Emergency! (group; formed 2001) Live in Copenhagen 2006 (JVTLandt) Otomo Yoshihide (guitar) Ryoichi Saito (guitar) Hiroaki Mizutani (bass) Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (drums)
The Japanese experimental free jazz scene has really evolved over the last decade with artists such as Otomo Yoshihide and Yasuhiro Yoshigaki leading the way in their various groups and collaborations. One of the best groups both perform in is the quartet Emergency!. I'm assuming an homage to the legendary Tony Williams, Emergency! combines elements of the aforementioned drumming legend (thanks to the groups founder Yoshigaki), King Crimson and Last Exit. But unlike Fripp and Laswell's tour de force, Emergency! takes very specific moments to spin the guitar wall of sound into layered ambient soundscapes.
Live In Copenhagen documents the group's first exploration outside of its native country and takes their free form vehicle to the fertile grounds of one of Europe's more experimental countries, Denmark. And Emergency! really do impress.
The Yoshigaki penned "Re-Baptizum", opens the evening with a bold exchange between Yoshihide and Saito that shift between gentle and storm-threatening. This all with some superb playing by the founder, Yoshigaki.
Things get really intriguing after Yoshigaki's original as the group move through three covers to finish out this live concert. A bizarre choice--"Sing, Sing, Sing" is fascinating, fun and soaring. Lots of action going on in this one. It's worth continued listens and probably worth the price of the CD altogether.
Two beautiful and complicated compositions from two legends that seem completely appropriate in the hands of this quartet close out the evening. First, the Charles Mingus protest piece, "Fables Of Faubus". Yoshigaki's playing throughout this live recording moves from rippling to atmospheric with ease. The quartet tackles Rahsaan Roland Kirk's classic, "The Inflated Tear" as the final number and it is as intense, deep and touching as its original.
At this point in 2006 when this was recorded, Emergency! had only recorded two albums, but those albums are phenomenal and worth seeking out. While Emergency! are categorized as an experimental outfit, Live In Copenhagen demonstrates that this quartet has vision and structure that goes far beyond experimental. Highly Recommended.
Peter Brotzmann (tenor/baritone sax) Ken Vandermark (tenor/baritone sax, clarinet) Mats Gustafsson (alto/bass/tenor sax, clarinet)
On the scene for over 40 years, German born, Peter Brotzmann has led groups of varying sizes. But the one constant is the sheer devotion to exploring the outer reaches of jazz. He is an aggressive player and for some (even the die hard avant garde fan) it may be hard to find the structural element in the piece. This is usually the time in which you should just sit back and enjoy the musicianship and the structure will find you.
Brotzmann is responsible for some of the most important European free jazz albums in history (Machine Gun (1966), Nipples (1969), Die Like A Dog (1993) and Octet/Tentet (1997)). While those are massive statement records of Brotzmann's intent and talent, there is one more recent group that he leads with musicians that he has influenced that appeals to me even more---Sonore.
Led by the European free jazz godfather, Sonore is an adventurous, dangerous yet wonderful collaboration from three of the most renowned saxophonists on the avant garde scene. Each with their own groups which they lead to equal success (The Vandermark 5, Gustafsson with The Thing and Brotzmann with his Tentet and Die Like A Dog among others). Slightly similar to Brotzmann's work with Bill Laswell in Last Exit but completely without a rhythm section--on the agrression of saxophones to lead the emotion and structure.
It is staggering and joyful to hear and witness live the power and influence Peter Brotzmann has had on his two disciples in Vandermark and Gustafsson. The interplay and respect each musician has for one another makes their three albums (Call Before You Dig; Only The Devil Has No Dreams, and No One Ever Works Alone)highly enjoyable. There isn't really one album that is better than the other. I would say the newest album Call Before You Dig (Okka Disk) which is a live and studio double album is good way to get the two sides of the band an idea of the strength of this amazing improvising outfit.
Trust me, this is not music for the faint at heart. This is improvising at its best. Two generations of musicians who are the best at their craft meeting for a brief and fruitful conversation through sound. Highly Recommended for those not afraid of sound.
