned record is because the affinities with Sun, the one reviewed here, are pretty consistent, even though the musicians involved are totally different and Zoh’s pastoral Sandy Denny-esque voice is set beside. This time, the sublime Tennessee-born New York-based musician is teaming up with Caroline Morton on bass, Lex Korton on piano and Miguel Russel on percussion and decided to release the album on Smalltown Supersound, as a connection to the late titan Peter Brotzmann, who was both a spiritual mentor to Amba and issued several records on the label. For Amba the human cotè of the music is the architrave of her artistic outcome, so building up personal bonds among the band members before the recording process was a cornerstone of the whole project: “We spent days just playing together and I was trying to mentally take notes of what naturally wanted to exist in this band, before giving instructions or handing out sheet music, I wanted to see where we were all standing in life, right at that moment. From there, I started carving out the process with them”, she says. The final result shows a collection of nine compositions, three of them solo, and is absolutely quintessential of her music and of her peculiarity on the jazz scene: free, taking-no-prisoners outbursts (“Interbeing”, “Forevermore”, “Like the Sun”), interspersed with suffused, nightly atmosphere (“Ma”, “At noon”) and poignant textures (“Seaside”, “Champa Flower”). 

Here is another adventurous chapter in the astonishing biography of an artist who, at the age of 25, already crossed the blades with the likes of Sorey, Corsano, Orcutt, Zorn, Parker, Mela, Haino, Iyer, Drummond, Edwards, Shipp, Perelman and got covers and profiles, not only by every jazz magazines all over the globe but by The New York Times or The Guardian as well. It would be a huge mistake considering Amba flirting with the mainstream: we, keen on “lateral” (euphemism…) kind of music, often are fundamentalist in our judgments and pretty suspicious to see shadows of sell out or betrayal beyond every corner, but here there is really no reason at all. While listening to her music, it’s really difficult to wipe out the imagine of this young musician playing in the middle of nowhere woods of Kingsport, Tenn. before heading northeast, ending her path in New York with David Murray. As the British writer Geoff Dyer wrote: “One can envisage seeing Amba half a century from now, playing a selection of ballads at Carnegie Hall or the Village Vanguard. But who knows where she will end up, what twist and turns her career might take? Tradition in jazz has to be a springboard into the future though one can rarely tell what this future will sound like”. We let to Amba the final words that touched us from the very deep: “Heart takes its course. That feeling merges to silent sweetness. That is this journey. Reflecting and feeling my heart overpour. 

Knowing this is only the beginning of the journey and what was captured on this recording will never exist again and the next song will be closer and closer to the center of the heart. My heart sits in the deep light dear Peter Brotzmann shared to this universe. I hear his spirit each morning. This music is only a reflection of a soul that is ever changing and trying to reach beyond the sun”.

Foot note: Zoh, Mette, Ava, gabby, Kris, Anna, Tomeka, Moor, Savannah, Angelica, Sylvie, Mary, Sofia, Valentina, Matana…it seems that nowadays the most challenging projects belong to a pack of fearless she-daredevils that through an unashamed, brave, loose, untamed approach shattered the crystal ceiling and have begun to demolish the floor. Keep on going, ladies: Jamie left but, with you, the building is in super safe and reliable hands.

*editors note: these are almost the rules, the album does need to be reviewed on the Freejazzblog or by the lister somewhere in order to be eligible for listing in the end of year lists

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Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2025 (4/4)

2025-08-24 Saalfelden Day 4- Sunday

By Sarah Grosser  

 

Anna Tsombanis & Yvonne Moriel. Photo by Michael Geißler

As is now tradition, Saalfelden woke up early to line the impossibly picturesque mountain lake for the annual concert in a rowboat. This year an all female cast took to the water including a female captain joining Anna Tsombanis and Yvonne Moriel, both on saxophone. In contrast to last year’s chaotic, loud duck calls from Mats Gustafsson (sax) and Nate Wooley (trumpet), this year’s concert was a much more peaceful affair; the duo played a number of composed, slow pieces in harmony, as the little rowboat gently floated around the perimeter of the sea. The music was pretty quiet, so it was sometimes difficult to fully appreciate the grandiosity of the reverb effect created by blowing saxophones over the water, reflecting the sounds up into the mountains. The music itself was pleasant, but I couldn’t help feeling that the naturally echoey auditorium didn’t reach its maximum potential. Nevertheless, the spectacle of enjoying the cute boat and the atmosphere of hearing a concert outside in the gorgeous scenery was still very much worth the early rise. Some freaks were swimming. I don’t know what was wrong with them. 

Walking back to the hotel for breakfast we took a narrow, trodden path that led us over vast fields, surrounded by 360 degree panoramas of the Alps. No trip to Saalfelden Jazz Festival is truly complete without spending just a little time outside in nature; the silence of the giant hills perfectly recalibrates the head and heart, balancing out the busyness and the noise of avant-garde with a little exercise, and some fresh air in the lungs. For those who chose to camp for the fest, this is also a pathway from the well-populated campsite back into town. 

Camila Nebbia invites John Edwards
Brücklwirtshaus

Camila Nebbia – saxophone
John Edwards – bass

Camila Nebbia & JohnEdwards. Photo by Michael Geißler

Crammed into the second floor of a traditional restaurant, Camila on sax and John on bass are improv battling it out. John aggressively thumps his instrument, leaning right into it, producing exceptionally twangy hits. Camila scrunches her face for squonkier emphasis. Both are very emotive with their bodies as they play. Outside the sun is blazing through the back window. In here, all the lights are on, including a magenta uplight, illuminating the walls. Every seat is full in this low capacity venue. Some folks even line the stairwell.

Camila produces super high pitched harmonics, while John emulates a similarly high frequency with a bow. Some long tones remind of the single-note frequencies of a television test pattern. Having seen Camila performing shows of mostly loud dynamics this weekend, it's impressive to be able to also enjoy some of her more quiet bag of tricks.

John gets a sound out of the bass reminiscent of a sitar with a great "boing" to it. During some of the more intense moments, it sounds as if a third human voice is accompanying the session- it's John himself vocalizing along with the jam. There's something beautiful about getting to a place musically where one feels they must physically submit, almost like an ego death. John can make his double bass sound like a string quartet. A drop of sweat drips from his forehead onto his busy hands.

It's a really great pairing and I can't decide who I enjoy watching more. They just sound fantastic together. It's only a short show but the crowd are hungry for more and a small encore is coaxed out of the duo.

McDonald's Flashmob

McDonald Flashmob. Photo by Julian Gruber

It must be really annoying to go into McDonald's and have a flashmob appear out of nowhere to perform avant-garde. A group of around fifty festival-goers descend on the stinky restaurant. Most of the people eating don't seem to mind too much that a wild, crazy woman in a leotard is dancing and screaming with cow horns in her hair like a Flintstone character. Flashmob coordinator/drummer Valentin Schuster leads Siegmar Brecher on bass clarinet and Magdalena Hahnkamper doing vocals and performance, including rubber chicken, for the impromptu jam. Sometimes the comically dramatic Magdalena plays a small organ for even more drama. At one point, she selects a random customer to bump hips with her, from which the rubber chicken is dangling. With each hip-bump the chicken squeaks. Wildly entertaining. It is hot in here and smells of grease but the juxtaposition of the absurd with the corporate is a lot of fun. Many people are filming it on their phones, smiling and laughing – I am one of them. 

Nothing Causes Anything
Otto Gruber Halle

Yvonne Moriel – saxophone
Alex Kranabetter – trumpet, electronics
Vincent Pongracz – bass clarinet, electronics
Christian Lillinger – drums

Nothing Causes Anything. Photo by Julian Gruber

This quartet has a kind of moody overall vibe- I don't know if it's the additional effects on Alex's trumpet, the sub bass rumbling the shed walls, or the all black alternative attire of the two up front. Or maybe it's the reverberating breakdowns paired with dark bass clarinet and Lillinger's supersoft brushes that skitter around like dragonflies. In combination with a little fog machine and some deep, almost sad melodies, these pieces crescendo into pretty ethereal spaces. The streaky spotlights gently lower adding to the dreamlike effect. Maybe it's all the magical air blowing around from reed instruments and trumpet. It's hard not to watch Lillinger the whole time- his creative and expressive drumming is always a spectacle to behold, even as a sideman. To him, it seems there is no such thing as a straight swing: every hit is an event. Alex uses his effects appropriately on the trumpet, beat-repeating final bursts, delays, and echoes for extra detail. It's a cool embellishment and he is smart about not overusing these effects, allowing his ability on the instrument to shine through. It's all about atmosphere, and mood and this band surely achieves that.

Sun-Mi Hong Bida Orchestra
Congress Saalfelden

Jozef Dumoulin - piano, fender rhodes
John Edwards - bass 
Mette Rasmussen - alto saxophone
John Dikeman - bass & tenor saxophone
Alistair Payne - trumpet
Sun Mi Hong - drums

Sun Mi Hong. Photo by Michael Geißler

There is an unfeasibly large bass saxophone on the stage- the size of a small person. Once you get past this massive distraction, you can focus on the groovy, intergenerational ensemble beside it. Delicate is the name of the game during a supersoft ballad- with malleted drums, and a gentle trumpet solo. Sun-Mi’s song titles are abstract and based on her dreams: “Temple of 1000 Neon Leggings,” “Running Horse Candle,” “Invisible Rose.” John Edwards's bass solo is foreboding, accented with further unrest from Jozef's Fender Rhodes. When Mette joins in on the sax, the atmosphere could just about summon a weather god. The drums accompany the rising wave bringing the lightning into the rainstorm. After a huge crescendo, there is a pause in which nobody claps in anticipation, wondering if the piece is over. Some guy yells out “...aber Hallo??" (German: “...but hello?!”) to wake up the entranced crowd. Obviously, everyone cheers. A couple of standing ovations, well earned. 

It's hard to articulate just how creative John Edwards is. It's so much more than just speed and hitting the right notes. It's using the body of the bass as percussion, flicking the strings up top for harmonics, jamming the bow into the neck where it sticks, plucking or bowing, bending,... it's nuts. It's hard for a single individual to really stand out at a festival like this, no less a double bass player, but John leaves a lasting impression. 

Kalle Kalima’s Detour with Leo Genovese and Christian Lillinger
Congress Saalfelden

Kalle Kalima - guitar
Leo Genovese - keyboards
Christian Lillinger - drums

Kalle Kalima. Photo by Michael Geißler

"We rehearsed for seven hours the other day- FUSION!" says Lillinger about Detour. Expectations are high going in for some complicated shit. Bring it on…

Kalle describes his way to Saalfelden via planes from Helsinki to France, then Munich, and finally the shuttle to Saalfelden. He says that he needs a pilot (Leo) and a navigator (Christian), and that he "made a big map, but it was way too big- so I translated it into musical language." That "musical language" was evident in the form of around thirty pages of strategically organised sheet music per person. 

There is so much energy in this trio. Leo is bouncing around. From keys to Rhodes to synth, as if he has springs in the heels of his hi-tops. The freakouts between these three are totally contagious. Kalle asks if we are having fun, adding that "sometimes the musicians are allowed to have fun." It's novel to watch them play a ballad titled "Ghost." The piano glissandos while Christian lightly flits around the kit like a trapped moth. With each new chapter a musician will toss another fistful of sheets onto the floor. Someone in the audience's phone goes off in the break between songs. Leo motions in the direction of the caller and says, "We're busy!"

Kalle whips out a slide and he and Leo get a thing goin' with vibrant organ- long chords with a bunch of tremolo. A really fun surprise banger eventuates, complete with soaring solo from Kalle that carries it's way up into the Alps. It's raw, electric, and fun- it's so hard to tell what is going on and in which direction it's going, but this is apt for a performance about "detours."

Ancient To The Future
Congress Saalfelden

Ava Mendoza - guitar
Majid Bekkas - gimbri, oud, vocals
Xhosa Cole - saxophone, flute
Hamid Drake - drums

Ancient To The Future. Photo by Julian Gruber

A fitting contrast to Detour, Ancient To The Future is a groove driven project with drums, guitar, sax, and flute, but also gimbri, oud, and vocals. The mesmerizing loops allow great space for pretty guitar solos.

Hamid is the engine behind the beat, controlling the speed of the train. The "Flat 2, Sharp 4" Arabian scale on flute and gimbri in combination with traditional singing taps into the "ancient" element, married with contemporary instruments where the ancient “meets” the future. Songs gradually speed up, as Hanmid dictates and the guitars rock out over the uncomplicated riffs. Well, comparatively uncomplicated, compared to a lot of the programming at this festival. This feels like a kind of alternative rock show.

Hamid has a natural fluidity which seems to flow through him onto his drumkit. The whole band appears to be very comfortable and relaxed on stage, and I don't detect a huge aura of ego about them. When the faultist puts his instrument down and starts brushing his hands rapidly together, his fingers blur with motion as he claps. Some solos from this band earn their polite Austrian golf claps- that's no mean feat- you have to be impressive to get those around these parts.

The Bad Plus, Chris Potter & Craig Taborn
Congress Saalfelden

Chris Potter - saxophone
Craig Taborn - piano
Reid Anderson - bass
Dave King - drums

The Bad Plus. Photo by Julian Gruber

The final act of the night, preceded by a short speech from artistic director Mario Steidl and production manager Daniela Neumayer giving a shoutout to the wonderful attentive public and the staff who worked tirelessly for the last four days on site.

Host Götz Bühler introduces the band by saying they "saved the baddest for the last." It's two of the original members plus two worthy stand-ins: Craig Taborn and Chris Potter. And why not close the weekend with a raucous fast jam! The Bad Plus attacks the work of Keith Jarrett - one of the most iconaclastic figures in free jazz. Dave is as animated as ever- his neon beanie bounces around as sticks go flying every which way. Chris's solo earns a roused response from the audience- so similarly does Dave's, jumping up out of his drum stool. For the next track he whips out a set of red brushes- which are cool and easy to see from afar. Craig and Chris don't use any sheet music for reference. I'm astounded at the amount of memory space these guys are storing upstairs- the capacity for which they are able to remember so many projects and songs, riffs, themes, melodies, notes,... etc. Sure, a lot of this set is improvised, but with the two stand-in's basically leading the charge on the main melody, this still never fails to blow me away. During a more mellow moment, Craig is playing a very slow chordal progression with such tenderness, a hush falls over the auditorium. Each chord is more original and beautifully articulated than the last. The delicacy and intention with which he plays each note is so vulnerable. It catches me off guard, consuming me wholly, and I can feel the tears beginning to well up. No shade to anyone else on the stage that night, but if you have not seen Craig Taborn play the piano, I can absolutely recommend adding that item to your bucket list. 

Finishing the festival on this salty free jazz is a classic move. It’s time to go home and the visitors leave the Congress out the main entrance they have frequented for the last few days. This time a gauntlet of cheering staff, including the event organisers themselves, are arranged to applaud the festival attendees as they exit. It’s difficult not to feel the warm fuzzies as you get one last look at the faces of all the people involved in putting the weekend together for you. Here’s hoping we will see every one of them again in 2026.

See Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 

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Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2025 (3/4)

2025-08-23 Saalfelden Day 3- Saturday

By Sarah Grosser  

Brennan / Terwijn / Lillinger
Kunsthaus Nexus

Patricia Brennan - vibraphone
Jort Terwijn - bass
Christian Lillinger - drums

Brennan, Terwijn, Lillinger. Photo by Julian Gruber

A somewhat unlikely union of musicians translates into a hell of a lot of notes. Part composed, part improvised, the only time the group has ever performed together was the soundcheck. Almost entirely acoustic, with no instrument mic'ed, except for the bass – what you hear is what you get. 

It's an exciting match up. Jort provides a perfect foundation for Christian and Patricia's wild experimentations. At one point, Christian cranes over his drumkit in soft meditation, metronomically dragging the brush back and forth in the lightest feathery way, allowing for Jort's bass taps to accompany just barely. Patricia's vibes fill the space with dreamy waves of sound. Before too long, this crescendos into a waterfall of ghost notes, spontaneity, and decision making. They just don't miss.

Towards the end, even from a distance, Jort’s bass could be seen building up a wet residue over the bridge. I asked my companion if perhaps it was hopefully just sweat. Shockingly, my worst fears were confirmed when his fingers grew increasingly redder and redder, and the stain on the bass grew gradually more saturated and obvious. Afterwards we met Jort in the lobby with two band-aids around his fingers. He claimed to have not even felt it, and that the reason he was cut was due to the bass he used being strung with metal strings. Later on I also spoke to Patricia who said that she had experienced similar accidents while playing, and confirmed that during these moments of intensity, “you don’t even notice.” All three musicians agreed that they had a great time.

Back at the city park, a selection of food trucks offered fresh take-away for all tastes. These two vegetarians opted for “Crazy Fries” that turned out to be not terribly dissimilar from normal fries, but perhaps the addition of tomato sauce gave them an Austrian hint of “loco.” A James Brown tribute band of mostly-white Swiss guys and a gal provided the free soundtrack and judging from the people dancing around and playing with their families, they put on a fun show.

BEZAU BEATZ Orchestra of Good Hope
Congress Saalfelden

Leo Genovese - piano
Luîs Vicente - trumpet
João Pedro Brandão - sax, bass pedal
Camila Nebbia - sax
Sofia Salvo - baritone sax
Lucien Dubuis - bass clarinet
Demian Cabaud, bass
Pedro Melo Alves - drums
Alfred Vogel - drums

BEZAU BEATZ Orchestra. Photo by Julian Gruber

“An ode to hope and an ode to life”. Alfred's nine piece band contains a non-conventional assortment of instruments- flute, electronics, two drummers, baritone and tenor sax, bass clarinet, piano, trumpet, and bass. One set of drums has a spiral hanging from it, the other is mounted with bongos. As we had learned on Monday at “Eyes to the Sun,” Alfred had been given a 50/50 chance of survival from his diagnosis of Leukemia. This project was one of the bands his wife encouraged him to form, regardless of his cancer. It’s gut wrenching to learn that had he not survived, Pedro would have been the sole drummer for the band, to take his place. One can’t imagine how difficult that conversation must have been. Miracles do happen, and now there are two drummers in this orchestra, both very much alive!

Most of the music is atonal, with a heavy vibe of randomness, but musicians dip in and out in different combinations. It's rarely all nine at once. One particularly entertaining duet included a showdown between Pedro and Alfred, a competition of who could produce the most obscure drum sound. At one point Alfred tossed one of his cymbals on the stage floor. Little bird calls are blown, and flute, sax, and trumpet begin to follow along. The players are always looking around at each other, surveying the playground. Naturally, the finale elevates to a grandiose free-for-all. All the musicians are freakin' out, and bouncing along in synergy. Out of nowhere, a swing emerges- the first obvious semblance of beat. This orchestra feels like a unit. Nobody is dominating over anybody else. Alfred seems genuinely excited to incorporate a drum he slings over his shoulder and plays from his armpit. He grins as he wears it. He has been frequently smiling throughout the entire performance, as have the other performers, which is fitting for an ode to hope and life.

Teis Semey "EN MASSE!"
Congress Saalfelden

Teis Semey - guitar
José Soares - alto saxophone
Jesse Schilderink - tenor saxophone
Jort Terwijn - double bass
Sun-Mi Hong - drums

Teis Semey EN MASSE. Photo by Julian Gruber

Teis's quintet comes out a la White Stripes in red and black outfits that match fittingly with Teis's guitar. Their toe-tappin' melodies have got heads a-boppin' along. It's refreshing also to see a female drummer- the first I've spotted at this festival- Sun-Mi Hong. She is speedy, fluid, and she really rocks, setting a confident pace for this bright energetic band. Sharp turns and sudden song changes are no challenge to this troupe, who don't miss a single beat, seamlessly transitioning from one song to the next. At this festival, not all solos are met with polite golf claps, the audience doesn't applaud unless they really believe it is well earned. During this performance, the sax solos earn heartfelt applauses.

I wonder how Jort's fingers are feeling having grated the crap out of them at the Lillinger / Brennan show? He seems to be holding up just fine, and also earns an applause for his solo. Teis's awkward stage banter has maintained, rehashing a couple lines for the main stage. More impressive is his consistently good noodlin' on the guitar. He is quick and accurate but he also has a kind of youthful spirit- maybe that's a dumb thing to say, but something about him comes across as being unpretentious and kind. I think you can tell a lot about a person by the way they play their instrument. Jesse Schilderink, tenor sax player, keeps standing in this power lunge stance. Perhaps this is the secret of his power.

After so many wild and intensely freaky shows, the slight change of pace to something more tuneful is welcome at this point to balance things out. And to be honest, it's probably the only logical warm-up band for أحمد [Ahmed] if any of us are to remain mentally stable enough for a fourth day at this mad festival.

أحمد [Ahmed]
Congress Saalfelden

Pat Thomas - piano
Seymour Wright - alto saxophone
Joel Grip - double bass
Antonin Gerbal - drums

 

أحمد [Ahmed].Photo by Julian Gruber 

At some point, Seymour's sax tone becomes the tether in the chaotic scramble of the أحمد [Ahmed] game. It's so uncompromising and unapologetic- both revered and despised by jazz critics around the world. Today they are performing “African Bossa Nova” and the hour-long endurance piece is streamed to the masses on Austrian internet radio Ö1.

In typical أحمد [Ahmed] style, the piece begins unassumingly enough, but gradually divulges into an emotionless anarchy. Pat mashes the keys at times, with little regard for which ones he lands on exactly. Joel and Antonin are a ballistic machine. It's really the most confrontational jazz music, and the most anarchaic - so noisy, and so restless. It's quite understandable that this set is not going to be everyone's cup of Darjeeling, but for those who cannot endure, their vacant seats are soon filled. 

Having seen the quartet in the setting of a clubby side-stage in Tennessee, this main stage experience provides a completely alternative perspective. For one, in the club you would not look out of place dancing along and getting lost in the hypnotic rhythms through movement. Here in the large hall, up on a raised stage أحمد [Ahmed] is forced into the spotlight, with no option other than to watch.There are at least three people off in the standing area who truly feel it, dancing like their lives depend on it. The African vibe is clearly working its visceral influence forging primal connections with the spiritual few that feel compelled to move. 

Polarising, brave, adventurous, and utterly unique. Why can't all live bands be this exciting? Seamless transitions communicated via telepathy. أحمد [Ahmed] are absolutely sensational. The show ends excitingly abruptly and a roar explodes from the audience, the loudest one so far at the festival. 

Tomoki Sanders
Congress Saalfelden

Tomoki Sanders. Photo by Julian Gruber 

Tomoki Sanders – tenor and soprano sax
Ian Finkelstein - keyboards
Mwanzi Harriott - guitar
Christian Napoleon - drums

After the massive experience of absorbing an أحمد [Ahmed] performance, one requires a moment of peace and reflection. Unfortunately, savouring this precious moment required sacrificing the beginning of the Sanders set.

Welcome to Austria:

-We don't dance along.
-We don't sing along.
-We don't do crowd participation.

Tomoki's attempt to induce a call and response of "the master plan I never had" falls flat. He gives it his all but the crowd is far too shy to come out of their shells. He keeps at it for a while but eventually just sings some impressive vocal runs instead.

Normally a sax player, for his encore Tomoki takes to the drumkit, showcasing another of his many talents. He’s pretty good, and obviously a born entertainer with showmanship in his blood. 

For the finale, the drummer returns, and Tomoki has one last hail mary- commanding everyone quite seriously to get their asses out of their seats. By some miracle, most people do, probably as a trade off from the fact that they refused to sing. Some are even really letting go. He takes it a step further and pushes for clapping. A final sing along ends surprisingly well. There's no denying Tomoki's persistence. I can’t help imagining how much fun it would be to see him performing to a more uninhibited crowd. Although I do feel a small sense of pride that he managed to make the Austrians come out of their shells. 

See Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

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Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2025 (2/4)

By Sarah Grosser  

Ten o'clock in the morning might not be the earliest possible time of day to schedule a jazz performance but for my jetlagged companion we never really stood a chance of making it. Sincerest of apologies to the wonderful trumpeter Laura Jurd, inviting Jon Irabagon for an improv session at the Einsiedelei. Nor were we ready in time for the Jazz Brunch with Mojo Incorporation – although I'm sure the diners at Mama Thresl were all thoroughly entertained by “the sex of funk” alongside their first meals of the day.

It was only after seeing drummer Pedro Melo Alves perform later on in the Bezau Beatz Orchestra of Good Hope, that we had learned what a fabulous performance we had missed by skipping his “HIIT” performance at Short Cuts - a regret that stayed with us after meeting him in the VIP area, and discovering what a wonderfully down-to-earth and friendly person he was.

Fortunately we did manage to catch plenty of performances throughout the second day. In fact, there wasn’t one performance we witnessed that didn’t totally blow our minds.

2025-08-22 Saalfelden Day 2- Friday

Kasho Chualan / Lukas König
Kunsthaus Nexus

Kasho Chualan - prepared piano, electronics
Lukas König - drums, amplified cymbal

Kasho Chualan and Lukas Koenig. Photo by Matthias Heschl 

The space is cluttered with all manner of percussion gadgets alongside a drumkit and prepared piano. Even the piano contains its own collection of effect pedals and mallets. What follows is a delicate exploration of austere drones and experimental sounds: soft, deep rumblings with occasional clicks and obscure textures, all accompanied by a slow beat of digital kick and snare that Lukas plays with a foot pedal. Kasho plucks the dark low register of the piano with dramatic, soulful effect. 

Gradually, the beat emerges and evolves into a second track.This one is a more spasmodic series of rapid fire one-shot style effects via physical production. Lukas drags his bow through a hole in the cymbal. Somehow an effect is added and we hear a squelching scratching as if someone is using a turntable.

Towards the end, Lukas takes to the drum kit and lets rip on a super loud, ballistic blast-beat, shocking the system and reshaping the entire performance. Kasho is in wonderful sync with her intense dark piano plucks as Lukas twists around to smash one of his six gongs. It's a fantastically diverse show and an exhilarating display of physicality and variation- focused, but with moments of randomness in a cohesive and well rounded set. 

Teis Semey "Raw Fish"
Otto Gruber Halle

Teis Semey - guitar
Amalie Dahl - alto saxophone
José Soares - alto saxophone
Adam O' Farrill - trumpet with electronics
Giovanni Iacovella - drums, electronics
Jim Black - drums

Teis Semey "Raw Fish". Photo by Michael Geißler

Teis and Giovanni's duo is expanded into a sextet. The thin stage fog and heavy blue lights create a scene through which it's fun to watch the double drummers. Sticks piercing through the clouds with Teis up front noodling along to the choppy breakbeat. It's not too long before the pace gets dirty, the digital bass gets grimey, and Teis is handbanging to his own thrilling solo. Both drummers are smiling and bashing along. The tootling, mad horn section lifts things up for a big band feel. The crowd goes ape. It's just the right kind of vibe for a Friday in a big-ass party shed. Thrashing away on a synth, Teis seems completely unphased when his other keyboard/synth falls off the unstable table. Rock on.

It’s time for round two of Teis’s classic stage announcements, this time it's the fantastically dry: "I love every single one of you, personally. You may have my babies.” This is met with complete silence from the audience. Personally, I thought it was hilarious. 

 

Skorupa 5 "Sonic Feast"
Congress Saalfelden

Leonhard Skorupa - reeds
Silke Eberhard - reeds
Kirke Karja - piano, keys 
Robert Landfermann - bass
Leif Berger - drums

 

Skorupa5 Sonic Feast. Photo by Matthias Heschl

 No less than twenty photographers huddle together to snap photos of the first act to open the Friday mainstage. The ensemble opens with a really delicate little piece with bowed bass, feather-light brushwork, and two windy bass clarinets. The pieces on the whole are unpretentious and understated, almost introverted. Robert plays an enthralling bass solo by tapping quickly and plucking and bowing. It's a borderline percussive affair and completely original, beautifully executed. Leif is melting all over his cymbals, limbs reaching far over like liquid. Gradually the piece speeds up and the formally static green and purple light show begins to animate and dance along. Watching Kirke juggling between Steinway and Rhodes is a delight- she is locked in. When things really fire up, the lowest notes of the bass can be felt through the floor as a super satisfying rumble. Totally electrified, fabulous jazz from an outstanding German, Austrian, and Estonian quintet that would stand out on any world stage. I got so excited I accidentally clapped loudly when I thought a piece was over, but it was just a transition into a ridiculously fast and brilliant piano solo from Kirke. Someone laughed at my overenthusiasm.

Weird of Mouth
Congress Saalfelden

Mette Rasmussen – saxophone, preparations, bells
Craig Taborn – piano, preparations
Ches Smith – drums, percussion

Weird of Mouth. Photo by Matthias Heschl

Ches, Mette, and Craig come out guns a-blazing! During the breakdown, we get to enjoy Craig's majestic piano solo. Ches adds some bowed cymbal and articulations but the stagehands who set up his overhead mic did not account for the drummer's great height standing up, and he has to crane his neck to avoid hitting it. But for a man who spends much of his time playing the drums with his eyes closed, situational awareness seems to be yet another skill he has mastered, and he evades the mic with each swoop. 

Mette's sax is crisp and confident and her solo is alluring. Craig is no less of a freak, ripping across the keys at breakneck speed, raw and intentionally.

Mette hops, jumps, and walks around, also standing on tip toes when she gets right into it- she makes that thing squeal like it actually enjoys it. When this band peaks, it just keeps peaking. Their endurance and power is staggering, and all three musicians are at the top of their game. But the range of moods extends further than just furious rampaging- there are moments of mystery, intrigue, tenderness, and even vulnerability. Just incredible.

Patricia Brennan "Breaking Stretch"
Congress Saalfelden

Jon Irabagon - alto & sopranino saxophone
Mark Shim - tenor saxophone
Adam O' Farrill - trumpet with electronics
Kim Cass - bass
Dan Weiss - drums
Keisel Jimenez - percussion
Patricia Brennan - vibraphone

Patricia Brennan. Photo by Matthias Heschl

Patricia is a firecracker in every sense of the word, from her compositions to her exciting, energetic playing. It's no wonder she is running out of awards to win. You can't emulate that kind of character behind the instrument- constantly adjusting the vibrato to create her own signature effects, and dancing along to her septet- an all-male cast of hugely talented musicians. (At this festival hugely talented musicians are a dime a dozen. They’re everywhere!)

The addition of Keisel Jimenez’s conga and bongos brings a distinct Latin American flavour to this already groovy set. Until now, my experience of this festival has been mostly very experimental and busy music. Breaking Stretch is some of the most melodious and, as far as jazz is concerned, anthemic riffs so far. It's hypnotic watching Patricia gliding up and down the vibraphone, her curly hair bouncing around as she goes. In a break she talks about the numbers that influenced her compositions - lots of "5s and 10s” After another display of virtuosity, she still has that massive, radiant grin on her face. “Woo!” she says, “That’s a workout!”

For the very last song she tells Saalfelden that they are invited to dance along. Musicians learn quickly at this festival that like the Germans, the Austrians do not tend to dance along, if they can help it. Regardless, the party vibe is warmly welcomed and Patricia and company are met with a rousing applause. 

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Exit) Knarr
Congress Saalfelden

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - bass
Amalie Dahl - saxophone
Karl Hjalmar Nyberg - sax
Marta Warelis - piano
Jonathan F. Home - guitar
Olaf Olsen - drums

 

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten. Photo by Matthias Heschl

The final act of a seriously packed first official full day of the festival. A foreboding intro complete with rustling bells and thunderous bass slowly lifts into a dark, gnarly groove. Distorted guitar adds to the controlled chaos with hurricane-like, whirring winds. 

It’s all heading in the direction to be truly fabulous, but unfortunately this is the point at which I had to tap out and get some rest. The human brain can only be presented with so much greatness in one (or, in our case, two) days. So I must apologise to Ingebrigt for leaving early - I wished I could have endured longer, but by midnight I was beginning to overdose on high quality music played by seriously gifted and talented musicians, (and running short on sleep!)

See Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

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Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2025 (1/4)

By Sarah Grosser 

“The hills are alive with the sound of soundcheck” 

Once again for the 45th time, the "actually very medium-sized” Austrian town of Saalfelden is flooded with tourists and artists for its annual four-day jazz and avant-garde extravaganza. This year saw the arrival of 190 artists from twenty-six countries, and more than 28,500 concert visits from the thousands in attendance. This ain’t no boutique get-together – Saalfelden is "the big one."

For such a gigantic festival, it was a moment of pride to witness organisers Daniela Neumayer, Mario Steidl, and Wolfgang Hartl accepting the European Jazz Network (EJN) Award for Adventurous Programming. There was no question that many of the mainstage acts were indeed wonderfully niche, but more detail on those over the following reports.

Traditions returned such as the various Jazz Hikes through the mountains with musicians, giving performances at various spots along the routes. These started as early as 9am on Thursday, and repeated again on Saturday to sellout crowds. Meeting drummer Valentin Schuster in the hotel entrance, he personally encouraged everyone to activate “the only push notification you will ever need to turn on!” on their Saalfelden app. He was in charge of the numerous spontaneous Flash Mobs appearing at random locations around the town, where jazz musicians on the lineup played for the public in absurd and fun juxtapositions. 

I was delighted to see again this year that almost every concert was introduced by the returning host, Götz Bühler. Götz displays such a commitment to the correct pronunciation of the names of each individual musician, and with so many musicians attending the festival, this is no mean feat. Along with his good banter, he is just about as impressive as the artists he is presenting. 

Sir Waldo Weathers & Henry Carpaneto Trio. Photo by Michael Geißler

 Due to the huge amount of programming, it would have been impossible for one person to cover every aspect of the festival. Some sacrifices had to be made in order to see preferred shows, for example: legendarily wild, late-night jams were forgone in favour of waking up early for a relaxing, dawn rowboat show. But even for those who didn’t have a ticket to the mainstage or for the smaller Short Cuts stage down the road, there was plenty of free, family-oriented entertainment available around the town: the Stadtpark stage located in the city park was covered by a massive white canopy tent, allowing for public party-time whatever the weather. Even during the pouring rain on the very first day, the elated crowd could be heard from the streets, cheering for Sir Waldo Weathers & Henry Carpaneto Trio. We opted instead to try for some of the inside shows to kick off our very first day. 

2025-08-21 Saalfelden Day 1- Thursday

Teis Semey invites Kirke Karja
Buchbinderei Fuchs

Teis Semey - guitar
Kirke Karja - keys

Teis Semey Invites Kirke Karja. Photo by Michael Geißler

Much like every window in Saalfelden, the Fuchs Book Bindery overlooks a jaw droppingly picturesque view of treetops, steeples, and today, a white mist of raindrops. Most punters were smart enough to bring an umbrella, as the venue capacity of 100 people is quickly filled. Robert Landfermann runs down the stairs and is instantly soaked while he packs his car – sadly, due to maximum capacity, we missed his duet with drummer Lukas König, but fortunately we just manage to scrape in for the following show before the door person says, "Two more!" The joint is crammed with framed prints, old printing presses, rubber stamps, literal chests, endless drawers and cabinets, and loose leaf prints on every surface. An assortment of random chairs fills the remaining floor space, and the second concert begins.

Teis Semey is one of the festival’s artists in residence, so this is the first of a number of performances in which we will see him perform this weekend. The other two shows will be on a much larger stage, so this one is most intimate. Kirke's deep piano waltz provides a rich, intense platform for Teis's meandering, bright guitar. The pitter-pattering that evolves from this matches serendipitously with the grey outside. It's so gentle. She delicately and effortlessly glides softly, arpeggiating so fast, making way for Teis to emerge with an equally quick and heartfelt solo. Kirke sways as Teis plays, smiling. It's cozy and warm here. An impressively tight phrase in unison sees a couple viewers gasp in admiration, as both suddenly make an unexpected break.

Teis’s socially awkward, straightforward stage banter is adorable: "I've seen this place on Instagram. I'd never thought I'd play here. Maybe in ten years? And I couldn't do it alone - I would shit my pants."

There are enormously sensitive moments and memorable melodies. At one point Teis remarks that one piece was written for a choir, but is impressed to add that: "Kirke sounds like a choir."

Eyes to the Sun
Kunsthaus Nexus

Leo Genovese - piano, clarinet
Camila Nebbia - saxophone
Alfred Vogel - drums 

Eyes To The Sun. Photo by Michael Geißler

First things first - The lighting display in Short Cuts this year is certainly one for the books. A series of free-standing jazzy lamps: three stick figures with lampshades for heads, each wearing a neon sign around its neck, which itself is lit. Then further illuminated by a blue upward facing LED lamp. It's a trifecta of trifectæ and I for one am here for it.

The little theatre is packed with guests below and press/VIPs up top lining the balcony with other musicians. If you miss getting a spot on the railing it's difficult to get a view of the stage. I am stuck behind bean pole drummer Leif Berger. Fortunately the wonderfully busy and dynamic performance is loud and wild enough to ignite the imagination, (and Leif does eventually crouch down so I can see!) Occasional peeks allow for flashes of Leo springing vibrantly across the full spectrum of keys on his piano, a glimpse at Camila rocking the hell out of her sax, and Alfred deeply entranced, floating around the kit, with speed and grace. This crazy, atonal freak-out is dark and challenging in the best, most satisfying way. Leo's fast keys together with Camila's speedy trills are frenzied and fit neatly in amongst each other.

Crescendos are emphasized fittingly on Alfred's three cymbals; he also explores a number of different percussion articulations including bongos, rubber mallets, and small objects during the quieter moments. 

Alfred shares with us that in 2023 he had been diagnosed with acute Leukemia, and that during this time, the band which had only just recorded, decided to release their album no matter what. Track names like "Glint" and "Glow" remind us of the disorientation associated with staring at the sun.

It appears, as Alfred says, that the universe wants him to "come back." This is met with loud applause. Leo busts out a clarinet and it's full ball into round two. Duelling reeds, and a super speedy groove from Alfred, it's rapid and crisp drumming with flittering, stuttering sax and clarinet. There's no letting up with this group, and nobody seems to realize it’s 11:30 pm in the Austrian Alps, and not some dingy little basement in New York.

See Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

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Festival MÉTÉO Mulhouse 20 - 23 August

By Guido Montegrandi

What are our expectations when we go to a festival? The reason that makes me decide is probably that of listening and watching musicians that I love, but then there is the desire to discover new things, to learn something, to face questions that will probably have no answers, to listen to music I don’t usually listen to.

Another reason to go to festivals is visiting places, meeting people, hopefully having fun and Mulhouse looks like a nice city, the location of the festival, a former textile industry plant renamed as Motoco, is beautiful and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.

A tiny bit of history:

The festival, born in 1983 as Jazz a Mulhouse, was initially dedicated to traditional jazz but, under the direction of Paul Kanitzer (from 1987 to 2006), soon developed in to something more explorative focused on improvised and experimental music. In 2009, it was renamed Météo (French for weather) to take account of the wavering of musical movements that are just as unpredictable as the weather is. So now you can be exposed to all kind of music and genders as the name of the festival reminds you: - Mulhouse Music Festival Météo – musiques aventureuses –

And let’s talk about the weather, I live in Italy where we had a very hot and dry summer, I arrived in Mulhouse on the 20 of August and it was raining…

Day 1, August 20

At 7 pm, after an introductory speech, the festival begins in what is called Motoco Club, the hall of the venue where there also is a bar, the ticket office and various stalls selling CDs, records, books and various merchandising.

To be true, the festival had already began at 11:30 am at the Public Library with section called Bambin Bamboche in which artists that will exhibit in the evening section of the festival, perform short concerts (about 30 minutes) and discuss their music in front of a public of young listeners. These events are performed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Just to have an idea: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1452176199363505

Back at 7pm, the festival starts with the bagpipe of Erwan Keravec who plays a 20 minutes solo introducing us into a minimalistic atmosphere which would then be one of the main trends of this festival. Keravec is followed by a bagpipe duo that focused on a more traditional repertoire but always in the line of the search for an imaginary folklore. The fact that I am not able to tell you the names of the two players points out one of the few downsides of this festival: the choice to avoid producing any printed material to support the program, even if it is environmentally wise, nonetheless creates a few problems also because the information on the site isn’t always exhaustive or updated and sometimes is deleted leaving no possibility to recover the information. Anyway, the music is really charming and provides a good introduction for the evening concerts.

Outside it is raining, but not that much…

The evening concert is Kahil El Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with Kahil El Zabar drums, percussion and voice; Corey Wilkes trumpet; Kevin Nabors sax; Ishmael Ali cello. As you can expect it is a performance full of energy that engages the audience into a groovy atmosphere with some Ellington quote to mark the living heritage of this music. The concert ends with a vocal encore that Kahil dedicates to his mother.

Pause, then at 10:30 the second concert of the evening: Le Recueil des Miracles, a swiss ensemble with Louis Schild bass and shruti box, Antoine Lang voice and jaw harp, Anne Gilot flutes, Laurent Bruttin clarinet, Clara Levy violin, David Meier drums. A sudden change of atmosphere and the minimalist flavour of the early evening resurfaces, drums and clarinet and recorder develop (sometimes unison) motives on which the other musician build their intense melodies and patterns.

End of the first day, it is still raining.

Day 2 21 August

The first event is at 5:30 pm, the sky is cloudy but the rain has (almost) stopped. Motoco Club hosts a solo from Slovakian sax player Michaela Turcerova whose instrument is augmented with microphones and electronics to catch and amplify every sound and noise. In her hands the sax becomes a percussion that develops rhythmic patterns out of thin air and when played without mouthpiece, it sounds like a breath amplifier. Small percussion instruments, sand and stones add sound on sound.

- a digression to share some open questions - do extended techniques and electronics transform every instrument into a sound generator allowing to create a closer relation with the environment of the concert which is, as Cage suggested, a sound generator by definition or do they make every instrument just sound the same?

At 9 pm There Will Be No Miracles Here… well maybe there will be - Yolann Dahnier, Gweltaz Hervé, Erwan Keravec, Lionel Lepage, Enora Morice, Pierre Thébault, Quentin Viannais: bagpipes / Géraldine Foucault-Voglimacci, Hélène Labarriére, Erwan Lhermenier: basins. When on day one of the festival I heard Keravec playing the introductory solo gig, I must confess that I had no idea of his music, I just had a vague memory that he played in the Fire! Orchestra with Mats Gustafsson, now on day two I have done my homework and I am well aware that he is the man who has given the bagpipe a place in the contemporary music scene with a real interest in minimalism (one of his last project being a version for bagpipes of Terry Riley’s In C ). The setting is fascinating, in the white light of the Motoco post industrial hall seven bagpipe players in a semi-circle and in front of them three basin players and when the music starts, it is like being in a tank slowly filling with music, a drone irradiating and reflecting from the walls to the ears of the listeners and punctuated by the friction, the humming and the beats produced by the basins … a night to remember. Outside the first stars appear amid the clouds.

A pause, then at 10:30 pm Endless Breakfast with Gabby Fluke-Mogul, violin; Paula Sanchez, cello; Maria Portugal, drums. The trio offers an energetic mix of noise, extended techniques augmented with electronics, vocal melodies, quiet moments that let every single sound float and again a dive into the density of music. More than appropriate the quote from Ornette Coleman’s Lonely Woman.

In the midnight hour Selvhenter Maria Bertel, trombone; Sonja LaBianca, sax, Anja Jacobsen, drums; Jaleh Negari, drums. As you can imagine another energetic set with the trombone weaving bass lines, the sax creating a rhythmic structure for the two drummers to freely wedge in their lines. Sometimes a pause of filtered drumless sounds to build an intro to the circular beats that Jacobsen and Negari develop in a close dialogue. A nice way to stay awake in the night.

End of day two. More stars in the sky but no diamonds.

Day 3, 22 August

The sun is finally shining to bless the day early start at 12:30 pm with the Paula Sanchez solo at the Kunsthalle (the Contemporary Art Centre of National Interest of the City of Mulhouse). Her performance is preceded by the exhibition of the participants to the week-long workshop Souffler à l’Oreille organized by the Swiss musician Antoine Läng (Le Recueil des Miracles). The workshop and the exhibition are dedicated to the voice and the experimentation of materials articulated around breathing and related sounds, with bare voice and objects (megaphones, jaw harps, bird calls). And then Paula Sanchez's performance for cello, cellophane and electronics, all centered around gestures and postures and feedback inducing procedures caused by the friction of cellophane on the instrument, on the strings, on her body and on the bow and all the possible combinations of the above. You need to see it.

Late in the afternoon at 5:30 pm Kotekosk is a duo formed by Florian Borojevic and Louise Billaud, both on percussion and electronics. Their music is based on minimalist structures created on self-made metal percussion instruments, filtered and modified by vintage electronic instrument and gears, loops and cosmic sounds.

- Digression n 2 - electronic music, minimalism, ambient, free music, noise, industrial… As it has been recently observed on this blog, electronics is a common and constant feature in the work of many artist working in the niche of free/ experimental/ whatever music and as a consequence of the use of common technologies the boundaries among genders have become fuzzier and fuzzier (pun intended). But it is not only electronics, one of the most noticeably common element in this patchwork is, at least for me, the resurfacing of minimalistic structures and techniques which can be found in various and different context and that will probably add new layers of sense to the aesthetic of a movement which seemed, for quite a long time, frozen on its principles.

The evening concert at 9 pm was Irene Bianco, percussion and electronics. With a very neat setting Irene Bianco offered to the public an accurate mix of bass drum, electronics, gestures, tuned percussion and toys, generating a fragmented sonic and visual territory, the perfect soundtrack for an augmented reality experience.

A pause and at 10:30 pm DRANK a duo formed by Ingrid Schmoliner, prepared piano and Alex Kranabetter trumpet and electronics. With absolute precision Ingrid Schmoliner produces percussive minimalistic droning structures that hold up the sounds, the noises, the rustlings produced by Kranabetter’s trumpet. The result is a lush music that fills every available space.

Midnight is the hour of the shadow play and Pierre Bastien (cornet, objects, various inventions) and Louis Laurain (cornet, percussion, birdcalls) love playing - CNT is the name of their project and ambiguously stands for bunch of different things: abbreviation for Valve C(or)N(e)T ; acronym for « Confederación Nacional del Trabajo », a Spanish libertarian union based on the recognition of the human group; a group of two humans who play the valve cornet, a musical instrument commonly, and hardly ever, referred to as a trumpet.

The stage is framed by a white screen on which the shadow of the musician, of their instruments with their bizarre attachments, of their moving hands are projected. The first thing that strikes the public is the visual aspect: pataphysical machineries for a mechanical jungle, Jean Tinguely in a miniature… but then sounds and bruises and noises and music start emerging from these machineries and from the two human beings that manoeuvres them: organic techno and free jazz. To paraphrase Pascal Wyse of The Guardian two musical mad scientist. Mesmerizing.

1 am, Emotional Support - Emma Souharce, Aya Metwalli, Beatrice Beispiel (all of them electronics and voice) offer a polyphonic noise show in which voices and electronic sounds fuses and crashes to depict a loud nocturnal urban landscape. The windows of the hall vibrates producing parasite noises, outside the sky displays stars and clouds. End of day 3

Day 4, 23 August

- digression n 3 - many of the concert in this festival have a relevant visual component which works as an integral part of the music itself. Is music evolving into the Gesamtkunstwert (total work of art) that Wagner was wishing for? And is this a good thing?

5 pm, Gabby Fluke-Mogul solo. Alone with her violin, her effect pedals and her voice she produces a sort of synopsis of the American music with traditional melodies immersed into a distorted noisy Hendrixian bath. The violin sometimes is a fiddle, sometimes a guitar, sometime a noise-maker. At the end a vocal solo and a violin taken back to its acoustic bring it all back home. Circular and thought provoking.

The sky is dark blue after sunset when at 9pm the duo Ava Mendoza and Hamid Drake starts playing: dark blues saturated sounds and polyrhythmic drumming with infinite variations in volume and energy level. It has been a while since the two of them are playing together in various combinations and as a duo and their level of interaction is now honed to almost flawlessness. Hamid Drake plays with the usual variety and subtleness and his drumming has a level of expressivity that makes each of his concerts an event. Ava Mendoza creates both harsh and insinuating lines that effectively find their way through Drake’s pattern and in the final part with Drake playing the frame drum and chanting and Mendoza producing winding melodies the whole thing seems to make sense. A perfect evening.

The Mendoza-Drake concert has been quite an extended experience (in every sense of the word) and so the next one Exapist Euphoria+Weird Legs+Frantx starts at 11pm. Andrea Giordano (voice) Fanny Meteier (tuba) Pierre Prodier (guitar) and Marco Luparia (drums) organizes their performance in different phases. The opening is led by a solo of voice and electronic noises by Andrea Giordano and when she is joined at the centre of the hall by Fanny Meteier, they develop a duet of whistles, hisses and vocalises. Recorded voices marks the entrance of drums and guitar accompanied by chanting voices. Then music evolves in to instrumental noise-techno patterns with prominent drum sounds.

Prominent drumming is a good introduction to the midnight concert, which really happens at 0:30 am. Otto is a percussion trio with Camille Emaille, Gabriel Valtchev and Pol Small. They create a powerful crescendo introducing different rhythmic patters and using the harmonics produced by the metal percussions (and they have a really big bell-like object).

The last act of the festival is Das Schrei Nicht So Orkestra (Jonas Albrecht, drums; Ilayada Zeyrek, tournables; Carlo Brülhart, sax; danis Koblic, sax; Jasmin Lötscher, trombone; Fabian Mösch, clarinet, Miao Zhao, bass clarinet; Lena Brechbül, sound) We are advised to put earplugs on due to the high volume of the performance which is presented like a collective circular rite and I must confess that at this point, it is 1:30 pm, I decide that for me the festival is over. I really apologize with the musicians but my ears are full of sounds and my head quite empty so I hope to see them sometimes, somewhere else. Good night and good luck.

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