COLIN WEBSTER & DIRK SERRIES – “LIGHT INDUSTRY” (a new wave of jazz, 2020)

“LIGHT INDUSTRY” is another one great release on “a new wave of jazz”. An album totally based on free improvisation, avant-garde jazz and experimental music, was recorded by Dirk Serries (acoustic guitars) and Colin Webster (alto saxophone). Both musicians are open to new ideas and evocative decisions – an interesting fusion of avant-garde jazz, free improvisation and experimental music is created.

“LIGHT INDUSTRY” is based on free improvisation. The music doesn’t have any borders or strict lines – both musicians are creating a multi-layed, colorful and passionate musical background. There’s no strict restriction, which musician is creating the melody line or rhythmic section. The music is bright and exciting, fullfilled with luminous riffs, wild culminations or silent pauses. Guitarist Dirk Serries is getting on original experiments and researches of strange tunes – his compositions based on free improvisation and contrasting pieces gently joined together. From distance, silent pauses, monotonous abstract contemplations and deep silence the music is filled with gentle lightness, soft ornaments, fragility or passion. Lyrical mood, soft and gentle pieces and minimalistic pieces are leading to wild culminations, breaking riffs fused with expressive melodies, light flowing passages, strange timbres, sharp tunes, aggressive perturbations and vibrant solos. Guitar is virageous and bright, filled with dynamic turns, silent pauses, monotonous depressed tunes and sparkling vital riffs. Spontaneous solos, surprises, bright contrasts, modern expressions and universal kit of instrumental section are the main compounds of Dirk Serries music. Even though the compositions are made from huge range of playing techniques and expressions related to bebop, post bop, other modern jazz styles, contemporary academical or experimental music, avant-garde jazz and free improvisation are the main fundaments of guitar compositions. Ornamented exclusive ornamental texture, gorgeous timbres, sonoristic experiments and modern playing techniques produced by guitar gently fit together with saxophone. Colin Webster is the master of his art – his music is dynamic and thrilling. It’s switching between sparkling riffs, transcendental passages, hot thrills, full blasts of energy, radiant spills and relaxing cool pieces based on repetitive series, minimalistic samples, deep solemn contemplations and abstract researches of strange colorful timbres. The music is effective and dynamic, based on surprising decisions, spontaneous solos, sudden changes and extended playing techniques. The instrumentation is innovative and universal – a wide range of expressions, timbres, sounds and ways of improvising of all ranges is used here. A succesful collaboration of both musicians makes an inspiring, innovative and passionate sound.

Jan Martin Smørdal – “Choosing To Sing” (Sofa Music, 2020)

A great new album recorded by composer Jan Martin Smørdal, ensemble “neoN” and trumpeter Eivind Lønning is already released – it’s “Choosing To Sing” on “Sofa Music” label. The musicians are great improvisers and the masters of their art – splendid virtuosity, bright dynamic improvising style, expressive playing manner and the will to create something exciting and evocative are the main compounds of their music. The compositions basically are formed on the basics of avant-garde jazz and contemporary academical music.

“Choosing To Sing” is a mix of traditions, innovations and modern expressions. Jan Martin Smørdal shows his capacities of combining together wide range of styles, expressions and tunes – a composer is balancing between abstract and impressive free improvisation and the main tendencies of contemporary academical and experimental music. Sonoristic experiments and the quality of sound are the main priorities of album – the musicians are getting on brave, original and astonishing sonoristic experiments, explore new fields of musical language and research to new, exciting and modern conception. That finally makes an effort to whole sound – the music is bright, expressive, multi-layed and colorful. Short melodic pieces, monotonous tunes, persecuting sessions, various rhythms and gorgeous timbres are extracted by using different kinds of instruments and combined together in one musical pattern. Vividness, expression, lightness and virageous turns, sometimes fragility and subtle pieces, are brought in by reeds. Clarinets and saxophones of various ranges are played in expressive and vital mood – here gorgeous tunes and short repetitive pieces go along with flowing passages, dizzy transcendental ornaments, sharp exclamations, aggressive strikes and strange timbres. A brightness, drive and spills of full blasts are brought in by trumpet – sparkling riffs, radiant perturbations and powerful spills of energy are the leading elements. Vigilence, aggression, power and drive are brought together with light, gentle and expressive reeds. Soft, solemn or relaxing mood is created by flute. Reeds and brass sections are very important compounds of the compositions – these instrumental sections contain the basics of the musical pattern along with piano. From deepness, silence, subtle minimalism or monotonous repetitions piano moves to bright sessions with breaking sequences, sharp disonances, modern and extended playing techniques, strange timbres, special effects, cracking, stretchings, rigorous solos or simply surprising and evocative decisions – the music is completely based on abstract improvising with no strict frames or conventions. Straight, waining, sharp, exciting, anxious or passionate solos are created by strings. Even though all the music is played in abstract form and free improvisation, it has all the main tendencies and fundamental basics related to contemporary academical and experimental music. Modifications, alterations, sonoristic experiments, search to something new, strange and evocative contain the main basics of the musical pattern. Thta makes an inspiring, original and modern sound.

SERRIES/TAYLOR + VERHOEVEN – “AN EVENING AT JAZZBLAZZT” (a new wave of jazz, 2020)

“AN EVENING AT JAZZBLAZZT” is a record of live performance at “Jazzblazzt” released on “a new wave of jazz” label. An album is totally based on free improvisation, American and European avant-garde jazz styles fusion and experimental music. Conceptual ideas, fresh evocative tunes, sonoristic experiments, contrasts, bright surprises, extended playing techniques, modern expressions contain the main base of this album. An album was recorded by Dirk Serries (acoustic guitar), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Martina Verhoeven (piano on set 2).

All three musicians are getting on brave experiments, use wide range of playing techniques, expressions and rhythms and integrate them to one big musical pattern. The compositions have a difficult structure – tremendous riffs and remarkable solos contain an independent and expressive melody line, bright and universal rhythmic section is created by using rhythms of all ranges, a gorgeous background and modern harmonic basement also are added. Dirk Serries and his acoustic guitar makes the music expressive, vital and passionate. Remarkable inspiring melodies, flowing passages, roaring perturbations, luminous riffs and virageous solos make a great combo. An improviser is switching between active and rapid solos pass to relaxing meditation filled with solemn deep improvisations and lyrical contemplations. Acoustic guitar always is between strong contrasts and vital expressions – driving riffs vs. soft fragility, passionate flowing solos to deep silence, haunted darkness or depressed mood. From silent pauses, relaxing pieces the music gets anxious, luminous and expressive filled with vital virages, passionate solos and thrilling riffs. Sonoristic experiments and research of strange timbres and evocative ideas also are here – that makes the relation with experimental and sonoristic music, and the elements of contemporary academical music and its styles. More academical tunes are brought in by viola. Benedict Taylor is travelling between deep relaxing solos to moving vibrant solos, especially expressive melodies with transcendental passages, light gorgeous virages, ornaments and rhythms of all ranges. Strange timbres, sonoristic experiments, exotic or home-made playing techniques, suggestive and inventive ways of improvising, tiny ornaments, chords and expressions of various types contain a wide an multi-layed musical pattern. Viola is the source of contemporary academical music, its main tendencies and innovations, but still has the basics of avant-garde jazz and free improvisations as the fundaments of the compositions. Benedict Taylor creates an inspiring, bright and touching sound. Interesting combo viola-guitar are the main elements on most part of the compositions. Piano by Martina Verhoeven on track 2 brings evocative, sparkling and exciting mood. Spontaneous solos, bright luminous attacks getting to driving riffs accompagnied by persecuting series, breaking sessions, sharp aggressive sequences and hysteric radiant perturbations. These elements are combined together with extended playing techniques, surprising, enlightning or radical decisions and other elements related to contemporary academical music. Sometimes the music is soft and gentle based on stable bass line and monotonous minimalistic pieces – that makes a contemplative and lyrical mood. The music of this album is bright and innovative, filled with colorful tunes, radical decisions, surprising solos and modern expressions.

Paul Hession / Simon H. Fell – “Reconstructed Fragments” (Bruce’s Fingers, 2020)

“Reconstructed Fragments” is the newest result of Simon H. Fell (double bass)
and Paul Hession (drum set). A duo is open to radical ideas, evocative fresh decisions, extended playing techniques, the newest innovations and modern expressions. The music always is surprising and bright – both improvisers are the masters of improvising. They use their wide musical knownledge, splendid virtuosity and expressive vital playign manner to create an effective and original sound.

All the compositions of “Reconstructed Fragments” are based on free improvisation. An open form and sonoristic experiments gently fit together – it also has an interesting instrumental compilation: the compositions are written to double bass and drums kit. There are no line between rhythmic or melody line – the musicians are creating it together. A balance of switching different functions from one to another musician is used very frequently – sometimes the one improviser keeps a stable, bright and expressive melody line, and another moment he passes to driving and dynamic rhythmic section which is as much interesting as the main melody. Basically, whole musical pattern is based on subtle stylistic fusion of avant-garde jazz and its fundaments, free improvisation, experimental jazz, some elements of modern and contemporary jazz styles and the relations to contemporary academical and experimental music. The musicians are blending together different kinds of playing techniques – very well-known ways of improvising, effective and expressive playing manners used by other great jazz masters are condensed with extravagant, radical, unique, specific or home-made ways of playing created by the improvisers. That’s how the musicians manage to create a multi-layed and expressive musical pattern. Double bassist Simon H. Fell is balancing between contrasting and absolutely different pieces. His music frequently begins with heavy slow solos accompagnied by stable bass line, abstract improvising, subtle fusion of different jazz styles and the elements of contemporary academical music. Sometimes there comes ascetic minimalistic pieces or an improviser dives in heavy, depressed and dark mood. When there’s a sudden changes – the music gets anxious and cracking, stratching, scratching and expressive. Remarkable virageous solos, expressive vital melodies, breaking sessions, vibrant riffs and radiant perturbations – all these elements are leading to wild driving culminations played in active and expressive mood. Strange timbres and astonishing sonoristic experiments are the main compounds of all double bass compositions. It makes the music interesting, bright, exciting and innovative. Paul Hession creates a dynamic and driving rhythmic section. His drum section is an artsy and organic mix of rhythms and expressions of all ranges – expressive vital series, monotonous stable beat, cool relaxing tunes, exotic or strange timbres, original instrumental compilations, nervous exciting bebop, aggressive hard bop heading to wild crazy free improvisations with impressive riffs, charming solos and passionate expressive culminations. Both musicians create a vital, passionate and innovative sound.

SERRIES/VERHOEVEN/WEBSTER – “PRAXIS” (a new wave of jazz, 2020)

Dirk Serries (acoustic guitars), Martina Verhoeven (piano) and Colin Webster (alto sax) gathered together to improvise, experiment and create something new, fresh and exciting. Three central figures of avant-garde jazz scene are collaborating with numerous of other jazz stars – they form the music on the basics of avant-garde jazz, free improvisation, fusion, noise and experimental music. As a result, they usually get a suggestive, bright and expressive sound.

All these elements mentionned already are the fundaments of “PRAXIS”. It’s the newest album of this trio released on “a new wave of jazz” records. The musicians are demonstrating their wide musical knownledge, exclusive language and innovative instrumentation. Saxophone player Colin Webster is heading to luminous culminations illustrated with persecuting sessions, waining shrieky exclamations, sharp timbres and sonoristic experiments. His compositions frequently begin in silent, solemn and relaxing mood – when it suddenly gets risky and ambitious, rapid, furious, hysteric and bursting. Expressive melodies, tremendous riffs, moving thrills and passionate solos are the main elements of it – that shows improviser’s splendid virtuosity, invention and creativity. An ability to switch between different moods and change them suddenly is detected in all three improvisers playing – they get on brave furious strikes, terrific solos or blowing riffs and suddenly go deep down to depressed, dark, heavy or relaxing and solemn mood. So a saxophone is an example of vitality, passion and drive – trendy riffs, transcendental passages, remarkable charming melodies, sonoristic experiments, extended playing techniques, home-made resonators and original decisions make a great combo together. A saxophone becomes one of the leading instruyments of the melody line. It makes it sparkling, bright and dynamic. More energy. drive and surprises are brought in by piano. If saxophone is somewhere between free improvisation, avant-garde jazz, modern jazz styles and some relations to experimental or contemporary academical music, the piano also stays on free improvisation, but has much more relations to contemporary academical music. Extended playing techniques, strict exclamations, hysteric radiant riffs, vibrant perturbations, tremolo, soft trills, gentle ornaments, transcendental passages, sharp persecuting sequences of sharp disonances contrasting to consonances – all these elements contain the fundament of the compositions. Synthetic forms based on open form and some classical forms gives a possibility to experiment and explore new fields of musical language. Martina Verhoeven is using huge range of playing techniques – rarely used, exotic, unusual, extended, experimental, specific or home-made ways of playing related to academic avant-garde are connected to very well-known playing techniques. Piano also has another side filled with fragility, meditation, solemn and light sound played in relaxing and suggestive way. Acoustic guitars make the music more colorful and variable. Dirk Serries is balancing between free improvisation and experimental music. His music frequently gets similar to extravagant bebop, nervous harsh neo bop, aggressive hard bop, fusion or other modern jazz styles. The will to experiment, evocative ideas, integration of strange, crazy and original musical decisions makes the music bright, exciting and vital. “PRAXIS” is a great collaboration of three jazz masters who are searching to new, original and passionate decisions and together make an exclusive and bright sound.

Norbert Moslang – “Patterns” (Bocian, 2020)

Soprano saxophone player Sascha Armbruster, oboe player Kelsey Maiorano, clarinetist Toshiko Sakakibara, trumpeter Jens Bracher, trombonist Stephen Menotti and tuba player Janne Jakobsen gather together and record the compositions written by Norbert Moslang. “Patterns” is a new record on “Bocian” label – this album is a mix of academic avant-garde, experimental music, free improvisation and avant-garde jazz. The musicians join together different kinds of motions, expressions, styles and passions to create a rich and original sound.

Sonoristic experiments, strange timbres, extended playing techniques, exotic or unusual instrumental compilations, home-made resonators and innovative ways of improvising – the music of “Patterns” is fundamentally based on free improvisation and has many relations to experimental, spectral and contemporary academical music. Saxophone, clarinet, oboe and trumpet are the leading instruments. They contain the basic of the melody line which is driving filled with stunning passages, furious growls and full blasts. Vivid, elegant or intriguing and aggressive saxophone, expressive moving clarinet brings the basics of avant-garde jazz – free improvisation, spontaneous solos, sudden jumps from the one mood to another, strange, eclectic and exclusive musical decisions, dizzy passages and gorgeous ornaments are the main elements of saxophone improvisations. The improvisers get on shrieky exclamations, tremendous culminations with persecuting hysteric sequences, repetitive series and intriguing turns. More compounds related to avant-garde and modern jazz, and free improvisation, as well, are brought in by trumpet. It’s rigorous, bright and wild fullfilled with full blasts, hot growls, bursts of energy, thrilling, breaking, waining and vital solos, transcendental passages which are suddenly passing to subtle, silent and minimalistic mood. Here repetitive series, monotonous tunes, deep harsh sounds and haunted pieces make a great combo with trombone. A trombone keeps a stable basement of melody line – its deep bass line passing to bright cracking solos and reaching tremendous, luminous and vibrant culminations gives more stable, deep and solemn sound to the compositions. On the contrary, an oboe is more related to contemporary academical music and academic avant-garde – sonoristic experiments, evocative ideas, extravagant decisions, modern expressions and original instrumentation based on extended playing techniques related to contemporary academical music. That makes an effort to suggestive, inspiring and evocative sound. Deep heavy tuba’s solos form a stable bass line. As a result, a nice compilation is made by mixing up reeds and brasses of various ranges – oboe and tuba makes a strong relation to contemporary academical music, trumpet, trombone, saxophone and clarinet are completely based on free improvisation and avant-garde jazz. That makes an evocative and original sound.

Lina Andonovska – “A Way A Lone A Last” (Diatribe Records, 2020)

“A Way A Lone A Last” is released on “Diatribe Records” label. A great collaboration of Lina Andonovska (flute, alto flute, piccolo, amplified bass flute, percussion) and Matthew Jacobson (percussion) is completely based on experimental music, free improvisation and avant-garde jazz. Both musicians are exploring new fields of musical language – they don’t hesitate to try out new, extended, exotic or extravagant ways of playing, extract strange timbres, switch from the one mood to another and make dynamic turns. As a result, the music is fresh, evocative and bright.

All music of “A Way A Lone A Last” is played spontaneously. An open form is used everywhere. Both musicians are talented improvisers who have wide musical knownledge, expressive playing manner and splendid virtuosity. A huge range of styles and expressions is detected. Lina Andonovska suggests an organic fusion of experimental music and avant-garde jazz. Her music doesn’t have charming remarkable melodies or driving riffs, is totally based on abstract improvising and research of strange timbres. The rhythms of all ranges, strange timbres, extended playing techniques, hot thrills, vibrant solos, trembling trills, light flying ornaments, ambient tunes, amplifications, whistling, shrieky or hysteric solos – all these elements of all ranged are gently brought together in her compositions. Warm soft flute accompagnied by exclaiming, swiftling and persecuting piccolo is going vs. amplified bass flute. There comes strange timbres, sonoristic experiments, deep ambient solos, depressed haunted pieces, minimalistic samples, subtle contemplations with research of new tunes – amplified bass flute makes a solemn, suggestive and modern sound. It’s a nice combo of acoustics and electronics made by innovative instrumental decisions and evocative expressions. An improviser has a tendency to get on abstract improvising and search to strange timbres and expressions – that makes a a strong relation with contemporary academical, electroacoustic and experimental music, and academic avant-garde, as well. The music is exciting and full of contrasts – different kinds of flutes gently fit together and from deep silence, haunted darkness pass to subtle fragility and head directly to blooming culminations, whistling shrieky solos, expressive melodic compounds and the rhythms of all ranges extracted by percussion. Matthew Jacobson’s percussion contains the base of rhythmic section – it’s the source of huge range of colors, expressions and tunes. Research of strange timbres, integration of evocative ideas, innovative sonoristic experiments and playing techniques gently integrated with traditional ways of playing, abstraction and spontaneous improvising keeps the compositions on the fundaments of avant-garde jazz and experimental music. Both musicians are making interesting combos, profesionally reacting to each other’s playing and are diving into bright, innovative and original sonoristic experiments. “A Way A Lone A Last” has a suggestive, expressive and innovative sound.

Rope (Frank Paul Schubert, Uwe Oberg, Paul Rogers, Mark Sanders) – “Open Ends” (Trouble In The East, 2020)

“Rope” is a jazz quartet based on four featured jazz masters – Frank Paul Schubert (soprano saxophone), Uwe Oberg (piano), Paul Rogers (7-string double bass) and Mark Sanders (drums, percussion). A new, bright and exciting conception of avant-garde jazz is created – it’s based on extended playing techniques, brave, ambitious or simply crazy musical decisions, contrasting pieces, sudden jumps from the one mood to another, eclectic stylistic combos and modern expressions. The music is fullfilled with surprises, passionate solos, driving riffs or deep solemn contemplations. All four musicians are demonstrating a masterful collaboration – they’re sensibly reacting to each other’s playing, don’t hesitate to make original and evocative decisions, burst in furious riffs or splendid passages or dive in astonishing sonoristic experiments.

“Open Ends” is the newest release recorded by “Rope” and released on “Trouble In The East Records” label. The music is based on multi-layed polyphonic structure, modern musical language and innovative instrumentation. Bright, exciting and passionate melody line joined to dynamic and driving rhythmic section, gorgeous background and expressive harmonic basement contain the main base of the compositions. Soprano saxophone and piano keeps the basics of the melody line – it makes it bright, luminous, driving and blooming. Saxophonist Frank Paul Schubert forms his music on the fundaments of avant-garde jazz and the elements of bebop, post bop and other modern jazz’s styles. An improviser goes through different moods, expressions and styles – growling riffs, shrieky exclamations, hysteric rigorous solos are the main parts of bright and luminous culminations. Here also comes radiant perturbations, persecuting series, sharp tunes, swirling, waining or stretching tunes, strange timbres or flying exciting passages. The main melody line is accompagnied by all these elements and is driving, luminous, expressive and dynamic. From full blasts and sharp sequences the music gets lyrical, sweet and light, solemn and slow, melancholic, ascetic or meditative – all these elements are gently integrated to the musical pattern and make a suggestive and vital sound. Bright sessions, blooming culminations with shrieky tunes, breaking sessions, full blasts and remarkable melodies are brought in by piano. Uwe Oberg is getting on driving riffs, adventurous culminations, powerful energy’s explosions tinged with passionate solos, gentle light ornaments, furiously fast passages and evocative ideas. A dramatic and active mood is leading everywhere in the melody line – sharp disonances, strange timbres, original tunes and home-made playing techniques bring more drama, action, drive and pressure to whole sound. Paul Roger’s double bass is the source of vibrant solos, deep stable bass line constructed from repetitive series, strange timbres, special effects and original decisions. The improvisations have a suggestive and dynamic mood where solemn, deep and minimalistic mood is changed by hysteric riffs, full blasts and expressive melodies. An experienced drummer Mark Sanders creates a bright and dynamic rhythmic section which based on huge range of expressions, rhythms and moods and is as much interesting as independent sparkling melody line. Extravagant bebop, nervous complicated post bop, aggressive hard bop accompagnied by stable beat are leading to blooming culminations and sparkling free improvisations. The music of this album is inspiring and charming – “Rope” manages to create an astonishing, expressive and evocative sound.

 

 

GGRIL – “GGRIL Plays Laubrock” (Tour De Bras, 2020)

“GGRIL Plays Laubrock” is released on “Tour De Bras” records. All music was composed by famous saxophonist and improviser Ingrid Laubrock and played by “GGRIL” large ensemble. The music of this album has a new conception which is fundamentally based on experimental and avant-garde jazz, its various streams, typical elements, basical compounds and innovations. Inspiring, bright and expressive improvising filled with investigations, gorgeous ornaments, strange timbres and sonoristic experiments are the fundamental base of most part of the compositions or interpretations played by “GGRIL”.

“GGRIL Plays Laubrock” joins together wide range of instruments, moods and expressions. Ingrid Laubrock makes a masterful and original instrumentation where different instrumental sections rest independent and bring new, exciting and enlightning sound to the compositions. Even though the compositions are already arranged, each musician has an opportunity to express wide range of moods, get on crazy or extravagant experiments, extract interesting timbres and make brave ambitious decisions. All music is based on synthetic form whose basic is an open form and free improvisation tinged with various forms related to contemporary academical and classical music. From strict arguing and intriguing twists to deep silence or sweet lyrical contemplations – the musicians are switching between huge diversity of colors, tunes and expressions that makes a conceptual and contrasting sound. Vitality, brightness, full blasts and virageous ornaments are brought in by reeds section. Saxophone and clarinet make a great combo – breaking sessions, thrilling solos, passionate melodies, driving riffs passing to blooming culminations, vibrant thrills or radiant perturbations. Trumpet and trombone bring luminous, striking and turbulent sound. Growling riffs, aggressive solos, furious hysteric blasts, shrieky exclamations, strange timbres and sonoristic experiments crossing to heavy slow contemplations, cracking solos heading to terrific culminations, full blasts and sparkling riffs of trombone. Electronics and acoustics are synthesized together – a multi-layed and wide strings section is made from electric guitars, electric bass, classical guitar, harp, violin, cellos and contrabass. Ambient, synth tunes, modern expressions, extended playing techniques, sonoristic experiments, amplifications, other electronics joined to light flowing ornaments, transcendental passages, gorgeous warm tunes and other elements. Hysteric shrieky exclamations, expressive melodies and driving riffs are brought in by violin and cello. Deep stable bass line and dozens of strange timbres and tunes extracted by contrabass, contain the basics of the rhythmic section. Gorgeous timbres, exotic compilations, all kinds of rhythms of various ranges and styles form a great and colorful percussion section. More exotic, unusual and charming tunes are brought in by accordeon – this instrument is very rarely used in free improvisations and gently fits together with other instruments. The music of this album is remarkable and inspiring completely based on avant-garde jazz and free improvisation with some relations to contemporary academical music, modern and contemporary jazz, and academic avant-garde, as well.

Catherine S Massicotte violin
Rémy Bélanger de Beauport cello
Alexandre Robichaud trumpet
Gabriel Rochette-Bériau trombone

Sébastien Corriveau bass clarinet
Robin Servant accordeon
Robert Bastien electric guitar
Olivier D’Amours electric guitar
Pascal Landry classical guitar
Éric Normand electric bass
Jonathan Huard percussions
Luke Dawson contrabass
Alexis Ganier-Michel cello
Antoine Létourneau-Berger percussions
Mathieu Gosselin, baritone saxophone
Isabelle Clermont harp

Berlin Art Quartet ‎– “Live At B-flat” (uniSono Records, 2020)

“Berlin Art Quartet” is a jazz ensemble based on new interesting conception and original sound – the compositions are filled with vitality, expression, driving riffs, sparkling solos and tremendous culminations. Tenor saxophone player Matthias Schubert, trombonist Matthias Müller, double bass player Matthias Bauer and drummer Reinhard Brüggemann are improvising together – they’re using their passion, invention, creativity, virtuosity and wild imagination to create something exciting and new. Free improvisation, experimental and avant-garde jazz are the fundaments of their music.

“Live At B-flat” is the newest record of “Berlin Art Ensemble” released on “uniSono Records”. On this one, the musicians again are demonstrating the best capacities of improvising, invention and wide musical knownledge. Brave ambitious decisions, striking culminations, roaring riffs and stormy perturbations passing to silent lyrical pieces or sweet remarkable solos – the music really is virageous and twisting, completely based on free improvisation and spontaneous changes. Each musician brings gis very own sound and specific character to the compositions – that’s why the compositions are dynamic and rigorous, never stay on the same mood for a long time. Matthias Schubert and his saxophone brings energy and drive – shrieky persecutions, hysteric complicated solos with typical rhythmic figures related to bebop or hard bop, luminous striking culminations, driving riffs accompagnied by wainings, growls, urglings, strange timbres, transcendental passages and gorgeous ornaments. Active, vital and moving saxophone makes the music alive, bright and exciting. Deep heavy trombone mastered by Matthias Müller forms a stable bass line and extract huge range of colors and expressions. After being in slow lyrical mood trumpet gets striking and cracking fullfilled with high perturbations, radiant riffs, vibrant tremendous culminations and full blasts. Even though Matthias Müller blends together modern and avant-garde jazz styles, his music is fundamentally based on free improvisation and experimental jazz. Dozens of different colors, moods and expressions, stable bass line, minimalistic samples, solemn meditative pieces, vital passionate solos, luminous riffs and astonishing sonoristic experiments – all these elements contain the main base of Matthias Bauer double bass. An improviser explores new zones of sound, go out of the traditional sound and demonstrates his very own playing style and conception. The music is suggestive, driving and emotional. Drums section based on huge range of rhythms of all ranges and gorgeous percussion mastered by Reinhard Brüggemann is filled with breaking sessions, wild culminations, stable beat changed by complicated expressive rhythms or booming culminations. Reinhard Brüggemann extracts strange timbres, makes exotic or original instrumental compilations and fuses together contrasting styles and expressions. All four musicians are blending together traditions and innovations – the roots of American avant-garde jazz are brought together with innovations, evocative ideas, experimental instrumentation, sonoristic experiments and the will to get out of usual sound’s zone. That makes an effort to interesting, bright and evocative sound.