ABOUT THE LABEL - RareNoiseRecords was founded in late 2008 by two Italians, guitarist/arranger/ producer Eraldo Bernocchi and all-round music nut Giacomo Bruzzo. Located
in London, the label was created to present a platform to musicians and
listeners alike who think beyond musical boundaries of genre. For
further information and to listen please go to www.rarenoiserecords.com.
New York, September 2, 2014
- There's a sense of mystery, majesty and daring surrounding this
remarkably deep studio session, the first of its kind for the
adventurous renegade label RareNoiseRecords. Each piece resounds with
such compelling, conversational, in-the-moment playing that it sets a
new standard in collective improvisation. "I believe it raises the bar
for what improvised music can achieve on record," says pianist Jamie
Saft of Red Hill, the group's mesmerizing debut on the RareNoise label.
Fueled
by the urgent high note blasts and expressive muted trumpet work of
avant-garde icon Wadada Leo Smith and underscored by an uncanny
group-think of RareNoise stalwarts Saft (Metallic Taste of Blood,
Slobber Pup, Plymouth, The New Standard) on keyboards, Joe Morris
(Plymouth, Slobber Pup, One) on acoustic bass and Balazs Pandi (Obake,
Metallic Taste of Blood, Slobber, Pup, One) on drums, Red Hill is
a kind of clarion call for the new avant-garde. "It's rare that four
improvisers with such a broad depth of approach are given complete
freedom to construct an album such as this," adds Saft. "I think there
is nothing like Red Hill. It is a wholly unique and previously
unheard shape for an album. The session was totally improvised. No
sketches or preconceptions, really no discussion at all before playing."
A dynamic, highly intuitive offering, Red Hill
is full of tensions and releases and characterized by dramatic use of
space juxtaposed with turbulent crescendos by the provocative
collective. That this music really breathes and flows organic is due in
no small part to the incredibly sensitive, remarkably flexible playing
of drummer Balazs, who covers a very wide spectrum on this recording.
"Balazs has a sense of freedom that is rare in improvised music," says
Saft. "He brings a depth of knowledge of both hardcore and metal music
as well as free jazz and noise styles. He is of the moment and always
pushing forward. He's a deep listener and a sympathetic thinker, so
improvising with Balazs always flows properly." Saft has similarly high
praise for Pandi's rhythm tandem mate, bassist Joe Morris. "His approach
to the acoustic bass is completely unique and like nothing else in this
world. Joe pushes the music into uncharted territory while sustaining
the flow brilliantly. The idea of 'Snake Time' is in full effect here,
and Joe and Balazs together create truly unique and crucial spaces to
frame the improvising."
Pandi's
sensitive, highly interactive brushwork and coloristic cymbals
underscore Smith's lyrical muted trumpet playing on the sparse opener,
"Gneiss." And yet, when that piece builds to a turbulent crescendo near
the end, the drummer is right there to fuel the frantic proceedings.
With mallets, Pandi engages in a conversational duet with Smith at the
outset to "Janus Face," a piece that evolves from slow, open rubato
statements to dense explosions of tumultuous free jazz sparked by Saft's
Cecil Taylor-esque attack on the piano. Saft switches to Fender Rhodes
electric piano to attain another color on "Agpaitic," a conversational
romp that features some aggressive bowing on the bass by Morris. And
Pandi supplies the rolling free pulse beneath Morris' trance-like bass
ostinato and Smith's edgy trumpet excursions on "Tragic Wisdom," which
also has intrepid improvisor Saft plucking strings inside his piano.
Silence
is the watchword on "Debts of Honor," a thoughtful improvisation which
evolves gradually over the course of nine minutes from zen-like
tranquility to intense crescendo paced by Pandi's relentless drumming
and Saft's spiky piano comping and is highlighted by some of Smith's
most powerful blowing of the session. The trumpeter begins the closing
number, "Arfvedsonite," with a high-note blast before Morris enters with
some insistent arco work to create an edgy texture. Pandi's rolling
pulse with mallets and Morris' resounding bass tones quickly establish a
solid launching pad for Wadada's stratospheric improvisations on
trumpet, bringing this spell-binding collection to a ferocious
conclusion.
"I
have worked with Wadada in the past both as a pianist and also as an
studio engineer," says Saft of the revered elder statesman of this Red Hill session. "I was thrilled to record and mix Wadada's large ensemble album Lake Biwa
as well as contribute some piano to it. I've worked closely with Wadada
in the studio in the past and witnessed his incredible focus and deeply
intuitive way of putting together albums. So it was thrilling for me to
get the opportunity to put together this album with a lead voice as
strong and important as Wadada's. My approach to this record was to
accompany and support him as deeply and as intuitively as possible. All
decisions were made in service of the whole."
Adds
Morris, "I first heard Wadada in my hometown of New Haven in 1973-74.
I've always paid attention to him, heard all of his work, read his
writings. We've known each other for more than 30 years but this was the
first time we've had the chance to work together. I think of Wadada as a
master trumpeter/improviser and as the inventor of his own methodology.
He has a completely unique sound and way of playing. He uses space and
pulse in very sophisticated ways, and he always plays everything from
the deepest part of his being. He's a beautiful person, artist and
musician. He always brings out the best in everyone around him."
With
the iconic Smith inspiring the rest of the crew of Saft, Morris and
Pandi on this freewheeling session, the four daring improvisers hit a
stirring accord on Red Hill, their monumental debut on RareNoise Records.
TRACKS
- Gneiss
- Janus Face
- Agpaitic
- Tragic Wisdom
- Debts Of Honor
- Arvedsonite
