Serge Baghdassarians / Boris Baltschun / Alessandro Bosetti / Michel Doneda
Strom
Potlatch
P 204
I admit that my first thought upon seeing this disc was, “There goes Jacques with his soprano players again!” Happily, “Strom” manages to achieve a strong, harsh balance between the reeds and the electronics employed, resulting in a cleansing, abrasive bath of sound.
The first of six pieces begins with sharp, sandy whistles from Doneda and Bosetti, augmented in kind by Baghdassarians (guitar and mixing desk—incidentally, no recognizable guitar sounds are to be found herein) and Baltschun (sampler—possibly one operated along Sachiko M lines?). This sets up the general mode of the disc, the four musicians remaining within touching distance of each other, intertwining with enough ease so as to often make distinguishing who’s doing what a futile exercise. The saxophonists favor long, whooshing lines, lending the pieces an automotive sense of forward thrust. The evocation of metal scraping metal, like old train wheels making a tight bend in the track, is almost inescapable. Things edge several more steps into brutality with the next track (all are titled “Stromung”, I, II, III, etc.), rasping flutters high and low, pinging flanges, massive engines beneath the floor, subsiding just a bit as the evening shift takes over. While that might be the single most impressive piece here, none of the others falls far short. Each is wonderfully self-contained, both concentrating on a given sound-area and still leaving the feeling of unconstrainedness. “Strom V” is quieter at its start but no less disturbing for its guttural belches and thin wheezes and it too erupts into a fantastic spray. The last selection, atwitter with spittle and buzz from the beginning, is a fine conclusion, blasting through subterranean passages, up into heavy traffic and out into the icy night air.
It’s an excellent recording, matching the strongest work I’ve heard from all of these musicians individually. Highly recommended.
~ Brian Olewnick
Posted by brian on November 28, 2004 9:30 AMAnother excellent review Brian, much appreciated thanks.
I bought this CD yesterday and it is still playing for the first time as I sit here now. I haven't taken it in well enough to pass a decent comment on it yet but first impressions are of a lovely recording.
Just wanted to comment on the great line about old train wheels on tight bends... I live within earshot of a shunting yard and laying in bed at night the sound is unmistakable, and for some reason strangely beautiful.
I have a very vague and equally unreliable memory of reading somewhere that Eddie Prevost put some of his love for the sound of bowed and scraped metal down to childhood memories of living alongside a railway line. I honestly am not sure if this is true or I imagined it up but listening to classic AMM albums you can definately hear the odd train or two in there!!!!
Boris plays a big keyboard as a sampler, with a zip drive. He uses samples, I believe (I played with him in October in LA)
Posted by: faster at November 28, 2004 7:57 PMand is "faster" your real name, or do you have any particular reason why you wouldn't like to share that information with us?
Posted by: Dan Warburton at November 28, 2004 10:29 PMI answered you yesterday, Dan, but seems to have been deleted?
I'm Joe Foster
Posted by: faster at November 30, 2004 9:07 PMhaha, I get the faster foster bit now! Thanks Joe! Did you get a recording of yr gig with Boris?
Your mail must have been deleted because you typed the word "breasts" or something :))
Just a session with Boris, Serge, Bryan Eubanks, and David Kendall, who I think recorded it (it was his living room after all). Eubanks may also have recorded it, but if so, only on a minidisc. I don't think the session was that good anyway. Not compared to what we were doing every night on that tour, at least.
Shared a bill with them the following night. I pitied Boris for having to lug around such an enormous machine to make such minimal sounds! Nice guys though. Pretty sure I'll run into them again somewhere.
Posted by: funster at November 30, 2004 10:24 PMI just wanted to announce that there is a promo sale on Potlatch website during the whole month of june 2005. Single CD at 12 euros (but the last release - Trio Sowari - remains at 15 euros). Double CD at 15 euros. Free shipping anywhere in the world. http://www.potlatch.fr
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