Abdullah Ibrahim - Mukashi ( 2014) ***

By Antonio Poscic

What can you say about Abdullah Ibrahim that hasn’t already been said one million times? A true jazz legend, one of those musicians with such a rich discography and many, uncountable collaborations with some of the world’s greatest jazz artists. Ibrahim’s music, often tied to the so called South African “Cape jazz” scene, has always evoked the sensibilities of his friend Thelonious Monk and mentor Duke Ellington while also carrying a note of African musicality and being fuelled by personal, at times harsh, life experiences. With all this in mind, a question arises nonetheless: After so many years making music, can an artist sound fresh and motivated?

What I am certain of is that Abdullah Ibrahim is still enjoying making and playing jazz. “Mukashi” (“Once Upon a Time” in Japanese) is a charming album and clearly a work born out of love. It is a relaxing, ethereal piece of music uninhibited by any preconceptions or expectations. It’s got nothing to do with free jazz, it’s devoid of any notable improvisations, and it would be a stretch to define it as even remotely adventurous. Perhaps, those are exactly the points that contribute to its appeal. The incredible simplicity and evocativeness of the sixteen tracks on the album feel natural and not at all forced. Strictly speaking, “Mukashi” falls into the category of what is usually called “chamber jazz”, but in reality it eschews categorization. As far as inspirations go, and beyond the aforementioned nods towards Monk and Ellington, there’s an easily identifiable thread of African rhythms and melodies as well as something that is most easily described as an eastern sense of calmness. The resulting fusion of all of these characteristics brings music that is quiet, full of air, but never dull.

There’s a beautiful sense of serenity expressed through spirituality and transcendence on “Mukashi” that bring visions of a wise, old man sitting on his porch during the evening of a stifling summer day, recollecting his memories about a long and fruitful life filled with stories. This atmosphere is highlighted by the soft and gentle piano, the articulate and colourful reeds (most often flute or clarinet), and the suggestive and romantic sounding strings. Even though solo piano tracks are to be expected (“The Stars Will Remember”), it’s a bit surprising to hear how often Ibrahim’s piano falls into the background, allowing the string instruments and woodwinds to lead the way (“Dream Time”). While songs like “Peace” are representative of the general mood of the album, it’s pieces like the “Krotoa” trilogy or the joyful and playful “Mississippi” and “The Balance” that provide a contrast and show an uplifting and dynamic side to the music. Another thing worth mentioning is that all the musicians, Cleave Guyton on saxophone, flute, and clarinet, and Eugen Bazijan and Scott Roller on cellos, along with Ibrahim himself create a close-knit sound that still lets each of them feel like an individual voice.

Age hasn’t hurt Abdullah Ibrahim. He has avoided the trap of delivering an album that would feel as a rehash of his older works or as a tired and shallow attempt of catering to his audience. Instead, “Mukashi” as a whole turns out to be a nostalgic and quite enjoyable album that, in the larger scope of things, will not move mountains, but is nevertheless a worthwile, sincere, and intimate record.

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Mark Turner Quartet – Lathe of Heaven (ECM, 2014) ****

By Troy Dostert

When it comes to finding his niche within the music world, Mark Turner has admittedly faced challenges.  As a saxophonist, he’s not a fire-breather like Brotzmann or Gustafsson, or particularly stylistically adventurous, which means he’s not going to be getting a ton of attention on blogs like this one.  Yet he’s not a crowd-pleaser either, as his rather airy and abstract improvisational voice is a far cry from the accessibility of folks like Sonny Rollins or Charles Lloyd.  And I have admittedly not always been a huge fan of his work myself; I was less than impressed by his playing a couple years ago on Billy Hart’s All Our Reasons.

But on this recording, Turner’s first as a leader since 2001, we have a terrific example of a situation in which Turner’s bandmates really bring out the best in him.  In particular, havingtrumpeter Avishai Cohen on hand as a second horn player seems to lend some additional edge and spirit to Turner’s playing; and the first-rate rhythm section of Joe Martin on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums is also critical to giving Turner’s complex compositions the firm pulse they need to really come alive.

Turner’s solos are consistently thoughtful and intriguing, and although I still find myself wanting to see a bit more dynamic variation and punch from him at times, as he can be relentlessly patient and even-handed in the development of his ideas, here his melodic vision largely predominates, leading to some spry and stimulating solo moments on all six tracks.  Again, having the impressive Cohen on hand is the perfect asset for Turner, as some of the best moments on the record are those in which their intertwining lines create the kind of mutual intensity that brings out another dimension to Turner’s playing.  The record’s closer, “Brother Sister,” is an especially good example of what Turner can do in conversation with another horn player, as Cohen’s fine upper-register playing leads Turner to elevate himself as well.

Martin and Gilmore are just as essential to the success of the project.  Martin’s bass playing isn’t flashy; at times he reminded me of having a Charlie Haden-style “less is more” approach, withwell-chosen and spare undercurrent rather than fireworks, although with occasional rhythmic variations in his lines that always add interest. And Gilmore is just superb, with a skittering, relentless searching of his drum kit: always in motion, providing a rhythmic foundation for the rest of the band, but not without the willingness to change direction and tempo when it’s required.  As a rhythm team, they pull off the always-difficult feat of being strongly in sync while still sounding loose and fluid.

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All six tracks on the record have a memorable melodic structure, yet with plenty of space for opening up the tune for exploration.  Highlights include the title track, which features an especially impassioned solo from Turner, building gradually in intensity throughout; the above-mentioned “Brother Sister”; and “The Edenist,” with an addictive noir-ish feel due to a terrificbass groove that draws out some inspired playing from Cohen, and Turner as well.

It’s definitely one of the more interesting and rewarding of ECM’s recent releases.

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Period – 2 (Public Eyesore, 2014) ***½

By Julian Eidenberger

Period really facilitate the music scribe’s task of finding a good starting point, since the impressive musical credentials of everyone involved provide a more or less self-evident jumping-off point. Formed a couple of years ago by ubiquitous drummer Mike Pride and guitarist Charlie Looker (formerly of Extra Life, a band that is more or less unclassifiable but very highly recommended), Period have become a more band-like proposition over time, as vocalist Chuck Bettis (formerly of noisy punks The Meta-Matics and Tzadik recording artists Brown Wing Overdrive) has joined them. On this new album – yes, it’s the second one –, the trio is expanded into a quintet with the sometimes addition of Sam Hillmer on tenor sax and Darius Jones on alto saxophone, both of which have an impressive pedigree of their own: Hillmer as the bandleader and sole constant member of Zs (also unclassifiable – although “chamber-rock” might give you a pretty good idea – and very highly recommended), Jones as both a sideman – for William Hooker, among others – and as a composer with the noise-jazz group Little Women (do I need to mention that they’re highly recommended?).

So, yes, this is a super-group of sorts, and if I had to judge this album on past achievements alone, I’d award five stars and be done with it. Indeed, in terms of musical style, 2 has the fingerprints of Period’s members all over it, with an overall approach that draws on various avant-jazz and avant-rock sub-genres also mined in the better-known projects of the five musicians. On top of that, there’s a distinct punk/metal feel present in many of the album’s tracks. Alas, the considerable talent behind this record isn’t always translated into the expected greatness. Opening track Two is a case in point in this respect; it sees Looker (on baritone guitar) and Pride improvising without assistance from the other members. For almost 17 minutes, they’re propelled by a stoic, pummeling beat – the sort of beat Swans have built almost their entire career on – with Looker injecting his trademark “ice-pick” riffs and Pride indulging in hyperactive fills. Since this is basically an improv project with different premises, it may seem a bit unfair to compare this to Looker’s old band, but at the same time, it’s hard not to – the similarities are there. While quite powerful, it ends up sounding more like a sketch of an as yet unreleased Extra Life song than genuine improvisation.

Period fares better when Jones and Hillmer provide back-up. On album highlight Nine – which is actually the fourth, not the ninth track – they help steer the band into a more unhinged avant-jazz direction by adding ear-splitting dissonance and employing some extended techniques. Alongside Bettis’ creepy howls and growls, this adds up to a monstrous track that recalls Painkiller in its bludgeoning intensity and metal experimentalists Kayo Dot in its scope.

In general, intensity is the album’s main redeeming quality; at times, it makes critique of the record’s flaws seem almost ridiculous. Still, the band is seemingly at a crossroads, caught between a tendency towards constructing (quasi-)songs and an inclination to reckless improvising. All told, it’s a good, if somewhat flawed record and hopefully a harbinger of great things to come.

Listen and buy at the label’s homepage.

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Piotr Damasiewicz Project - Imprographic 1 (ForTune, 2013) ****

By Stef

Sometimes it takes a while before music comes on our radar screen too, even if the records have been lying here for months on end, sometimes going back to the previous year, as is the case with this album. And that's a shame really, because this quartet deserves attention, as does this double CD, called "Imprographic 1", a title that holds the promise for more.

The quartet is Piotr Damasiewixz on trumpet, Gerard Lebik on tenor, Gabriel Ferrandini (yes, from RED trio) on drums and Jakub Mielcarek on bass. They play free jazz in the best of traditions, freely, openly, and if there are any references to give, possibly Other Dimensions In Music, or the Tribute To Albert Ayler Band come to mind, two bands with almost identical line-ups, creating beauty, density and space on the spot, often without clear rhythmic patterns, yet with a steady implicit pulse, not really soloing, but creating coherent sonic textures of long and extended phrases, weaving a tapestry of sound, and quite contrary to the liner notes, in my opinion the music is much closer to American music than to European free improvisation, because of its soulfulness, the less cerebral approach, the band is more constructing than deconstructing, and somehow still respectful of traditional concepts like repetitions in phrases, with lots of sustained and flowing moments.

These are excellent performances, recorded live at three venues in Poland, the Alchemia, The Falanster and Cofeina. My kind of jazz, open, free, coherent, technically excellent, with solid interplay and creative interactions.

I hope we get Imprographic 2 soon.

Piotr Damasiewicz Quartet – Mnemotaksja (ForTune, 2014) ****

Damasiewicz released another album earlier this year, again with the same line-up, with himself on trumpet, Gerard Lebik on tenor and contralto clarinet, Maciey Garbowski on bass, and Wojciech Romanowski on drums.

This is not free jazz in the strictest sense - but what does that mean? - because of the strong structural and compositional basis of the nine pieces, and its solid rhythmic foundation. You could qualify the music as modern jazz, with a very open attitude to soloing and shifting structural elements.

I  know it's always risky to draw comparisons among musicians, and even if Damasiewicz' trumpet sound is not comparable to that of Dennis Gonzalez, his music is, because of the unison themes, the sense of drama, the deep melancholy and epic content while retaining this overall sense of freedom and expansiveness.

A really strong album, and one can only conclude that Damasiewicz is an artist with many stylistic possibilities, and he is possibly strong in all of them, including the even more epic work with "Power Of The Horns", one of my favorite albums of last year.

So, being more adept of absolute freedom, my personal choice would be with "Imprographic", but "Mnemotaksja" is obviously more accessible while being equally of high quality.

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Jimmy Giuffre 3 & 4 - New York Concerts (Elemental, 2014) *****

By Stefan Wood

There are reissues that can reintroduce a body of work to a new generation of listeners, and then there are reissues that completely alter established musical history, of an artist and a genre. Jimmy Giuffre 3 & 4's New York Concerts fall into the latter category. It is a 2-disc set comprised of two concerts in 1965, during a stretch of 7 or 8 years where there has been no recorded documentation of Giuffre's work.

The 1961 sessions, "Fusion" and "Thesis," originally recorded on Verve and later reissued by ECM, were considered landmarks of early free improvised jazz, brilliant works of group interplay and of space, using silence as an essential part of the music. With Paul Bley and Steve Swallow, the drummer less trio was structured in such a way as to be forced to be more interactive with one another, emphasizing counterpoint. On the New York Concerts, the drummer is back, with Joe Chambers, who was already making a mark for himself with his excellent collaborations with Bobby Hutcherson on Blue Note. Richard Davis replaces Swallow, and this trio, recorded live at Judson Hall, explodes where the earlier trio shimmers.

"Syncopate" is jaw dropping, as Giuffre unloads, with terse and weighty interplay from Davis and Chambers, a fierce torrent of notes that is unexpected as it is aurally exciting. It's short of sounding like Brotzmann, more lyrical, but it carries tremendous weight. Chambers is equally brilliant here, accenting the notes with a brief machine gun flurry, and Davis darting in between both musicians with notes that emphasize the space where the others don't inhabit. It is one of the most riveting and intense compositions I have heard from Giuffre. "Crossroads," an Ornette Coleman tune, again shows Giuffre's dexterity and fluidity, driving through the complicated series of notes with ease, even better than Coleman himself. He squeals and squawks with an intense focus, never overblowing, but in decidedly chosen moments that emphasize a positive and negative space. Chambers responds with thundering drum rolls, and Davis again provides an essential point of focus, providing a link between the sound and silence with accented notes, not so much providing rhythm but atmosphere. "Drive" is more boppish, with Giuffre providing a strong lead, moving from sweet notes to harsh atonal bleats, with Davis having counterpoint with a soft but intense solo.

The second disc is from an earlier date of the same year, at Columbia University. Joe Chambers is still on drums, but Giuffre is accompanied this time with Barre Phillips and Don Friedman. Four of the six tracks are similar as on disc 1, but the interaction is different, mostly because of Friedman's inclusion. On "Syncopate," Friedman's piano echoes and plays off of Giuffre's lead, then going off on his own, at times percussive, others very freely played, similar to his musical explorations on the Prestige albums at that time (think "Metamosphosis" & Dreams and Explorations"). The leader baton gets passed between the two, with Chambers continuing to provide a heavy accent on drums when needed. Phillips is less compelling than Richard Davis, perhaps because the dynamics of the group are different, but is still effective. The moments when the group explodes into free improv are breathtaking, because they are so brief, but the power is there. "Quadrangle," twice its length here than on disc 1, is a highlight on the set, an excellent work that exemplifies Giuffre and his group's use of silence and space, where four musicians interact, pull apart and play separately, then return. Phillips' playing is at best here, plucking and bowing at times to really give the listener a sense of atmosphere, tension, and placement between the musicians. "Quadrangle" flows right into "Three Bars in One," another long tune which takes the statement made from the previous piece and shoot it into the stratosphere. On "Cry, Want," Giuffre plays clarinet, and, while no one will mistake his sound for Eric Dolphy's, is introspective and as freely played as anyone from that time. It anticipates a wave of playing done in the 70s and later decades. Again, the dynamics are mostly between Giuffre and Friedman, who trade off tonal and atonal notes as if having a conversation. "Angles" showcases a lot of percussion from Chambers, who drives the others to a fast pace, with the others taking quick pauses then firing off salvos of notes at each other.

New York Concerts is an incredibly valuable document, not only for the artist, as it fills and informs a big gap in his recorded discography, but also how Giuffre anticipated a style and dialogue of playing that informed and influenced generations of free improvising musicians that followed. This easily is the reissue of the year, and gets my highest recommendation.


You can buy this album from Instantjazz. 

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Han Bennink & Jaak Sooäär – Beach Party (Barefoot, 2013) ****

By Tom Burris

Beach Party is the result of a March 2012 concert of percussion legend Han Bennink in a duo format featuring Estonian guitarist Jaak Sooaar.  They have a fairly rigid format for a couple of free wildmen, which is “let’s have a bunch of fun and improvise until we feel like playing a standard we both like.”  You’d have to be a real party pooper to not have a good time here.

It is a thrill to hear Sooaar playing without a bass line in the way, sounding a bit like Sonny Sharrock doing Charlie Christian on “On The Sunny Side Of The Street.”  They follow this up with another improvisational outburst that rolls into “I Got Rhythm” with a Misha Mengelberg composition thrown in at the end.  Bennink swings like hell and is his usual entertaining, brilliant self; while Sooaar’s playing has a sharp rockist edge to it, matching Bennink’s carefully reckless choreography with enough well-placed distortion to make the Zappa nerds cry.

“Tartuu Marss” is an Estonian traditional piece of music that is preceeded by a bit of early 70s Miles wah-wah stomps.  Bennink is definitely in his element.  They manage to smash two composed pieces together, matching Monk’s “Pannonica,” on which Sooaar plays gorgeously, with the lone original composition here, the funky butt-kicking “Beach Party.”  They attack “Darn That Dream” in total free-jazz mode, which in breaking the improv/standard formula becomes a bit of a mash-up.

Not surreal enough for ya?  They play “O Sole Mio” with a straight-ahead groove that somehow comes off sounding like the White Stripes!  This is followed by a monster freakout that leads into another Estonian standard called “Pistoda Laul,” a beautiful piece of melancholia.  Short Attention Span Theater possessed by genius.

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Luis Vicente, Pinheiro, Faustino & Franco - Clocks & Clouds (FMR, 2014) ****½

By Stef

You can rationalise it any way you want, but some people just have 'it', and this 'it' is the unnameable gene of musical sensitivity, the undecipherable element of sonic quality, the unfathomable depth of creative art, the enigmatic possession of sound, the ineffable mysticism of spontaneous interaction, the puzzling poetry of polychromatic pointillism, the baffling blasts of beatic beauty, the hermetic harmonies of hoarse hymns, the syncretic swing of soaring songs. You get it. These guys have it. In spades.

Who are they? Luis Vicente on trumpet (yes, again! as in Fail Better), Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Hernano Faustino on bass (yes, again too, both from RED Trio), and Marco Franco on drums, unknown to me but now no longer.

They meet, they improvise, and they create music with one voice, and this on each piece, as if rehearsed : coherent, solid, well-paced, deep, full of subtle interaction, full of respect and openness to each other without moving away from the core concept, keeping the focus intact, yet free to move, to explore, to challenge and to be creative. Does it sound difficult? It is difficult. They not only move as one, and sound as one, but the music has this inherent emotional beauty that is not a sought effect, but an integral quality of these artists' skills, yet one that can only appear through interplay with like-minded artists having the same skills, the result of their love for sound and music, and that love, that is far beyond demonstrating skills, or virtuoso pyrotechnics, is probably the core essence of 'it', this mysterious marrow of musical magic, this enigmatic essence of expressive aesthetics, this brilliant expansiveness of breathtaking intimacy.

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François Carrier, Michel Lambert & Alexey Lapin - The Russian Concerts, Vol. 1 (FMR, 2014) ****½

By Stef

I love listening to music while driving my car, as I did yesterday between Paris and Brussels, and when somewhere north of Compiègne the entire motorway was blocked, for reasons I will never know, but can only fearfully guess, the trip suddenly turned into a four-hour snail-paced procession. A good moment to listen over and over to this beautiful album, exactly the music I needed to lift my spirits.

A meeting between Canadian musicians François Carrier on alto and Michel Lambert on drums, and Russian pianist Alexey Lapin, three musicians who have performed together before, as you can read on this blog in earlier reviews.

The performances on this album date from 2013, recorded during two consecutive days in Moscow, first in the DOM Cultural Center and the second at the Nikitskaya Jewish Cultural Center, which explains the titles of the songs.

All pieces are improvised, even if you may have doubts at certain times. The trio is a formidable match of like-minded musicians. As mentioned before, Carrier is an incredible lyricist, a saxophonist with a warm and buttery tone to his instrument, able to conjure up beautiful and sensitive phrases that soar high above the world of us mortals. As mentioned before, Lapin is an incredible lyricist, someone who joins creativity with openness and sensitivity. Michel Carrier is of the same breed, who in the best tradition of Paul Motian, acts as the third soloist, creating sound, depth, texture, intensity, contrast and emphasis with his drumkit.

When the three come together, magic is in the air. They have the expansiveness of a Coltrane, creating music of high skies, far horizons and space that can be filled, or rather space that is created through sound, that is expanded through sound, that opens up limitations, that breaks barriers and constraints, that musically delivers all the promise that is contained in the word "freedom". It has some references to the post-boppish style of Jarrett's New York quartet, yet more modern, more free and open in its approach.

This is music of great beauty. And even if you are stuck in a car somewhere abroad, when you listen to music like this, the world opens, and even if you move at the pace of a snail, you feel like an eagle, flying along like the music, out there in the open skies, where nothing, absolutely nothing, hinders your flight.

Thank you François, Alexey and Michel for making this a memorable drive back home!

I can't wait to hear Volume 2.

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Anthony Braxton, Tomas Fujiwara, Tom Rainey – Trio New Haven 2013 (New Braxton House, 2014) *****

By Julian Eidenberger

In what is perhaps a somewhat unexpected move, Anthony Braxton is treating us to an impressive string of concerts and releases to celebrate his 69th birthday – I say unexpected not because this occasion doesn’t warrant at least some fuss, but because most people would’ve waited another year to open the vaults in such a way. However, if you’re a seasoned Braxton-follower, you’ve learned to expect the unexpected from the legendary saxophonist/composer, and if you have some knowledge of his writings, you’ve probably figured out already why he’s celebrating his 69th birthday as though it were his 70th. It’s no mere quirk of Braxton’s, as it’s a number divisible by three, which in turn plays a central role in his philosophy. While I’m not familiar with his “Tri-Axiom” writings, the information available on the internet suggests that this preoccupation with the number three results from Braxton’s aversion to simplistic dichotomies (such as “composition vs. improvisation”): In quasi-Hegelian fashion, he’s attempting to undermine such oppositions by introducing a third term that lies in between (in the above-mentioned musical dichotomy, that term would be “intuition”).

In light of this, it’s safe to assume that the release of a trio recording is no mere coincidence. That being said, the recording to be reviewed here – featuring drummers Tom Rainey and Tomas Fujiwara alongside Braxton – is not only in this rather superficial way related to the philosophical concepts just mentioned. An aspect that shouldn’t be omitted here is the fact that Trio is the outcome of a very specific music-making method dubbed “Falling River Music”. The basic idea behind this Braxtonian method or “musical system” is that the musicians play from large abstract paintings, with only a minimum of graphic notation providing more traditionally “musical” orientation. On Trio, this approach results in a music that is “in between” indeed, music that is neither completely free (improvisation) nor rigidly constructed (composition, classical music), music that feels both deliberate and mercurial. It’s uncannily life-like, with ad hoc structures emerging and then collapsing, only to give way to new ones.

This renders futile any attempt to describe the four compositions – each of which is about an hour long – by employing the usual music-crit tropes (or maybe I’m just not up to it). It seems more appropriate to focus either on the general approach of the three musicians or to single out some particularly interesting passages or details. Something that’s immediately striking is the playing of Tom Rainey and Tomas Fujiwara. A record so heavy on drums certainly runs the risk of becoming monotonous, especially if it’s four hours long, but Rainey and Fujiwara are true wizards who manage to invalidate such concerns within a few measures. Here, they employ a wide variety of approaches, ranging from the meter-less “pulse” of classic free jazz to “melodic” playing that fully exploits the timbral possibilities of the drum kit. At times, their playing even seems oddly “visual”, eschewing a sense of forward motion in favor of audible quasi-shapes. The way they interact is also noteworthy, as they don’t always play in tight lockstep, but frequently opt for what could be called “inter-independence” – giving free rein to each other, yet somehow managing to stay attuned to what the other does. 

Likewise, Braxton does his best to keep things from getting stale – he runs the gamut from sopranino down to contrabass (!) saxophone, omitting only the tenor sax. Throughout the entire recording, he alternates mainly between disjointed abstractions and the kind of fluid high-register runs that no one else does quite like him – with some vaguely folk-ish themes cropping up here and there, too. A high point comes on in the last few minutes of Composition No.364A, when Braxton indulges in trilling sounds that wouldn’t seem out of place in a particularly virtuosic birdsong. Still, the percussive pyrotechnics of Rainey and Fujiwara often steal the show from the jubilarian; in what is perhaps my favorite passage on the entire recording – roughly the first quarter-hour of Composition No.364F –, they allow their playing to become as fluid as water, starting out with quietly gurgling sounds but growing increasingly louder and more voluminous – like shallow brooks and pools during torrential rainfall –, until the drumming washes over the listener in a tidal wave of pure sound.

As you can probably tell by now, Trio can be an exhausting listen – it’s certainly too much to take in one sitting –, and it does meander a bit from time to time. Still, to award anything but five stars would be philistine considering the scope and overall quality of this recording – even though five isn’t divisible by three.

Listen and buy at the Tri-Centric Foundation’s homepage.

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Baloni - Belleke (Clean Feed, 2014) ****

By Stefan Wood

Baloni is an improv trio comprised of Joachim Badenhorst (bass clarinet, clarinet & tenor sax, worked with Han Bennink and Tony Malaby), Frantz Loriot (viola, played with David Ware), and Pascal Niggenkemper (double bass, played with Frank Gratowski).  Belleke is their second album on clean feed, their debut Fremdenzimmer garnering accolades for their unique brand of music, part chamber jazz, part surreal improvisations inhabiting classical trappings.

"Belleke" opens the album with the clarinet and strings combining for a low volume and, evenly paced, like gliding across calm waters, but with the feeling of some tension.  "Building Nothing Out of Something" is where each instrument is pushed out of their familiar trappings; the clarinet squeaks like a rusty swing, the bass like an industrial machine being stressed with weight, and the viola a high pitched feedback wail.  Chamber industrial noise abstractions.  An outstanding track is "Feuertreppe," meaning Fire Escape Staircase.  The viola and bass bow and pluck from a slow simmer to a burning frenzy, deftly managing both high and low registers, before fading into the clarinet solo, where later joined by the strings in a Schoenberg like classical piece, before the three build up the tension, clarinet leading with all three in medium register, then fading into an almost minimal silence.

"Turning Inwards Like a Glove," is perhaps the centerpiece of the album, a soulful bass clarinet solo that is   then joined by a frenetic plucking of the double bass, with the viola bowing a little behind the two in a high register.  The strings provide the background for the bass clarinet to then gently float above, creating a very spiritually uplifting piece.  Tracks like "Heaving Hearts," "Casse Meditative," and "Snowflakes" all demonstrate the trio's ability to redefine the boundaries of how their instruments sound, in as of themselves and how they interact with each other.  The music never digresses nor is superfluous, the mostly sub eight minute works are succinct and clear.  "What Grows Beneath," the final track, alternates from free form blowing of the sax to minimal notes of the stringed instruments and back again, ending with the sax gently soloing over a soft toned but frenetic viola bowing.

Belleke is an excellent album of creative music making, defying convention and creating a unique sound that combines improvisations with classical sensibilities.  Recommended.


You can buy this album from Instantjazz. 

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