Victor Gelling / Gabriel Rosenbach / Victor Fox / Leif Berger

Jason Candler/Jesse Dulman

The Mighty Alpacas

Guarsh G02

Alpacas are South American mammals whose fiber is used for making knitted and woven items. Yet for some reason they’re referenced in these distinctive discs by an American duo and a German quartet. Although links between groups playing probing improvised music and these social herd animals are tenuous, perhaps the fact that alpacas can spit up to 10 feet and constantly make humming, clucking, grumbling, snorting and screeching noises may suggest Jazz horn players in full flight. But comparisons can only go so far.

On Alpakafarm the Köln-based Victor Gelling 4 (VG4) performs mostly originals by its bassist/leader as well as standards. Other members in this modern-mainstream configuration are trumpeter Gabriel Rosenbach, tenor saxophonist/bass clarinetist Victor Fox and drummer Leif Berger. More unconventional in instrumentation and repertoire, the 13 selections on The Mighty Alpacas are played by New York-based tubaist Jesse Dulman, who has recorded with Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre and Jason Candler, part of the Earth People band, who adds effects to his alto and baritone saxophone playing here.

Signalling its links to the tradition, the VG4 ends its recital with a solemn recasting of “Come Sunday” with melodic embellishments from harmonized bass clarinet and scalar trumpeting bookended by savory melodic sweeps from the bassist. Meanwhile a brief reading of “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans” is outlined with constricted sentiments expressed by bass thumps, fruity reed slurs and trumpet neighs. More personal, Gelling’s six originals are mid-range, languid or spiky, with often-harmonized or call-and-response horn lines, drum pops and rim shots plus andante probes from the bassist.

Rosenbach’s inferences encompass pre-modern plunger asides and contemporary half-valve work, and Fox’s saxophone output moves from spetrofluctuation to boudoir-like breathiness. Juddering between exposition and decoration, contrasting strategies are obvious on “Nichts von Nachtigallen” and “Der sowjetrussische dialektische Materialismus”. The latter has a “William Tell Overture” vibe with elevated brass puffs, dyspeptic saxophone slurs and arco bass sweeps that builds excitement through reed doits and fluid double bass pacing. The former combines a yearning narrative pulled forward by double bass and reed pacing that turns into an ambulatory showpiece for Fox’s strident reed vibrations and Rosenbach’s high pitched vamps.

In contrast, extended techniques are the main feature of the Candler-Dulman duo, especially when the former’s synthesized effects fragment saxophone textures or multiple them into reed choirs. Whether the output is close to alpaca interface must be decided by zoologists, but the textures and discursive paths taken should interest musicologists. Sleekly affiliating brass pumps into an undulating continuum, Dulman’s chromatic puffs enhance and solidify the expositions so that Candler’s reed excursions, prowls and detours can honk, yelp and trill while remaining anchored. This is particularly effective on “Grazing” where an andante tuba line is interrupted by accelerating reed split tone screeches, though the march-like tuba tones keep the burbling line horizontal. The tuba’s hippo-waddle-like propelling is constantly effective adding solidity to alto saxophone effects which also include dips into calliope and penny whistle shrieks. Yet it’s equally effective as a multiphonic foil to baritone saxophone excursions. Those fluctuating reed stutters are showcased on tracks like “Almost Mashed Potatoes” and “Horseshoes and Hand Grenades”. On the first, the leap between low-pitched melody and altissimo screams is put into bold relief by Dulman’s move from Tubby-the-tuba-like tones to intertwined pitch-tone acceleration. The latter tune’s move from collective metronomic drone to a presto line of stabbing reed split tones and elephantine smears makes the track both swinging and symmetrical. A Blues only in name, the concluding “Alpaca Blues” neatly wraps up the wool-like swatches aurally displayed throughout into a rollicking collection of fast-paced reed and brass growls and gurgles that conclusively suggest and complete the many tones displayed in earlier sequences.

While it’s fairly certain that these CDs won’t become soundtracks for alpaca farms, human wool fanciers and others should be drawn to them.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Alpakafarm: 1. Hinterland 2. Nichts von Nachtigallen 3. Laternen I (/ 4. Der sowjetrussische dialektische Materialismus 5. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? 6. Das Nächsten-Dienstag Problem 7. Laternen II 8. Come Sunday

Personnel: Alpakafarm: Gabriel Rosenbach (trumpet and flugelhorn); Victor Fox (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet); Victor Gelling (bass) and Leif Berger (drums)

Track Listing: Alpacas: 1, Tortoise Sunrise 2. New Galaxy 3. Gumshoe Melodrama 4. Mahler’s Revenge 5. Grazing 6. Strolling with the Ducks 7. Almost Mashed Potatoes 8. Lavender Dreams 9. Horseshoes and Hand Grenades 10. Indifferent Vegetables 11. Alpaca Blues

Personnel: Alpacas: Jason Candler (alto and baritone saxophones and effects) and Jesse Dulman (tuba)