Anthony Braxton & Chris Dahlgren - ABCD

ANTHONY BRAXTON & CHRIS DAHLGREN - ABCD (NotTwo, 2006)

Anthony Braxton: sopranino, soprano, melodic, alto, baritone & bass saxophones, Bb clarinet
Chris Dahlgren: double bass, preparations, electronics

1. No.316 - Version A (With Falling River Musics)
2. Penumbra For Woodwind(s) & Bass(es) 4+2
3. No.316 - Version B (With Falling River Musics)
4. Penumbra For Woodwind(s) & Bass(es) 3+3
5. No.316 - Version C (With Falling River Musics)
6. Penumbra For Woodwind(s) & Bass(es) 1+1
7. No.316 - Version D (With Falling River Musics)
8. Penumbra For Woodwind(s) & Bass(es) 4+1

Pas besoin de présenter Braxton aux utilisateurs de ce site. Et ici, rien de bien nouveau - si ce n'est l'utilisation d'un saxophone en ut. Braxton, comme d'habitude, assure la transition (avec quelques années de retard...) entre Webern et le Bird. Et son triomphe est d'arriver à donner une émotion sans pareille à un matériau complètement abstrait. Mais pour cet enregistrement, il faut sans aucun doute remercier Dahlgren d'avoir contribuer à donner une vie sensible à cette matière issue du cerveau de Braxton. Car la préparation de la contrebasse comme l'introduction de pédales d'effets ainsi que l'utilisation de l'électronique enrichissent considérablement le vocabulaire des enregistrements de Braxton, l'ambiance peut alors passer de l'improvisation libre abstraite ou énergique à la (harsh) noise telle qu'on la connaissait par le duo avec Wolf Eyes. La richesse du jeu de ce merveilleux contrebassiste (du douceureux pizz à la violence de certains phrasés à l'archet), tout comme le duo avec Joe Morris, permet de redécouvrir sous un autre angle le talent de Braxton et de lui redonner une certaine forme de jeunesse, en offrant à ce dernier une nouvelle palette sur laquelle se déployer, un nouvel interlocuteur qui change le discours (si la musique est un langage...).
Dernière remarque: la moitié du disque est composé de superposition de plusieurs enregistrements, comme pouvaient le faire John Butcher ou Evan Parker dans certains de leurs albums solos. Cette technique nous offre la chance d'entendre de multiples voix qui n'en sont qu'une seule, ainsi, alors qu'apparemment la structure des morceaux est hiérarchisée et verticale, nous n'avons en réalité affaire qu'à une personne qui s'offre à nous sous de multiples couleurs tout en restant une unité identifiable. En fait, l'écclectisme apparent comme l'hétérogénéité (de timbre notamment) de ce dialogue ne sont rien d'autres que les multiples ramifications (baroques?) des deux consciences à l'origine de cette oeuvre. (from ImprovSphere)

HERE

Gebhard Ullmann, Chris Dahlgren, Jay Rosen - Cutitout

Gebhard Ullmann, Chris Dahlgren, Jay Rosen - Cutitout (Leo Records, 2006)

Gebhard Ullmann: bass clarinet, bass flute
Chris Dahlgren: bass, electronics
Jay Rosen: drums, percussion

01. Grid Speak
02. Calling Mr. Waits
03. U.S.O. Ballad
04. Lolligager
05. No Mouthpiece
06. Calling Mr. Waits (part 2)
07. Mbira
08. Walking Under Trains
09. Bass-bass
10. Epilog (ballad no.2)

German multi-woodwind player Gebhard Ullmann found the cover art for Cut It Out in the hallway of his Berlin apartment building, and he and bandmates "found the music"—these spontaneous compositions—in bassist Chris Dahlgren's Brooklyn living room, where they recorded the disc, creating a set of sounds that have an spontaneous feeling all the way through.

Ullmann presents his music in various ensemble setups, from big band to mid-sized groups to trios. Two of the prolific musician's best works come from his trio outings. BassX3 (Drimala Records, 2005) featured Ullman on bass clarinet and bass flute, backed by two string basses; and now Cut It Out finds him with bassist Chris Dahlgren and drummer Jay Rosen. Again, Ullman plays bass clarinet and bass flute, showing off his affinity for the lower register on a mostly minimalist set that often seems to creep and crawl on a subliminal level, like burgeoning life churning implacably in the humus on the jungle floor.

The minimalist/subliminal/low-register character can cause a listener who's not wired into the free nature of the sound to miss out of the inticacies of the three-way converstations. Drummer Jay Rosen, who plays on numerous CIMP Spirit Room discs, is a marvel at subtle textures juxtaposed with interludes frenetic cymbal explosions, while Ullmann and Dahlgren lurk around in the shadows, issuing deep-toned proclamations.

Cut It Out is not for listeners who are uninitiated to the sounds of the freer side of jazz, but for those who've been there, it has a definite allure. (from AAJ)

HERE

Anthony Braxton - Quintet (London) 2004

Anthony Braxton: reeds
Taylor Ho Bynum: trumpet
Mary Halvorson: guitar
Chris Dahlgren: bass
Satoshi Takeishi: percussion

This concert was the undisputed high point of the 2004 London Jazz Festival. Braxton, appearing in the UK for the first time in years (decades?) played the first half of a double bill (the second half featured Cecil Taylor) and effortlessly stole the show. I was one of the 2,000-strong audience who cheered the quintet after a triumphant performance, so I have keenly anticipated this release ever since. Given that kind of anticipation, the actual CD was bound to be an anticlimax, and so it proves to be. That is not to decry the quality of the music, which is excellent; it is simply that the anticipation and thrill of the live event is absent (not to mention Braxton's bemused absentminded professor air, which is as endearing as ever).

Nonetheless, for those who attended the concert or listened to it on the BBC (this is the BBC's own recording), this release is a faithful record of the music. Those who have never heard it before have a treat in store. Composition 343 is as spiky and atonal a piece as any by Braxton. Yet he leads from the front, injecting life and energy into its realization. In his hands, it makes sense. He is in impressive form as a player; his solo passages are varied and never fail to enthrall; his finest moment comes some sixteen and a half minutes in with a prolonged, rapidly articulated solo that shoots adrenalin into the ensemble. All the other members deserve credit; in particular, the trumpet is a worthy partner to the leader's sax. Taylor Ho Bynum achieves the same sort of balance between articulation and unpredictability as Braxton himself. A special mention also for guitarist Mary Halvorson, who is a constant source of fresh ideas and interest.

Braxton has been on a roll recently; on this evidence it looks set to continue. (from AllAboutJazz)

2005 QUINTET (LONDON) 2004 (mediafire/hotfile)