Gestern Nachmittag ein phantastisches Konzert von Barry Guy und seiner Blue Shroud Band, eine grosse Hommage an Picassos "Guernica" und an die unsägliche Verhüllung des Bildes in der UNO (Resolution 1441, "We know that Iraq has at lest seven of these mobile biological agent factories [...] Just imagine trying to find 18 trucks among the thousands and thousands of trucks that travel the roads of Iraq every single day.")
Musik von Guy wird ergänzt durch Motive von Bach und Biber (die "Barock-Section" ist diesmal nicht nur Maya Homburger sondern umfasst auch noch Fanny Paccoud und Ben Dwyer an Bratsche und Gitarre), es gibt die von Guy bekannten "Massenszenen" mit Stop-and-Go, solistische Ausbrüche, die manchmal kurz und eruptiv waren, dann wieder länger aufgebaut wurden, Dialoge zwischen den "Sections" (wobei die Bass-Section diesmal sehr klein war, Tropete und Tuba/Serpent, die Saxophone waren hingegen zu viert, der Drummer gleich zwei und was für welche!), auch in den Barock-Passagen wurden schon mal Themen zwischen der Violine und dem Sopransaxophon hin- und hergereicht, die Begleitung ebenfalls zwischen Gitarre, Kontrabass und Serpent. Die einzigen, die solistisch etwas zu kurz kamen, waren Agustí Fernández am Klavier, Paccoud an der Viola (ich nehme an, freie Improvisation ist nicht so ihr Terrain, sie gehört zum Umfeld des hervorragenden Amarillis-Ensemble, das auf Barockmusik spezialisiert ist) und leider auch Per Texas Johansson, der zwar durchaus zu hören war, aber im Gegensatz v.a. zu Niesemann und Gabriel kein ausgiebiges Feature hatte.
Savina Yannatou wurde vielfältig eingesetzt (ich hörte sie 2004 schon am Unerhört, im Duo mit Barry Guy - ihr "Primavera en Salonico"-Konzert dieses Jahr ist ausverkauft, aber da würde ich wohl nicht hinpassen, auch wenn mich die Musik interessiert), als Text diente ein Poem von Kerry Hardie zum Thema. Yannatou rezitierte, sang (im Wechselspiel mit Violine und Sopransax auch über barocke Melodiebögen), schrie an gegen die gewaltige Wucht des Orchesters (es gab Leute, die sich ab und zu die Ohren zuhielten ... yours truly sass wie immer wenn das geht in der ersten Reihe, möglichst nah am Geschehen). Es gab die üblichen Disparitäten und Brüche, wie man sie von Guys orchestralen Werken kennt, doch allmählich fügte sich das alles zu einem Klangrausch zusammen, der alles mitnahm, der auch zwischenzeitlich alles wegzufegen drohte, bloss um dann vom Strom zum Rinnsal zu werden, das erst allmählich wieder anschwoll und Kraft gewann, um Treibholz mitzureissen ... ein überaus faszinierendes Konzert und vermutlich das beste von inzwischen drei solchen Orchesterkonzerten, die ich von/mit Guy bisher hörte (allerdings waren alle drei herausragend).
Die Besetzung:
Barry Guy Bass and Director (GB/CH)
Savina Yannatou Voice (GR)
Agustí Fernández Piano (ESP)
Ben Dwyer Guitar (IR)
Percy Pursglove Trumpet (GB)
Maya Homburger Violin (CH)
Fanny Paccoud Viola (FR)
Michel Godard Tuba and Serpent (FR)
Torben Snekkestad Soprano and Tenor Sax (NOR)
Michael Niesemann Alto Sax, Oboe (D)
Per Texas Johansson Tenor Sax, Clarinet (S)
Julius Gabriel Baritone and Soprano Sax (D)
Lucas Niggli Drums, Percussion (CH)
Ramón López Drums, Percussion (ESP)
Sehr schön fand ich übrigens, wie Lucas Niggli aufspielte. Ich empfand ihn früher immer als etwas gehemmt, sein Zoom Trio (mit Nils Wogram und Philipp Schaufelberger, letzteren mag ich sehr) kam mir bei einem relativ frühen Konzert (wohl auch vor etwa 10 Jahren) wie Filmmusik vor, die ganzen Intakt-CDs mochte ich dann nicht kaufen und blieb auch weiteren Konzerten fern, nachdem sich der Eindruch bei mehreren Konzerten bestätigt hatte. Gestern spielte er noch immer mit der bekannten Präzision und einem enormen Klangspektrum (er ist ja sowas wie Pierre Favres Meisterschüler, wenn ich mich nicht täusche), aber er wirkte im Vergleich mit meinen früheren Erfahrungen geradezu befreit.
Posts mit dem Label Agustí Fernández werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Posts mit dem Label Agustí Fernández werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Barry Guy New Orchestra & New Orchestra Small Formations - Taktlos, Rote Fabrik, Zurich, 23 May 2014
Second night of the 30th edition of the great Taktlos festival was dedicated entirely to Barry Guy and the members of his New Orchestra.
Trevor Watts bailed out on rather short notice. His replacement, Zurich-based Jürg Wickihalder did a terrific job tonight, playing some "lead alto" stuff several times that would have made the best big band proud!
As for Mats Gustafsson, another charter member of the New Orchestra, seems he opted out long ago, in the printed programme for tonight, sent out at least a month ago, it says Per Texas Johansson was on baritone - as was the case, but alas his baritone was rarely heard, but he played some amazing clarinet!
But from the beginning: hellyeah embrace that music I did and do! Ten years ago, I heard the band do "Oort-Entropy" (a few days before they went into the studio to record) - 50 minutes of extremely dense and intense sounds, most impressive ... in a way that neither the radio broadcast of the very same concert nor the CD could ever be - the physical dimension of it was such an integral part of the whole and is not reproducable on tape.
Tonight, we got the whole BGNO revue (no dwarfs, three-armed guys and bearded women and knife-throwers though ... guess the demons from Saturn last night did that part, and the horrific singer added hers) ... the schedule, roughly:
SET 1:
Paul Lytton (d) & Agustí Fernández (p)
Agustí Fernández (p) & Evan Parker (ss)
Evan Parker (ss) & Hans Koch (bcl)
these three were kinda morphing into each other, the new guy would show up a bit early making it a trio for a few moments ... took them a while to build momentum, but the Parker/Koch duo was great
Celebration - Maya Homburger (v) & Barry Guy (b)
she had sheet music while he was improvising around her parts ... good
Jürg Wickihalder (ss) & Per Texas Johansson (cl)
this was easily the most beautiful part of the first set ... amazing playing by Johansson and more than solid, Lacy-influenced soprano by Wickihalder ... the sonics they created weren't that different from Parker/Koch, but the whole thing felt very different ... more varied yet more rooted, very lyrical yet extremely vivid.
Herb Robertson (t), Johannes Bauer (tb), Per-Ake Holmlander (tuba), Raymond Strid (d)
a study in contrasts regarding the drums ... and actually the only time Strid really laid it on for more than just a few seconds ... but this wasn't exactly ma favourite part, Robertson always must got that loud way eventually, killing all the whimsical stuff he's just done, with mutes and all ... I love when he does that puck-ish stuff, but when he opens up and blows hard, he's like Randy Brecker's weirdo brother, both hide a compressor under their jackets, I'm sure.
Evan Parker (ts), Barry Guy (b), Paul Lytton (d)
WHAM! They got into it as if they just had to pull a switch, very intense from the beginning ... a lengthy set, and pretty effin' great! Evan on tenor ... he's the man! His sound is wonderful, his lines of endless imagination, and his execution is amazing (I guess John Butcher is the other guy I found similarly impressive, all things considered). And hey, they might lack blues, but they swing like hell (that is if you're not as narrow-minded as some of those jazz police f*scists)
This most varied first set was close probably around 75-80 minutes long.
SET 2
Barry Guy New Orchestra: all of the above, Wickihalder on alto, Parker on soprano and tenor, Johansson on baritone and clarinet, Koch sticking to bass clarinet (he didn't have any other horns with him)
Amphi - feat. Maya Homburger
very interesting music, rather spare, the orchestra actually framing Homburger's violin in varying textures ... I felt it was a bit, subdued though.
Radio Rondo - feat. Agustí Fernádez
(Homburger laying out on this, she's not really a part of the New Orchestra anyway, I understand)
This now, this was IT! da shiznits and all that ... wow! A wall of sound, half an hour or so of most intense music, revolving around the piano part of Fernández, expertly played, Lisztian maybe? Both here and in "Amphi", Wickihalder did an excellent job (he must have had his parts to rehearse a few days in advance, I guess? ... amazing how he pulled it off!) .... and here, the music was really on fire, a physical assault really that went way beyond the ears, it had me literally on the edge of the chair. Yet in all its density, you could detect each and every single voice - surely no small feat on the side of the sound engineers either, but I assume to get there, you need musicians who can pull this off - play like madmen in hell under fire from the red baron, yet still musical to the last fibre.
Great night!
Addenda
Btw, one result of tonight: I made peace with the "wrong" Bauer, finally ... last time with the New Orchestra, considered him the weakest link (I now think unfairly, maybe), when I saw him with some rough free jazz quartet I thought he was mad and his erratic behaviour put me off ... but tonight, while behaving as odd as always, he played some wonderful stuff - beautiful sound! Not like his brother (whom I've always loved, saw them on stage together once, a great set by Doppelmoppel, so far the best J. Bauer I'd heard) with all that richness, J. Bauer still remains rough by comparison (and rhythmically limited in an odd way, almost as if he's playing some marching band stuff or something), but he had several parts and moments tonight were his tone softened and got a velvety beauty and smoothness at very low volume ... loved that!
Could have done with more Barry Guy bass playing though ... that was the one thing I really missed a bit.
And more Johansson clarinet, just because that guy seems to be amazing on the instrument - anybody knows of any worthwhile recorded examples of that?
Trevor Watts bailed out on rather short notice. His replacement, Zurich-based Jürg Wickihalder did a terrific job tonight, playing some "lead alto" stuff several times that would have made the best big band proud!
As for Mats Gustafsson, another charter member of the New Orchestra, seems he opted out long ago, in the printed programme for tonight, sent out at least a month ago, it says Per Texas Johansson was on baritone - as was the case, but alas his baritone was rarely heard, but he played some amazing clarinet!
But from the beginning: hellyeah embrace that music I did and do! Ten years ago, I heard the band do "Oort-Entropy" (a few days before they went into the studio to record) - 50 minutes of extremely dense and intense sounds, most impressive ... in a way that neither the radio broadcast of the very same concert nor the CD could ever be - the physical dimension of it was such an integral part of the whole and is not reproducable on tape.
Tonight, we got the whole BGNO revue (no dwarfs, three-armed guys and bearded women and knife-throwers though ... guess the demons from Saturn last night did that part, and the horrific singer added hers) ... the schedule, roughly:
SET 1:
Paul Lytton (d) & Agustí Fernández (p)
Agustí Fernández (p) & Evan Parker (ss)
Evan Parker (ss) & Hans Koch (bcl)
these three were kinda morphing into each other, the new guy would show up a bit early making it a trio for a few moments ... took them a while to build momentum, but the Parker/Koch duo was great
Celebration - Maya Homburger (v) & Barry Guy (b)
she had sheet music while he was improvising around her parts ... good
Jürg Wickihalder (ss) & Per Texas Johansson (cl)
this was easily the most beautiful part of the first set ... amazing playing by Johansson and more than solid, Lacy-influenced soprano by Wickihalder ... the sonics they created weren't that different from Parker/Koch, but the whole thing felt very different ... more varied yet more rooted, very lyrical yet extremely vivid.
Herb Robertson (t), Johannes Bauer (tb), Per-Ake Holmlander (tuba), Raymond Strid (d)
a study in contrasts regarding the drums ... and actually the only time Strid really laid it on for more than just a few seconds ... but this wasn't exactly ma favourite part, Robertson always must got that loud way eventually, killing all the whimsical stuff he's just done, with mutes and all ... I love when he does that puck-ish stuff, but when he opens up and blows hard, he's like Randy Brecker's weirdo brother, both hide a compressor under their jackets, I'm sure.
Evan Parker (ts), Barry Guy (b), Paul Lytton (d)
WHAM! They got into it as if they just had to pull a switch, very intense from the beginning ... a lengthy set, and pretty effin' great! Evan on tenor ... he's the man! His sound is wonderful, his lines of endless imagination, and his execution is amazing (I guess John Butcher is the other guy I found similarly impressive, all things considered). And hey, they might lack blues, but they swing like hell (that is if you're not as narrow-minded as some of those jazz police f*scists)
This most varied first set was close probably around 75-80 minutes long.
SET 2
Barry Guy New Orchestra: all of the above, Wickihalder on alto, Parker on soprano and tenor, Johansson on baritone and clarinet, Koch sticking to bass clarinet (he didn't have any other horns with him)
Amphi - feat. Maya Homburger
very interesting music, rather spare, the orchestra actually framing Homburger's violin in varying textures ... I felt it was a bit, subdued though.
Radio Rondo - feat. Agustí Fernádez
(Homburger laying out on this, she's not really a part of the New Orchestra anyway, I understand)
This now, this was IT! da shiznits and all that ... wow! A wall of sound, half an hour or so of most intense music, revolving around the piano part of Fernández, expertly played, Lisztian maybe? Both here and in "Amphi", Wickihalder did an excellent job (he must have had his parts to rehearse a few days in advance, I guess? ... amazing how he pulled it off!) .... and here, the music was really on fire, a physical assault really that went way beyond the ears, it had me literally on the edge of the chair. Yet in all its density, you could detect each and every single voice - surely no small feat on the side of the sound engineers either, but I assume to get there, you need musicians who can pull this off - play like madmen in hell under fire from the red baron, yet still musical to the last fibre.
Great night!
Addenda
Btw, one result of tonight: I made peace with the "wrong" Bauer, finally ... last time with the New Orchestra, considered him the weakest link (I now think unfairly, maybe), when I saw him with some rough free jazz quartet I thought he was mad and his erratic behaviour put me off ... but tonight, while behaving as odd as always, he played some wonderful stuff - beautiful sound! Not like his brother (whom I've always loved, saw them on stage together once, a great set by Doppelmoppel, so far the best J. Bauer I'd heard) with all that richness, J. Bauer still remains rough by comparison (and rhythmically limited in an odd way, almost as if he's playing some marching band stuff or something), but he had several parts and moments tonight were his tone softened and got a velvety beauty and smoothness at very low volume ... loved that!
Could have done with more Barry Guy bass playing though ... that was the one thing I really missed a bit.
And more Johansson clarinet, just because that guy seems to be amazing on the instrument - anybody knows of any worthwhile recorded examples of that?
PS (May 2016): No matter my sometime difficulty to "get" Johannes Bauer, news of his death struck hard. I have seen him several times, not just with with Doppelmoppel and Barry Guy, but also with Brötzmann's Chicago Tentet and in at least one other group (that I didn't like much).
Zum ersten Abend von Taktlos.14
Zum ersten Abend von Taktlos.14
Abonnieren
Posts (Atom)