BJF 2010 ~ day 3

Day Three
05 November 2010




Fri 05-11-2010 | 19:00
Haus der Berliner Festspiele

‘Beyond’
zeitkratzer vs. Terje Rypdal & Palle Mikkelborg

Reinhold Friedl · musical director, piano
Burkhard Schlothauer · violin; Anton Lukoszevieze · cello; Uli Phillipp · bass
Maurice de Martin · percussion; Marc Weiser · electronics
Frank Gratkowski · clarinet, saxophone
Hild Sofie Tafjord · French horn; Hilary Jeffery · trombone
Terje Rypdal · guitar
Palle Mikkelborg · leader, trumpet

There was quite a few lovely venues expected again to happen in the middle of the festival event . The most recognisable was definitely  zeitkratzer ,long term open project about which here is a complex information given in BFS press realise .


zeitkratzer was founded in 1999. Its concept of a European soloists ensemble is unique worldwide. The nine musicians, the light and the sound engineer live in different European cities from Vienna via Amsterdam to London and meet for working phases at Berlin.
Here, new projects are developed – in recent years as a steady guest of the Volksbuehne Berlin. zeitkratzer finances itself through free projects and international concerts and thus
is independant of institutional investors. This freedom allowed idiosyncratic and pathbreaking programs that made zeitkratzer internationally recognized. The repertoire comprises works and projects by and with such different musicians as Karlheinz
Stockhausen, Lou Reed, Carsten Nicolai, John Cage, Keiji Haino, Jim O’Rourke, James Tenney, Helmut Oehring, La Monte Young, Merzbow, Alvin Lucier, … as well as many interdisciplinary cooperations. zeitkratzer has realized all those projects with different musicians and artists without ever worrying about preserving the “purity” of new music. Music, especially so-called new music, thrives on continuous contamination. The idea of “pure taste” as an independent aesthetic category was revealed by Pierre Bourdieu to be a medium of social distinction.
“Thus, pure taste is based on nothing else but a rejection or rather disgust for the objects that ‘force us to enjoy’, such as disgust for such crude, vulgar taste that is also appealing in this forced enjoyment.” (Pierre Bourdieu (1987). Die feinen Unterschiede.
Frankfurt am Main. p.761) zeitkratzer benefits from its musicians, their advanced and unique playing techniques, their
acquaintance with electronics and technologies, their hybrid experience backgrounds: new or improvised music, experimental Rock and Pop, Noise, Ambient, Folk Music,
… Meanwhile, the awards range from the German Jazz Award (Frank Gratkowski) via a fellowship at the Kings College Cambridge (Anton Lukoszevieze) to a composition commission by the French state (Reinhold Friedl). Tours brought zeitkratzer to many European countries, zeitkratzer regularly performs at renowned festivals from Madrid, Rome or London to Vienna, Budapest and Berlin. Meanwhile there is more than ten record releases, many important European
broadcasting stations have recorded and broadcasted their concerts. With zeitkratzer RECORDS there now exists an own record label too. ( BFS PR )
This particular episode is as stated in the title :zeitkratzer vs. Terje Rybdal and Palle Mikkelborg. These both are already well established veterans .Terje is present on the world and European music market since late 60’ and being signed in to the German ECM label is very well  known here . Danish trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg is probably best known to the world due to his collaborations with Gill Evans and Miles Davis .But it his own country he is very respected figure on the jazz firmament ,and we need to remember that The Copenhagen Jazz Festival in July is between the most admitted on the European map of jazz events.
I remember a project with Lou Reed from broadcasting and I really like it .Also I know recordings firmed by Gratkowski  or de Martin  or including them in different formations.
Zu , here is a first time with zeitkratzer live for me .I had really great expectations about that however finally I did not find it so exiting as a project .There was something incoherent about that as a whole concept . I liked orchestral work ,specially when they allied with Mikkelborg.
They sounded together just gorgeous .Their vital and vigorous  sound was a great background for Palle’s muffled voice. His trumpet ,slightly matt , was appearing from nowhere ,then quickly gone out after just a few notes - discontinuously phrasing till complete muting.
On the other hand Rypdal was playing sounds which I really did not expect from him .
Very nervous and high pitched – they probably had been composed like that to contrast the mild part – but honestly – I could not get it .I like Terje’s music and listening to him quite a lot ,but this project just was not mine piece of cake .Getting back to the part I favoured I must say that it was nice to hear Palle playing ,again 1st time live for me .I enjoyed every single note he played .His trumpet always had a shadows of Miles’ warm tones in its sound ,but he was always playing higher ,like Dizz .Probably he just hears it  like that – in these particular registers ,but for that reason he sounds brighter and more lyric ,when Miles in the same time -being on the dark side -was bringing to the table quite different emotions .What a pity they never recorded more together. So this is like it was like to me . Jump in the next set then ,as there is where something  really sparkled .


Fri 05-11-2010 | 19:00
Haus der Berliner Festspiele

Studio Dan feat. Nika Zach

Daniel Riegler · conductor
Nika Zach · vocals
Gunde Jäch-Micko · violin; Martina Engel · viola; Maiken Beer · cello
Bernd Satzinger · bass; Maria Augustin · flutes;
Theresia Melichar · oboe, English horn
Maria Gstättner · bassoon, Clemens Salesny · reeds;
Martin Eberle · trumpet, flugel horn; Philip Yaeger · trombone
Peter Rom · guitar; Clemens Wenger · piano; Andreas Moser · percussion;
Leo Riegler · electronics, vocals; Tibor Kövesdi · e-bass;
Wolfgang Kendl · drums; Werner Angerer · sound

It was a set which put me back into the mood .Not just the mood – The Excellent Mood .
It was sparkling ,it was catching ,it was so involving . It was pleasure to watch ,pleasure to listen to and such a great fun to follow musical ideas of Daniel Riegler and his crazy band.
An ensemble had been  created in 2005 . They hit the Austrian music stage immediately and their reputation is still growing since, what is proved by year after year won prestigious nominations .The name of the band goes back to the Frank Zappa’s album called “Studio Tan” dated 1979 and explains partially where the initial point for this project came from .But the music the band creates goes much further than that. This states for where the basic fascination came from only – not where it came now ,or what more important ,where it is able to go to  with such a potential they have .Riegler completed his studies in both – classical and jazz trombone. He is young ,bright and dangerous .Keep working with his own band as well as freelancing for the others. He is neatly educated and highly experienced – same his musicians. That’s why the job done is so complex .He is not simply mixing styles and genres. His orchestration works employing all modern achievements .From Bartok ,Varese and Schostakovich to minimal concepts of John Cage  and Phillip Glass. He studied Harry Parch‘s or Henry Cow’s works same carefully as Frank Zappa or Captain Beefheart. That’s what my ears told me .They told me about Kurt Weill ,Count Basie and ICP ,too . Obviously he is aware of Vienna Art. Orchestra discoveries as well like is able to say how his own band vary from. That’s a knowledge ladies and gents – and a knowledge is King !
On the top of it he is a remains a modest silence and not looking for the limelight. Like everyone who’s aware of his own rights – he keeps going knowing that the rest just will come. Well lets go to the set then .

As far as it started one was clear at once- it gonna be something special. The band was ready and well warm up and was following Daniel’s directory easily , flawlessly and with joy.The repertoire had been based on latest band’s recording called “ Things “ which has been just recorded on beginning of September .So they were obviously perfectly prepared and had whole set well hackneyed. Band started the score (“ Box ” )when Nika Zach came on the stage.Her appearance was just sensational .Listening to the band on the morning soundcheck I noticed talented vocalist with a nice little matt voice ,with silky vibrato and intriguing harsh in upper registers. Here we got a lady with an image being a cross between Leningrad Cowboys hairdressing like mixed with an outfit which might belong to the redhood .If the story had been set up close to burlesque d’France. Image which was simply adorable and on the same hand matching crazy bands ideas perfectly .Her actress abilities soon followed and it was sure at once she is true professional in every single inch .The way she was singing purenonsens songs was  nothing else just brilliant. It was class on his own performance quickly bringing to the mind Ute Lemper ,Marlene Dietrich or Lotte Lenya .She would be able to sing everything I believe - and with everyone .All assortment of vocal skills she put on showed it with no doubt. The broad arsenal of technical abilities from syllabic and tonal sound’s emissions  ,through scat based jazzy vocalise to poetic like declamations ,were all there in the proper time ,perfectly matching score or feeling a space given for , in improvised parts.
In the “ Duck “ and “ Princess” – two completely absurd songs with the words bringing back Frankey Z ghost immediately on the stage - she created amazing theatre of madness.
Together with whole band to follow she just sung out all bunch of idiotic rhymes ,chatting between the words in rubato vocalises  with the brasses .Band as such kept supplying top base for her all the time and they were playing with such a joy it was just a pleasure to watch . It left me a memory of smiled bassoonist walking through the quick passages and swinging her body  and instrument in the rhythm of racing breaks. Band ,of course ,all the time perfect was doing with a score exactly same work like Nika did to the texts. Working out with crazy ,snaky waved rhythms ,pushing boundaries with improvising in different tunes in different sections ,feeling space for soloing – everything what had been written had been also played .
I loved cello riffs dialoguing with saxes .Percussive patterns lovely mixed up with brass passages ,floating bass function .Whole concept was so reach and complex it is really not easy to follow without proper listening with an attention given .On the other hand it was so easy going ,that the only feeling was a joy when it was intellectually consumed without any further implications in mind . And these is probably when the genius of this music is hidden .
We have here an tremendously complicated score to listen .And it is composed so good that no one  even suspect that .Fantastic workout .And what a great band to play it .Seriously they are so good .Go for them if you spot them playing – you gonna  remember it forever.

Straight after set been finished I moved to the Berlin Institute of Jazz  ,as what was going on there was looking much more interesting for me that anything else today .A couple of sets. First presenting young trumpeter from Austria - Lorenz Raab and his trio with project Bleu.
Next after – The  legend of bass clarinet  and France avant-garde  of the 80’ Denis Colin with his long time collaborators ,the ensemble called  La Société des Arpenteurs
(“Society of Land Surveyors”). When I arrived there the 1st set just started .



Fri 05-11-2010 | 22:00
Georg-Neumann-Saal at Jazz-Institut Berlin

Bleu

Lorenz Raab · trumpet
Ali Angerer · tuba, e-dulcimer
Rainer Deixler · drums, percussion
I never heard them before as a trio but I knew Lorenz’s sound from Ulrich Drechsler’s recording called “ Monk in All of Us “ from 2004 .What I  found in BFS PR made me immediately interested .Here ,on his own project ,already issued as a cd too , he presented himself in completely different light. First of all is an unusual instruments combination used here and an obvious question about  how it would sound .Second to follow is the way the music had been composed . Behind the mood coming from description of the project  there is truly beautiful score to hear .Traditional functions of the instruments used had been completely redefined and then , tuba or e-dulcimer ,traditionally related into the rhythmic functions in some rural or folk based use becoming equal soloing voices ,mostly being even favoured as a leading ones in particular pieces. I heard  such a way of using tuba in French combos before ,but never like that anyway. Basically saying what Lorenz did here was composing score set up around the band mates rather than exposing himself. He gently moved back and appeared just over the notes they had been playing .As such he was mostly flying over them gently building connections between the instruments dialoguing  each other. But it was not anything concrete. His trumpet was drifting in the air like a haze .There was a lot of space in his playing and the sound was so gently balanced .He did not force any single note .It was such a flow in it like in the whitish morning mist hovered over the meadows. But there was no hidden mystery behind the notes . Instead there was a rising dusk either – well expected and bringing a peace and  solace ,so much appreciated. And the pure Beauty.
It was so soothing and calming down listening to this music. Not there were not enough dynamics ,not at all .Everything had been on the proper place and in brilliant proportions without even smallest enforcement. A-dulcimer voice with nicely delayed sounds was still there when the trumpet started his song. On the other side short and loudly walking tuba was bringing a gravity with humorous accents like a sounds  we are all familiar with but we can not catch it up just at the moment we trying to get them uncovered . Percussion  not only anchored it perfectly ,but was also actively switching between  solo dialoguing and sparkling unisons with both e-dulcimer and brass. There was perfect balanced in this sound all the time .
On such a background Lorenz was really comfortable enough to play whatever he liked to. Hi is gifted with the sound evoking me Clifford’s sound .He has this rare ability to sound so resonantly without even playing loud. He was almost all the time ,excluding obvious solo moments , playing  piano  on this project and in spite of that he was able to hold on a sonorous ,rich and full-blooded sound . Fantastic performance had been rewarded by audience’s thunderous applause for what the trio responded immediately paying back with beautiful piece to be played as an encore. It was a great finish of the set with sweet part of trumpet solo which Lorenz played just brilliantly. This is trio is really the serious voice on European jazz scene and I wish to hear them more around as well like recommend to the others . He already has truly impressive discography as well as his trio regularly appearing  around the German and Austrian scenes .But he is truly the one of the young lions and as such he deserves better . Again – go and hear them wherever you can .

There was just a quarter to calm down before the next set up .And these one was at least what brought me here .I have not hear any of French musicians in the band , just American Tony Malaby and Stephene Kerecki from different collaborations . I also never heard la Societe as an Octet.  All late recordings of Denis Colin I am familiar with had been recorded in trio either which seems to be his long time medium. So long so good . Let’s have a look for a new.





Fri 05-11-2010 | 22:00
Georg-Neumann-Saal at Jazz-Institut Berlin


Denis Colin & la Société des Arpenteurs

Denis Colin · bass clarinet
Tony Malaby · saxophones
Sylvaine Hélary · flutes
Antoine Berjeaut · trumpet, flugel horn
Benjamin Moussay · Fender Rhodes
Julien Omé · guitar
Stéphane Kerecki · bass
Thomas Grimmonprez · drums


The Project had been titled  “ Subject to Change “. And really everything had been changed there. Point of departure for the group dynamics between the musicians was the engagement with silent movies as it is announced in official program.  In the manner of a slapstick flick, Colin confronts his fellow musicians with abrupt transitions between musical moods, constellations and intentions. Here is what  he says about new project :

“After seventeen years of intense collaboration with Pablo Cueco (zarb)and Didier Petit (cello), mostly as a trio, I wanted to open up to a morevaried instrumentation and towards a larger network of musical relationships. Throughout 2007, I observed the Paris concert circuit closely, and I discovered an extraordinarily rich scene. I performed 11 concerts in 2008, and those concerts lead to the recording of “Subject of Change”, and put the “Société des Arpenteurs” (company of surveyors) officially on the map. The group has many formats, from trio to nonet. There is not just one sound – however, the cohesion of the set-up remains. Subject to Change characterizes, amongst others, the functioning of the different sets of the Société des Arpenteurs. By the word “Société”I mean the number, the outline of the ensemble - fuzzy, undefined, porous. Exchanges take place, musicians enter and leave, they return – the movement is constant. With this “Société”, my aim is to mirror the malleability and the permeability that characterise my own life! We often forget that our skin consists of pores, symbols of a place of constant exchanges which shape our lives. As a child, I became aware and curious, but also scared, by the existence of those little holes. But life does not only consist of exchanges. The temptation to develop convictions is great, our intelligence requires clear definitions, and it is practical to take them for granted. Rigidity becomes a threat. Subject to change - almost a programme; La Société des Arpenteurs - its
symbol, or its enforcer?’’ (...)  Denis Colin  ( from BJF PR )
After a preface like that no wonder we could expect almost everything .From romantic poetic voices of the winds to thunderous tremors of vivid improvisation. What have we got then ?
We got simply revelation . It was so vital and so lush sound no one could really expect . Other way it was constant subject of changes as had been predicted. Being on the calm side of the mood Colin’s set was completely different from opening one .Where all inspirations for came from was in his case definitely the classical music .Particularly French. Inspirations had been perfectly blended with a modern way of articulation in purely jazz way ,as we could expect from such a respected player himself .And whole band as well – as all of them are absolutely top musicians .Set started with Colin’s intro which soon had been followed by flutist and saxophonist. In the same time rhythm section found his way to ally the forces. All had been lovely melded with hang on  the air rhodes organ chords played by Benjamin Moussay. Guitarist Julien Ome had been supporting him in building this chunky and homogeneous wall of sound . However , as Denis said , it was not “ Berlin Wall” . It was porous Normandy timber and lime tissue either. With a lot of space in to add winds contribution to final tune’s voice. And what a winds these were. Sylvaine Helary responsible for all kind of flutes we could hear there was simply amazing performer .She was able to hold on job truly on his own shoulders ,if there was such a concept of the changes . But it was not . So Denis’s bass clarinet enjoyed her appearance soon after she filled the space given .As the other brass did .
But her phrasing and the way she did articulations as well as treating tempo, it was that what straightforward brought to your mind the music of impressionism era , specially Debussy ‘s and Ravel’s souls were present there – in the air :-) .It was lovely and it was so French in the feeling of texture of the music ,that I can easily claim her contribution to the sound as a purely dominant .Separate respect have to be given to the brass as  they  build perfectly organic section on their own which was then powering whole engine .They often acted here as a part of rhythm section ,completely stick up to the drummer .Then they quickly betrayed him to disappear  and veiled themselves between complicated improvised structures .
Coming back ,collectively or separately was not a problem .New instrumental affairs had been set up immediately on the run. What touched me deeply was their ability to sound so melodic ,even in the most improvised parts of score . This special signature was so audible to me after few days of listening to mostly German orchestras .It was so clear to see how different traditions are laying in their backgrounds ,even if classical and jazz music from whole the world is an international heritage as it is these days . So promises had been kept .The band was object of change all the time .Surprise factor was exceedingly high in this music .It was amazingly dazzling and sparkling performance which had been simply adored by audience .
And as such finished with a proper encore .It was sad to let they leave the stage ,but performance had been finished and the only chance to take it out for later was buying record.
Fortunately it was available .So I succeed.

Of course being there I had to omit Led Bib’s set in Quasimodo ,but there was no problem as they suppose to be a part of the London Jazz 2010  just a week later ,so much better choice for me .What I could not go to however was Jean -Pierre Froehly Trio in Hotel Savoy chamber music hall ,and this is something to regret as he is a rare bird too. But could I not to go and see Studio Dan on the main stage ? No , I could not.