Hommage/Vier Fauste/Vom Sprengen Des Gartens

Jazz | Oct 2007

Reviews

Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2007-12-09
Sax/piano duets (sometimes accordion): European flair with a sense of fun, crossing serious jazz improv with a movie-soundtrack aura, Euro-cafe settings, and a touch of Nino Rota circus acts. Two CDs, each a reissue of a mid-'70s album.

Each CD has 20 seconds of silence, to represent turning the record over. That's the kind of not-so-serious mood present in the session.

Disc 1 is good for European drama and flair. Gets goofy and silly. It alternates compositions by Hanns Eisler (fun and lighthearted, somtimes sounding like Euro chase music) with duet improvs (equally spirited; the guys goof off, sticking to themes that match Eisler's attitudes).

Disc 2 -- The more serious one. Some composed tracks (6,12, parts of 1,8) ... Touches of ECM-like European jazz (melodic, unconventional but easy on the ears: see 1,5,9,11) with some oddball improv (4) and a couple of songs that could fit on Disc 1 (#12, esp.)

DISC ONE
1- Two compositions -- theatrical, dramatic -- bookended by an improv that gets into some good crashing
2- Melodic improv flow; gets intense but not stomy. Some nice piano chording in there. Some playful goofiness towards the end.
3- Fun, swooping improv with accordion
4- Fast patter, a goofy kind of ceremonial march
5- Oktoberfest party accordion
6- (20 seconds of silence)
7- Abstract and skittery, fast
8- Soaring, fluttering improvisation, fast but moody
9- Bustling keystone cops, then serious fast piano
10- Spiky little piece
11- Chipper little cafe music, a bit sentimental
12- 46 seconds of bouncy Nino Rota fun

DISC TWO
13- Pleasant, light jazz, quite accessible.
14- Fast, serious. A bit emotional, a bit crazed.
15- Euro soundtack drama, fairly fast, gets high & a bit silly
16- Bird-call sounds (?!) & twittery improv
17- Fast patter, catchy piano intro
18- Two saxes: Perky, playfully stern. Classical interpretation.
19- (20 seconds of silence)
20- Serious church organ. Loungy sax, ends with a scream.
21- A delicate atmosphere, often fast but careful. Nicely serious.
22- Fast piano staircase, overblown sax wail
23- Slowly stormy jazz, emotional
24- Beer-hall sentimental. Slow, w/accordion.
25- Bouncy, jazzy, goes off-center.

Recent airplay

Der Zerrissene Rock/So, Das Ist, Was Wir Brauchen/Gedanken Uber Die Rote Fahne
Memory SelectFeb 08, 2008
Zur Uberwindung Von Schwierigkeiten
The Rent PartyFeb 08, 2008
Los Campesinos
Memory SelectFeb 01, 2008
Wenn Der Pfortner Kommt
Baptism of SolitudeJan 16, 2008
Vorwarts!
Memory SelectJan 11, 2008
Zur Uberwindung Von Schwierigkeiten

Charting

2007-12-09 — 2008-02-10 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Feb 10 2
Feb 3 1
Jan 20 1
Jan 13 2
Jan 6 1
Dec 23 1
Dec 16 1

Track listing

1. Der Zerrissene Rock/So, Das Ist, Was Wir Brauchen/Gedanken Uber Die Rote Fahne
2. Zur Uberwindung Von Schwierigkeiten
3. Die Wirtshausszene
4. Grossvater Stoffel
5. Sieg Im Volkslied!
6. (20 Seconds Of Silence)
7. Die Haltbare Graugans - Ostwarts Mit Oder Nach Quong Quong?
8. Lange Weile
9. Vorwarts!
10. Fugato Spontini
11. Spui' Ma' Wieder Oan, Dass D'zeit Vergeht
12. Clowns
13. Vom Spengen Des Gartens
14. Rock Gegen Rechts
15. Krahenmusik
16. Der Ruf Der Vogel
17. Wenn Der Pfortner Kommt
18. Le Rappel Des Oiseaux
19. (20 Seconds Of Silence)
20. Rezitativ
21. Almelo
22. Vom Sprengen Des Gartens III
23. Los Campesinos
24. Ich Grolle Nicht
25. Bis Bald, Calypso