Per Gärdin|Travassos|Marco Franco- “Oblique (trio)” (ibn, 2018)

“Oblique (trio)” is the newest release by “ibn musik” label. Album was recorded by three outstanding jazz masters – it’s Per Gärdin (alto/soprano saxophones), Travassos (electronics) and Marco Franco (drums, percussion). These three jazz masters are inventive, creative and interesting improvisers. They have original playing style, unique sound and specific playing manner. Musicians had been improvising together many times as a trio and together with other famous jazz stars. Their collective improvisations have versatile, vivid, gentle and innovative sound. Spontaneous solos, bright and passionate melodies, special effects, organic synthesis of acoustics and electronics, original and modern instrumentation with dozens of extended playing techniques – all these elements are the most important things of musical pattern. The music is played with passion and expression – it’s mostly based on free improvisation, avant-garde jazz, fascinating sound experiments and huge variety of unusual timbres.

“Oblique (trio)” has bright musical language and is based on avant-garde jazz elements. The basics of experimental jazz, free, creative and other styles of avant-garde jazz are fused together with modern jazz and mild intonations of contemporary academical music. All compositions are based on free improvisation. It has many effective and glamorous episodes – spontaneous, glamorous, expressive and bright solos are the most effective and beautiful places of all album. Musicians are paying the highest attention to sound experiments, inventive musical decisions and creation of fresh and innovative sound. By using dozens of modern playing techniques, extended and extraordinary ways of playing and other elements of musical language, they create bright and innovative musical language. The musical pattern is rich and based on polyphony elements. Independent melodies have their own and original musical language, specific melodic intonations, bright and effective solos, turbulent culminations or relaxing pauses. All the melodies and rhythmic elements are gently mixed together in one place, even though, it’s highly contrasting with each other. The instrumentation is colorful and bright – it has wide range of different playing techniques, colors, timbres and sounds, which are produced by each musician. That makes an effort to colorful and gorgeous background. Saxophones melodies by Per Gärdin are filled with expressive solos and passionate melodies. Improviser masterfully switches between different playing techniques, moods, expressions and characters. His improvisations are filled with rapid and active solos, virtuosic and charming passages, rigorous, turbulent, sharp and vibrant blow outs, dramatic culminations, sharp harmony, dynamic rhythmic and versatile, expressive and passionate melodies. These elements are mixed with calm, abstract, silent and lyrical episodes, which are based on abstract musical pattern and have suggestive and effective sound. Saxophonist demonstrates his own sound and unique playing manner – his pplaying style has interesting, bright, luminous and vivacious sound. Electronics section is leaded by Travassos. Glitch, drone, sound alterations, imitations and modifications, special effects, the sounds of computer and electronics devices and many other similar playing techniques are used here. It makes the sound even more live, energetic and interesting. Marco Franco drums and percussion are highly contrasting with each other and gently goes along together with saxophones. Expressive, rapid and fast solos, bright and dramatic culminations, original and inventive musical decisions, charming and suggestive special effects, loud drum rolls and silent pauses – these and many other elements are fused together in one place. The music of this album has passionate and bright sound – it was created by three outstanding improvisers, which are doing their best to create fresh and inventive sound of music.