I am delighted to post this article below and extremely happy to host it here. Report of the Saturday’s gig is the first one which I outsourced and I hope that it is not going to be the last one too. It had been written by two dear customers , who later on became the friends too. I am proud to say that it is happening to me. I could not go there myself, but I remember that I introduced these artists to my friends at some point and recommended warmly to go the concert if there will be a chance any soon. Nothing makes me more happy than seeing people enjoying the music I love myself too. It is also perfect situation when interest in playback quality which bought us together at the beginning led on the end to the vast exploration of the music. It continues establishing itself on the base of fascination in Art we are sharing, experience and information exchange about our interests on the ground of the spiritual connection to the act, not the focus on the playback quality.
[March 31st 2017 upcoming release of Dans les arbres: Phosphoresence on Hubro Label -CD/LP]
At what point does sound become music, and music sound? The practice of the renowned European improvising quartet Dans les arbres – three Norwegians and a Frenchman – explores the ambiguous edge-lands between these binary extremes. By blurring the border separating one from the other, they find music in sound, and vice versa, through spontaneous compositions of striking beauty and tactility. In performance, they move with great precision through different combinations of players and instruments, as if navigating an uncertain course towards some mysterious destination. While their wide variety of customized noises can suggest the heroic late modernism of John Cage as well as the bleep, burr and hum of the technological present.
[March 24th 2017 upcoming release of 1982 trio’s CHROMOLA on Hubro Label -CD/LP]
The power of three
There are trios, and there are trios: ‘power’ trios, ‘feel’ trios, piano, bass and drums trios. What’s especially distinctive about 1982 – the trio of Nils Økland, Sigbjørn Apeland and Øyvind Skarbø – apart from the unusual instrumentation of violin or Hardanger fiddle, harmonium and drums, is the empathy displayed by the group as a whole; the hyper-sensitivity with which each individual member appears to respond to the contributions of the others in the pursuit of a collective goal, however obscure or unknowable that goal might be. Such extreme alertness to subtle changes of mood and nuance, and to the evolving sound-world of each, totally improvised, performance is rare in music of any type. 1982 have made it their signature.
Veronika Harcsa ~Balint Gyemant – Tell Her (realised on 3rd of Februrary 2017) Label: Traumton / JAZZ, VOCAL, CROSS
Almost three years passed since their last recording. Marvellous Life Lover, which I had the pleasure to write about before. That struck me hard and I was waiting for more since. Three years might be a long time but she made some recordings with different squads as well as being present on the stage. What did she learn over that time then if she already was well matured when her voice hit me at first? A LOT, I’ll tell you.
[ March 17th 2017 upcoming release of EIVIND OPSVIK’s Overseas V on Loyal Label – CD / DL ]
Eivind Opsvik Presents Overseas V, the Latest, Post-Punk-Influenced Entry in the Bassist-Composer’s Ever-Involving Series of Albums Featuring Some of New York’s Top Jazz Players
[ March 10th 2017 upcoming release of Fiium Shaaarrk We Are Astonishingly Lifelike on Not Applicable label – NOT036 ]
Five years on from their debut album ‘No Fiction Now!’, Fiium Shaarrk, the trio of Rudi Fischerlehner (drums), Maurizio Ravalico (percussion) and Isambard Khroustaliov (electronics) return with their second album; “We Are Astonishingly Lifelike”. The album documents various stages in the recent life of this continent-scattered ensemble, and was written and recorded in different studios between Berlin, London and various other European cities that have hosted the band for festivals and concerts.
[WBK: OUT OF THE BOX cd release at the Bimhuis 1 March]
Hello all!
There will be a full update of imminent ICP shows and ICP-related new releases coming up in the next week or so, but until then, here’s an important bit of special news from our erstwhile colleagues at the Willem Breuker Kollektief.
[ Traumton Records announces release of SHAKE STEW The Golden Fang recording ]
Berlin based Traumton Records announces realise of SHAKE STEW The Golden Fang recording. Big fun for every one who loves the music and the Dance.
Tom Arthurs & Isambard Khroustaliov – Vaucanson’s Muse (realised on November 2016) Label: not applicable / JAZZ, ELECTRONICA, IMPROVISATION
Trumpeter Tom Arthurs and electronic musician Sam Britton (AKA Isambard Khroustaliov) have collaborated in a number of different ensembles. Both in and out of the Not Applicable label/collective, over a period of at least ten years. Arthurs comes distinctly from the Jazz scene and his path is well documented on labels like ECM, Intakt and Babel. Britton belongs to the Dance music scene, something I am not most familiar with. But it doesn’t matter,what does is the fact that they are both improvisers.
That alone explains a lot Vaucanson’s Muse conceptual etymology. This project had been on tour before they entered the studio so they had enough time to get comfortable with what they do together. Being improvised means that titles are here more for the recognition reference than general meaning, but they might too give a gentle push to your imagination once you are entering their circle.
Opening On a Carpet of Leaves Illuminated by the Moon is just like that. With gentleness coming from a poetic phrase one immediately sets his mood up and the silky tone of Tom’s trumpet became immediately explained. Tom is very dedicated to the articulation. He plays with acoustics of the space he plays in and responds to the feedback very sensitively. The fact I recently heard him on stage helped me to constitute that. His phrases here are either light or fast or articulated on the mouthpiece for adding an extra harshness to the modulation. Repetitive lines are communicating nicely with gentle electronic dissonances based on waves and percussive effects. All communicates with an imaginative picture delivered by the title.
Vaucanson’s Muse starts equally gently, but it brings more twisted lines from Tom, with vibratos adding extra dimension to the pictured character. I guess they do refer to the eccentric French inventor living in 18th century. Here complexity of their dialogue becomes more complex. Not in regard of space occupation as there is still a lot of ambience between the notes, but Sam’s contribution is vastly enriched. We have a lot dissonances here and subsonic waves striking with massive bass culminations.
Coming after Grace Jones is much lighter sketch, leaving purely in higher registers,, like almost not stepping on the ground. Levitating character of the picture possesses both strength of the core and the fragility of the tissue. I like it a lot just like a real Grace.
Trajets is one of my favourite here. It is very airy. Trumpet has an excellent feeling of weightlessness. Long blows are lasting till the breaths end when they finally catch some gravity. Electronic accompaniment is very euphonious and it frames trumpet lines perfectly.
But the real escalation of that feeling comes from See Interval. It brings strong nautical feeling with the sounds that Sam’s generates in the background. Tom’s trumpet tells the story in beautiful melodic lines, which are both nostalgic and simple. Sometimes with the funny high pitched rhythmic figures he is somehow contradicting himself. Almost like asking questions inside of his head. Arguing with the main narration, which finally brings us to the end when all the other voices fade into the silence.
This is very imaginative music. It’s experimental but not shooting in your face, in fact, it’s pretty much the opposite. It gives images which are quiet but very poetic and stimulating. I love it a lot.
I am leaving you then with another half of the titles untouched. Virgin territory. Dare to explore it. Let you mind go there and relax. See what you can find and what images will come to your head.
You can listen to the samples and purchase this music here.