Kruglov/Duso/Bitutskikh

Despite the increased totalitarian and imperialist manifestations that continue to characterize Russian society under Vladimir Putin’s rule, free expression still exists in parts of the federation. Or at least it did in 2019, when this notable example of creative music was recorded. The undersigned involved in this ad-hoc quintet were Visiting Moscow-based alto saxophonist Alexey Kruglov, plus four locals from Voronezh, a city southwest of the Russian capital. The Duso group consists of tenor saxophonist Denis Uspensky, bass guitarist Oleg Salkov and guitarist Oleg Dautov plus drummer Alexander Bitiutskikh of the Happy 55 band.

Uspensky and Dautov also use electronics. That means that at points, those voltage tweaks and judders add either dissident   crackles and drones or pulses that relate to those produced by electric keyboards. The extended eponymously titled track and a brief encore thus add a patina of wave form processing to the mix of Rock-like rhythms, and Dadaist poetic and spoken word interludes and Free Music tropes which characterize this concert performance.

The rhythm section, especially Salkov’s playing is crucial here. That’s because no matter how exploratory and atonal other timbres become, the bass guitar’s fixed pulse keep sound progress horizontal, as well as in most cases, foot-tapping. Both saxophonists output various expected and extended techniques, with tongue slaps, reed bites, altissimo squeaks and solid scoops favored by each. At the same time when one is soloing, the other usually creates a distinctive obbligato. The clattering and chiming drum beats not only couple with the bassist’s and guitarist’s rhythms, but break up the time when backing the saxophonists. It’s the same with Dautov. Usually in a rhythmic function for the piece that at various tempos moves from almost-Rock to Punk-Jazz to Free Jazz, his twangs and flanges add to the spaciness of the more outré sequences.

Potentially more comprehensible to Russian speakers, the texts from poets and artists’ contracts are also more fragmented. Usually voiced by Kruglov, the word snatches are mumbled or distantly, although an undercurrent of aggression can be heard throughout. The emotion is also expressed in tandem with the fizz and rumbles of electronics as well as reed doits and clarion slurs. A crescendo is reached at the three-quarter point as muted recitation ascends to stentorian, drum pops and guitar riffs intensify and the saxophonists nearly break the sonic ceiling as their mutual multiphonic screams, aviary squawks and violent flattement are projected with the sort of intensity found in an Albert Ayler session with Charles Tyler. Although the piece ends with elevated reed tonguing, the linear evolution is also confirmed with tremolo, keyboard-like electronic patterns, drum shuffles and gentler string plinks.

Putin and his ilk may be attempting to recreate the pre-USSR Russian Empire by means of pseudo wars in Ukraine and elsewhere . A more welcome invasion would be from the sonic art exhibited here.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. We, the Undersigned 2. We, the Undersigned. Encore

Personnel: Alexey Kruglov (alto saxophone, horns, voice); Denis Uspensky (tenor saxophone, electronics); Oleg Dautov (guitar, electronics); Oleg Salkov (bass guitar) and Alexander Bitiutskikh (drums)