Stemesder Lillinger

Put aside any preconceived ideas about German drummer Christian Lillinger and Austrian pianist Elias Stemeseder. While the two over the past few years have been involved in many projects that stretched the bounds of creative music Umbra moves farthest away from expected Jazz-like tropes.

During the CD’s 10 tracks Lillinger creates textures from a sampler and synthesizer as well as drums, while Stemeseder moves among synthesizer, electronics, Lautenwerk, a lute-harpsichord and Una Corda or one-string-per-key open-cabinet piano. Expanding sound synergy to trio or quartet forms, featured on different tracks are New York players bassist Russell Hall, banjoist/guitarist Brandon Seabrook, DoYeon Kim’s gayageum, a 12-string Korean plucked zither and piccolo trumpeter Peter Evans. It’s illusionary to imagine these instruments are used in a traditional manner however. Each is stretched past its usual limits as a sound source alongside the duo’s equipment.

Closest to expected improv are “. Cycle VI” and “Cycle VII”, with Evans and Seabrook. Drum shuffles, keyboard shakes and guitar frails create an intersecting exposition as harpsichord plinks, synthesizer drones and metallic clangs set up a counter melody. Meanwhile portamento brass triplets, spetrofluctuation and mouthpiece suckling surmounts other textures to climax with high-pitched but shaded grace notes. Nerve beats, press rolls and keyboard plinks are also present on a trio track with the trumpeter, but chief interest is the contrast between measured pianism and freeform brass scoops.

Inverse strategies involve the others as well. As organ-like synthesizer tones made up a backdrop, harsh banjo twangs and concentrated harp-like glissandi characterize “Cycle II”, whereas it’s Kim’s corrosive frails mixed with low-pitched strums which frequently contrapuntally challenges string patterns, metallic swishes and rattles or electronic oscillations to confirm the players unique angled intersection. Evocatory rather than thematic, Umbra’s tracks should be heard as inventive markers in the timbral journey Stemesder and Lillinger are on to define themselves and their music.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Cycle I + DoYeon Kim 2. Cycle II + DoYeon Kim Brandon Seabrook 3. 3 Cycle III + Russell Hall 4. Cycle IV 5. Cycle V + DoYeon Kim + Brandon Seabrook 6. Cycle VI + Peter Evans + Brandon Seabrook 7. Cycle VII + Peter Evans + Brandon Seabrook 8. Cycle VIII + DoYeon Kim 9. Cycle IX + Peter Evans 10. Cycle X + Russell Hall

Personnel: Peter Evans (piccolo trumpet); Elias Stemeseder (Lautenwerk synthesizer, electronics, Una Corda); Brandon Seabrook (banjo, guitar); Russell Hall (bass); DoYeon Kim (gayageum); Christian Lillinger (drums, sampler, synthesizer)