January 1, 2022

Alex Zethson Ensemble

Some of Them were Never Unprepared
Thanatosis Production/Relative Pith Records THTS/RPR 1130

Jonas Kocher

Perspectives and Echoes

Bruit br9

Negotiating the often-perilous perimeter between improvisation and compositions are these two exemplary programs from Swedish and Swiss ensembles. Approaching the designs with unique interpretations and configurations, Swedish pianist/composer Alex Zethson propels a two-part program which organizes a 13-piece ensemble to function as one instrument. Swiss accordionist Jonas Kocher on the other hands, depends on the aleatoric, spatial and repetitive motifs of a seven-piece group to interpret his own “Perspectives and Echoes” and Luc Ferrari’s “Tautologos III”. MORE

December 21, 2020

Breadcrumb

Breadcrumb
SLAM CD 599

Sonar with David Torn

Tranceportation Volume 2

RareNoise RNR 0120

Moving the electric guitar into novel and unexpected spaces is the aim of these bands while altering the conception of the world’s most popular instrument. One approach comes from the members of the Greek Breadcrumb trio. The ideas of guitarists Giannis Arapis and Nikos Kordelis plus bassist Giorgos Kokkinaris is evolved as a trialogue, where, except in rare instances, the expected tones of the instruments are avoided. Meanwhile the Swiss quartet Sonar maintains its group identity by tuning its two guitars, played by Stephan Thelen and Bernhard Wagner, plus the electric bass of Christian Kuntner in tritons. That means intervals pick up three tones above and three below the root notes crating instant multiphonics. Tranceportation Volume 2 is even more ambitious. Besides the decade of experience performing tritons the trio is matched with designated pulses from drummer Manuel Pasquinelli and polymath American guitarist David Torn joins the four, adding live looping to further demarcate the group sound. MORE