The line-up on this recording is Elias Stemeseder: composition, spinet, synth and effects; Christian Lillinger: composition, drums, samp (a sampler I presume), synth and Craig Taborn: piano. They play modular jazz, a concept originating only about a quarter of a century ago (Stefano Vagnini): the approach has been variously described as ‘circular’,’ open/unfinished’, and combining/ overlapping various components/ compositions. Already the reader may have made a decision as to whether to listen or not, avant-garde musical libertarians will certain be tempted.
To assist this decision there are two pieces recorded live at the Saalfelden Jazz Festival in Salzburg State, Austria, the first ‘Signum’ a whole LP’s worth underpinned, (and sometimes risen above by) indefatigable snare and bass drum work, briefly calming at the 13-minute mark as a ragout of piano runs, arpeggios and chords and intriguing ‘sonics’ beguile the ears; it all sounds quite otherworldly and at one point conjures up outlandish images of alien machines and transportations; this is the just the brain trying to make sense of the music, I suppose. Around 20 minutes there is a decrescendo, as the music suddenly declines in pace, volume and intensity and becomes introspective, and some piano allegros before a recapitulation of the feverish machinations of the opening; around five minutes from the end a sonorous bass underlies a scattershot of pianos, a hint of a drum break appears, giving way to cymbals/ percussion and a piano adagio to conclude an engrossing if at times unnerving piece. The second construction, ‘Typus’, lasts less than 10 minutes, an altogether more unremitting and clamorous piece enthusiastically received by the live audience – you now know what to expect.
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