Oliver Schwerdt/Günter ‘Baby’ Sommer / Barry Guy

A singular program in more ways than one, One for My Baby and One More for the Bass is the first to harness the intense elation produced by Free Jazz veteran bassist Barry Guy and percussionist Baby Sommer together on the same session. Although the German drummer and British bassist have improvised alongside nearly every major sound explorer over the past 50 years, they have never played at the same gig. Organizer of this rare phenomenon is Leipzig pianist Oliver Schwerdt, who has worked with both singly in other circumstances and brought them together for the extended tracks here. The set’s other quirky anomaly is that while this is a two-CD set; the performances are exactly the same. What sets them apart is the mixing and mastering of the discs. CD1 is fully digital, while CD2 is mostly analogue. Unable to decide which mix he preferred Schwerdt decided to release both and let the listener choose.

While such minutiae will no doubt excite the techno=audio crowd, the musical pinnacles are more important for most. Schwerdt, Guy and Sommer are gripping as they operate as a unit. Non hierarchical despite the age difference, the pianist is an equal side of this sound triangle and provides dynamic expression with key feints, stops, detours, and pressures on the keyboard and pedals. As he slides kinetically back and forth through the exposition, Guy’s string slaps, stretches and pops add fluid animation, pausing only for spiccato and sul ponticello swipes. A disruptor as well, as a time keeper, Sommer not only crashes and bangs his standard kit with bass drum and tom-tom emphasis, but adds gong resonation, cymbal scratches, pennywhistle shrills and fruity harmonica sighs. Plus he constantly vocalizes enthusiasm with yelps and squalls. Guy’s door-stopper-like string buzzes also constantly sweep to provide bonding power for the improvisations, while Schwerdt’s keyboard slides and slithers add melodic content.

Using similar architectural construction on each track, with equal polytonal stretches from each player, the pieces evolved through swells and shatters at various lengths. Humor is also part of the mix. Guy impresses with violin-like multi-string facility at supersonic speeds at points. But that doesn’t stop one or both of the others to counter with a half-mocking, half-appreciative child-like toy horn counter melody or vibrate Jew’s harp loops as contrapuntal challenges.

Accelerating and descending at a variety of speeds, pitches, intensities and volumes, the trio cements musical interest from beginning to end. But it will up to the elephant ear audiophiles to decide which three-track version they prefer.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: CD 1: 1. One For My Baby And One More For The Bass 2. On The Road Again (Ausflüge zum Interhotel) 3. The Last Song (Air) CD 2: 1. One For My Baby And One More For The Bass 2. On The Road Again (Ausflüge zum Interhotel) 3. The Last Song (Air)

Personnel: Oliver Schwerdt (piano, percussion and little instruments); Barry Guy (bass) and Baby Sommer (drums, cymbals and percussion) plus Gilbert Eiche (mix+ master CD1); Robert Amarell (mix + master CD 2)