It was nearly eight years ago that Mexican born pianist-composer Mark Aanderud joined forces with Argentinian drummer Hernan Hecht.
Their chemistry was immediate and natural. "The first things we did
were all related to free music, with electronic elements or not, but
always with the idea of creating songs or forms in the moment," says
Aanderud. "We do have some incredible magic going on, inasmuch as we can
play concerts or record without ever speaking of music, and never
repeating ideas or stifling development. This actually hasn't changed
over the years."
From their initial encounter, the two kindred spirits progressed to the formation of Mole (pronounced Mo-Lay),
an exhilarating quartet that is breaking new ground in its approach to
contemporary jazz with their auspicious RareNoiseRecords debut, What's The Meaning?.
"I think this project is an inevitable spot in my career," says Hecht,
who is also a member of the RareNoiseRecords band Brainkiller. "It is
our version of contemporary jazz, the sum of all the things we've heard
and experienced in our lives related to jazz and everything else we have
acquired; sounds of other music, other arts, the sense of song. It's a
freedom of expression, not determined by traditional jazz or directly
from any line of traditional language learning. I am interested in music
that is broad, not determined by a style."
Though both Aanderud and Hecht would cringe at the prospect of being labeled a fusion band, Mole
does indeed fuse a variety of music styles, from jazz and rock to
classical, funk and hip-hop. "I don't really like the fusion concept,
but of course with all the groove and electronic elements in our music
it's natural to think it sounds like fusion a little bit," says
Aanderud. "But I see us more in the same line as groups like Phronesis,
e.s.t. and Kurt Rosenwinkel and in terms of electronic music, groups
like Sigur Rós, Massive Attack and Radiohead."
After
a few years of exploring their chemistry together, Aanderud and Hecht
began inviting other musicians into their inner circle to see how it
affected their music. "We always considered the possibility of
working with more people to achieve different characters, sounds and
experience new artistic possibilities," says Hecht. "So I instigated
tours and recordings with Tim Berne, Rick Parker, Eli Degibri,
Jonathan Kreisberg, Marco Renteria, Aaron Cruz and many more
musicians, always with the desire of novelty."
For their super-charged What's the Meaning?, Aanderud and Hecht recruited New York guitarist David Gilmore,
whose impressive list of credits includes tours and recordings with the
likes of Wayne Shorter, Trilok Gurtu, Don Byron and Steve Coleman's
Five Elements. "When we decided to tour with someone else from New York,
to have new sounds and pressure to work with someone already recognized
internationally, someone from which to learn with a shared philosophy
and professionalism, we automatically thought of David Gilmore," says
Hecht.
Adds
Aanderud, "There is probably no other guitarist as diverse in groove,
time and the free approach as him. So it was easy to know he was the one
we were looking for."
Rounding out the quartet is Mexican upright bassist Jorge "Luri" Molina,
whom Aanderud met years ago in their native country. "I've known Luri
since I started playing jazz music," says the keyboardist who is
currently based in Prague. "We were still kids and we were starting to
dig this music. He was a very straight-ahead player but he became one of
the most charismatic and strong rhythm players I know, and an
incredible musician who just understands any musical situation."
Throughout
the course of the eight pieces on this dynamic RareNoiseRecords
release, Hecht shifts gears from surging swing to slamming backbeats to
driving drum 'n' bass and sensitive, coloristic rubato playing. "My
approach to the instrument is completely determined by a lot of
different influences, says Hecht, who has resided in Mexico City for the
past 16 years. "Many drummers are important in my training, but I'm not
one of those musicians who listens only to the instrument they play.
What I like is the music and the depth of communication, not just my own
instrument. I like the relationship between all the instruments, so it
is possible that my playing is more influenced by a pianist than a
drummer."
The
opener, "PB," begins with free-form textural improvisations before
segueing to the cascading theme, played at odd intervals between
Aanderud's Wurlitzer electric piano and Gilmore's warm-toned electric
guitar. Molina grooves this piece with his steady, full-toned upright
bass sound as Hecht plays loosely and melodically around the kit.
Gilmore offers remarkably fluid six-string work, showcasing Wes
Montgomery-styled octave playing on his stellar solo. Hecht is turned
loose at the end of the piece, traversing the kit with boundless energy
and a flood of ideas. The hard-hitting "Stones" is fueled by Hecht's
kinetic drum 'n' bass pulse while Aanderud layers on
classically-inspired lines on grand piano. The moody "Trees And The Old
New Ones" opens with Molina's bowed bass setting a droning ambient tone.
He is soon joined by guest cellist Dorota Barova, who creates a
chamber-like latticework pattern of sound in tandem with Molina's bass.
Aanderud reveals his classical roots on this waltz-time number, which is
underscored by Hecht's sensitive, swirling brushwork and Gilmore's
deliberate, warm-toned guitar lines.
"Flour
Tortilla Variation" is a rock-tinged workout marked by Aanderud's
forceful piano motif and underscored by Hecht's sizzling drum 'n' bass
groove. Gilmore kicks in an aggressive guitar solo that will thrill
six-string connoisseurs. The darkly droning title track deals in
minimalism while also showcasing the indelible nature of Aanderud's
rhythmic hookup with partner Hecht. Mark brings a calming quality with
his restrained piano solo while Gilmore elevates the proceedings with
rare fretboard abandon, bringing this dynamic offering to a cathartic
peak.
"Greenland"
is a hypnotic jam featuring torrents of challenging unison lines by
Aanderud and Gilmore on top of an insistent groove laid down by Hecht
and Molina. Gilmore turns in another distortion-laced solo that adds
heat to this throbbing jam and Aanderud follows with a chiming Wurlitzer
solo that brings the piece to another level. For the accelerated
finale, "Grubenid," Gilmore breaks out some of the taut, odd-metered
James Brown-meets-Fela funk lines that he cultivated as a member of
Steve Coleman's Five Elements. Hecht feeds the funk with slickly
syncopated backbeats as Molina anchors the tune with his bubbling bass
groove.
Hecht and Aanderud have made a giant leap in their longstanding partnership on Mole's audacious debut, What's the Meaning?
Mole · What's The Meaning?
RareNoiseRecords · Release Date: May 15, 2012
For more information on Mole and RareNoiseRecords, visit:
For more information, please contact:
DL Media · (610) 667-0501
Maureen McFadden · maureen@dlmediamusic.com