Norwegian born and raised bassist – (composer now), as one can say watching his quartet long time NY resident. His Overseas cycle started some 14 years back and this package is the latest one carrying number V. I am not familiar with all of them hence won’t comment on continuity. Judging from what I am listening to here I must say it is very eclectic on the one side , but on he other it really holds on its own and definitely represents specific style. Nine tunes last about 40 minutes and there is no gaps between them to random play so I am taking an order as it comes from the score.

Drummer Kenny Wallessen is well known to me from the numerous Knighting Factory collaborations and I heard him playing everything from Klezmer Bernstein’s formations to Bill Frissell’s country or jazzy folk alike or John Lourie’s Noir syle. Tony Malaby equally is a multi tasked figure on the NY scene with long membership in Hayden’s LMO and Motion’s EBB. Guitarist Brandon Seabrook and keyboardist Jacob Sacks seems to be related to KFW once you try to search , but both of them are new musicians to me.

Overall aesthetic sounds to me a bit New Age like. I can trace a lot of the New Order like bits. Dark side of Joy Division is audible to me as well. So are guitar cannonades reminding Brian Ferry’s Roxy Music or Talking Heads . Echoes of early Brian Eno’s electronic experience comes to me as well , a bit like No Pussy Footing or My Life in the Bush Full of Ghosts. All that music I’ve grown on hence it is not difficult for me to trace it.

But those are just ingredients, and those might sound familiar when a similar dish is cooked. It does have however its own taste. Musical inspirations of Elvind who is pretty much in the same age as my self does not surprise me.

From starting I am on this Step I like this a lot. There is a lot of the NY sound in it Not Just Knighting Factory alike, but in general. This intellectual twist which is also so present in Myra Myelford music or numerous John Zorn formations.

Hold Everything is Malaby’s show off. He rides his sax with incredible emotional intensity riding on the back of New Model Army alike rhythm section.

Extraterrestrial Tantrum is the most ghostly one. It contains wonderful lament played on double bass on a marching beat. Counterpointing piano ,alone or unison with sax are completing this cold Nordic aesthetic. This is like a mix of spacious ECM alike sonic universe walking around with New York-ish intellectual posh-ness hand by hand.

Brapps, crazy cartoon like piece of music makes me thinking about the Yello, but guitar lines here keep arguing with rich sax lines in the way which is far from the Belgian duos predictability. Again minimalist bass Arcos which are shifting gears among the lines are counter-pointing an easiness of the rhythm in some distressing way.

I am leaving a few others for your own pleasure of recognition then . Is it worth it ? For God’s sake – Yes! Very much so, it intrigued me enough to make me getting back to this music on the regular basis and inspired to dig back in time and learn more about Overseas.

Elvind Opsvik – Overseas V on Soundcloud

Every-time I see Mathias Loibner’s name I am immediately alerted. My admiration for this unpredictable musician is equally strong as my love of his art. It was no difference then when I have seen and heard the new Brot & Sterne formation he is a part of. On top of that, again, being familiar with trumpeter Franz Hauzinger after his duo recording with Derek Bailey and multiple appearances with London Improvisers Orchestra I found myself lost in front of the drummer Peter Rosmanith. Funny enough he seems to be the oldest here being 61 than two other gents ,who are slightly over 50 or a bit before.A challenge like that however always makes me happy.

As all musicians here are well matured then the reminiscence of the title to German meaning of the Autumn word (Herbst) or to its ancient meaning leaning towards the word Harvesting somehow started to swivel inside my head once the music filled it. It is probably Mathias’s hurdy -gurdy part responsibility as this instrument and the way he plays it always draws you back in time, especially if you are familiar with medieval harmonies. Kleines Halali would be the most straight forward example with its Celtic folk like melodic lines.

On the other hand the trumpeter’s approach in this project is strongly supporting that too. He doesn’t overuse electronics more than it is needed playing most of the time beautifully nostalgic plain straight line with a long notes and reduced vibrato. That is what builds a simple beauty of the piece entitled Erlkonig. Marching drum with a deep re-verb is all that is needed to bring you to the tears.

Drummer’s voice is equally meaningful here. Whatever he plays of : Hang, drum kit or different percussion instruments or possibly an objects too, it all comes as a part of the unison either that usual rhythmic approach. Rhythm belongs to the drums of course and it is still present there but here percusionalias are rather playing an equal narrative role instead just counterpointing the framework. You see ? And how to avoid imaginative associations like those I pointed above.

Compositions are utter charming, soaked in emotions and richly illustrative. One of my favourite is a slow burning bolero Da Havara Van Arava composed by the trumpeter. Dancing around it hang and stringy accompaniment from hurdy – gurdy are both making it incredibly emotional.

Charm of hang gets us from the first notes of an opening collective Aufbrechen. It carries on a simple melody in the way that piano would, with both trumpet and h-g weaving a lovely tissue around the rhythmic core, supplying a wonderful drive from the first to the last note. But tit is Rosmanith’s own Schlafmohn which brings a pure beauty of hang into your soul. Matching trumpet lines are making it all angelic and taking everything to the roof.

Following Sissi’s Dream looses his dance character towards more hymnal approach delivered by synthesised trumpet lament. Jungle like percussion accompaniment delivers an incredible sense of space which is additionally enhanced by electronically supplied more ghostly landscapes.

There is even a room for standard too. On that occasion Zawinul’s In a Silent Way. If you are M.Davis fan you will be seriously surprised to hear how the piece opens up here and how it builds. The leitmotif becomes clearly recognisable but the percussive chaos with the trumpet noises are for this creation here like the sea foam for the Venus birth.

That’s how those three reapers are harvesting from their inner fertility using both, their tools and experience for the best.

BROT & STERNE TRAUMTON PR

you can buy this music here:

It is difficult to not recognise Silke’s personal touch for someone like myself who is so familiar with her recordings. Accordingly the reason for that is exactly this tradition following path she continues to step on. As a die hard fan of Dolphy’s, Coleman’s or Mingus’ music I am finding the natural consequence in what she is doing. Additionally the fact that she made another recording with trio she long time co-operates with guaranties the flow that I like so much in her music. It took ten years to get back to Intakt but it was same worth awaiting for as it was a duo she debuted there with.

From an opening Ding Dong, which is a facetious act with its walk & door opening noises it takes one straight into the the serious game. You can hear that this section is a super comfort zone to her. She can fly high and she does it on the heart rate. Al that rhythmical figures that evolved from Dolphy’s tradition, she not only perfected and adopted her own style and sense of humour but also perfected conceptually. (Potsa Lotsa reviews’re here & here)

Following Willsau Suite is a longest piece on that set and it possesses this looseness in form suggesting it being vastly improvised. Silke leads here doubtlessly and the section follows with great feeling. Everyone has enough space to include the solo into the tissue. As well as contribute into fast running ideas coming to the table. Roder’s Bass sounds wonderfully natural walking with such a feeling of pace, which adds vastly into highly imaginative sax lines. The way the Drums comes together with framing space-scape embracing sax cannonades She blows out is nothing but genial.

Here is where complete Lubke’s Tour de Force takes place. And walking with Silke like that takes a lot of guts, believe me. This is also the best piece on here. Hugely imaginative and with quirky sense of humour. And some dirty jokes had being said between the lines too. Here tears and laughs merge into one. Tensions find perfect culminations and then realise back into an open space.

Additional piquancy comes from the short figurative interludes, which are acting like little brakes but also a foreplays: Schlappen, Towels, Wake Up Call and closing Last Order are all like that.

Funky named Mininatur explores the series of pictures gently sketched by Silke’s sax underlined with fat and dance bass walks. All that on the carefully brushed percussive background which is like a snowy-white page for them.

This, then 8915 and Verstecker Kitch  are all reminding me the mood present in Arthur Blythe & David Eyges collaborations. Or Julius Hemphill with Abdul Wadud, but obviously spiced and energised with Eberhard’s own temper. Ogh,…Yammy !

The Kanon, beautifully looped into the rhythmic repetitions from the section is a Bass Clarinet bravado wonderfully executed, but also highly demanding on partnering musician’s empathy and musical imagination. My absolutely 2nd best here. It continues in further triumphal clarinet walk in the Schirm. A dark suspense-ish theme stepping into the fade like Davis’ tunes composed for The Lift to the Scalfold, an iconic French Noir Movie.

This is fantastic recording which I continue to return to and listen for more. You wouldn’t believe how many layers are still waiting there to be revealed. That made one great soundtrack to ongoing holiday laziness spiced with an intriguing intellectual twists.

Just the way I love it !

INTAKT CD 280 PR: here

Silke Eberhard Trio  – The Being Inn: buy this music here