By Nick Metzger

Three extra releases to debate with Johansson, right here within the firm of three
of his biggest co-conspirators in Luten Petrowsky, Rüdiger Carl, and Hans
Reichel. It was very unhappy information this 12 months relating to the passing of
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, an enormous of European free improvisation. Regardless of
being in ill-health over a lot of the final decade, as famous in Martin’s

remembrance, these archival releases discover him in nice firm and making the sorts of
music that endeared him to us. He was additionally probably the most enduring GDR
musician working in free music and if you’re within the temper for a little bit
complementary studying I got here throughout a very good essay within the

Important Research in Improvisation

Journal from Harald Kisiedu on Petrowsky and the beginnings of experimental
jazz throughout the GDR

right here. Improbable stuff and enlightening for these of us who weren’t there.
Sven-​Å​ke Johansson, who stated that the members of the group all met throughout
numerous excursions throughout the GDR and West Germany (when ELP was permitted),
shared: “Within the late 70’s I invited ELP to West Berlin for just a few initiatives,
amongst them there was an ensemble that performed items by operetten composer
Paul Lincke (1866 – 1946). We performed preparations from: „wir sind immer
noch Berliner“, „morgens früh um fünfe“ and others. In the same challenge he
was invited, however the GDR authorities refused to provide him a journey doc
from East Berlin to West Berlin. Due to that the efficiency was
recorded by the RIAS (Radio in American Sector), considered one of many political video games
in the time of the Chilly Struggle. The music of the efficiency may be heard on:
“Sven-åke
Johansson and the NMUI im SO 36 -79“ on GROB and Olof Brilliant Data.”

As promised Sven-Åke Johansson has stored these archival
Bergisch-Brandenburgisches Quartett releases coming at a gradual drip over
the final 4 years. It’s a reasonably exceptional growth contemplating that
their eponymous 1984

debut

on Amiga (one other political sport of the GDR) was the one documentation of
this gnarly conglomerate – except for the odd bootleg – till
‘Free
Postmodernism’ popped up on the SÅJ Bandcamp web page again in 2020. This
was adopted up with
‘vorwiegend
blaues Gezwitscher’ in 2021, one other wonderful and extremely really useful
1981 date. It’s additionally price noting in a BBQ roundup that there was a
separate iteration of the Quartett known as the BBBQ (British Bergisch
Brandenburgisches Quartett) that featured Steve Beresford on piano filling
in for Petrowsky on reeds. For these , the one launch of the
BBBQ that I do know of is included within the SÅJ boxed set
“the
80’s – choose concert events”, a bonkers assortment with an almost
four-and-a-half hour run time – and a steal for the value. Beneath I focus on
three releases, one we’ll name pre-BBQ – because it matches properly inside their
canon – finds Johansson, Reichel, and Petrowsky as a trio in 1980, after which
there are two BBQ recordings from 1982, one at Moer’s Competition and one at
the Complete Music Assembly (TMM) in Berlin. Each of the BBQ releases characteristic
the traditional lineup of Johansson on percussion, and so forth., Petrowsky and Rüdiger
Carl on reeds (principally), and Reichel on guitar, and naturally you know when
Johansson and Carl are collectively there are often dueling accordions shut
at hand.

Hans Reichel & Sven​-​Å​ke Johansson with Ernst Ludwig Petrowsky – Loft München 1980 (SÅJ, 2023) 

I received a little bit little bit of background on this launch from Johansson who stated
that the BBQ was fashioned within the Summer season of 1980, so this January 1980 date
simply precedes the teams formation. He and Reichel had performed just a few duo
concert events in direction of the top of the 70’s and invited ELP alongside for this date.
He additionally famous that that is most likely the primary and solely efficiency of this
trio – because it was principally the BBQ formation after that – so it’s a
vital, historic launch for these of us paying consideration. The
recording captures their live performance in a fleeting efficiency house known as the
Loft in Munich. The sound is superb for an archival launch, just some
slight tape hiss, and the music is even higher. The instrumentation has
Johansson on percussion, Reichel on guitar, and Petrowsky on reeds and
flute. Their enjoying is recent and pressing and the recording stretches to an
hour and 40+ minutes, so there may be a whole lot of music right here.

The primary piece doesn’t waste any time getting into the great things.
Johansson is excessive power out of the gate and ELP obliges with some nasty
traces while Reichel finds his footing and rapidly bubbles to the highest. It
appears like SÅJ is enjoying pots and pans (he very properly could also be) towards the
staccato enjoying of the guitar and saxophone. Issues ultimately loosen and
the enjoying turns into extra inquisitive, ELP and Reichel commerce barbs over the
scrapes and scratches of the percussion. The second piece palpably sprouts
on this valley – the sounds of drums and guitar barely trickling from the
gamers. Plinking single notes puff amid bowed cymbals and birdlike reed
screeches. Reichel and ELP have interaction in a lowercase conflict of prolonged approach
and percussive amalgams whereas SÅJ narrates. The trio promptly spools up as
Johansson returns to the equipment and like falling dominos the depth resumes
in an excellent flurry of free play to shut the piece. On “Loft III”
accordion takes prominence within the three-way dialogue, with ELP again on sax
and Reichel scratching, tapping, and rubbing audio phantoms to life. It’s a
comparatively quick piece of enquiring back-and-forth that serves as a bridge
into the subsequent piece’s wild tapped guitar intro. Typically you assume Reichel
is completely off in his personal world, plunking out Waltz or R&B rhythms, and
then he’ll swoop again into the fold and all of it makes good sense. The
monitor bustles just like the floor of a pond with a water strider infestation –
tiny ripples discharge, replicate, and intermingle.

The fifth phase beings with a phantasmagoria of satisfied guitar harmonics
and bowed cymbal. Prepare whistle flute tones coast inside a body bounded by
unsettled, jerky, mechanical rhythms. The depth of the music ebbs and
flows, rising in depth till you assume it’s going to boil over earlier than
receding fully right into a welcome poetry recitation that lands someplace
between Sinatra and Stroszek. “Loft VI” is already properly in movement as we
be a part of (maybe the tape ran out), with the trio nearly at a full gallop. It
finds the trio agitated and tempestuous, ELP completely wailing towards the
two-fold grit laid down by Johansson and Reichel. Looking out chords and
scratching noises provoke the seventh part of the set. There may be some
stray music within the left channel, laborious to inform if it’s a tape artifact or a
group enjoying in one other room, curious certainly, it continues all through the
monitor intermittently. The accordion returns after a couple of minutes of this
with ELP on clarinet. The piece is scant, naked bones fare aside from some
exceptional yelping from the clarinet.“Loft VII” begins rather more
assertively, grounded by the drums Reichel additionally works his instrument over
in a really percussive method as Petrowsky enthusiastically solos. Gaining
momentum as they feed off one another, the piece reaches a end result of
efforts earlier than settling right into a taut dialogue between ELP and SÅJ. The subsequent
piece can also be a relatively meager, a slight growth is constructed up, however
that is principally lowercase improvisation. A slowly unfurling exploration of
the drum equipment finally ends up. The tenth piece is the set nearer and it begins
with a excessive power burst earlier than lolling off momentarily right into a extra relaxed
posture. Petrosky’s hoarse alto traces discover frequent floor with the
machinations of Reichel’s enjoying and Johansson retains all of it flowing. Spare
accordion toots, recitations, and copious tape hiss shut out a terrific
set.

Bergisch-Brandenburgisches Quartett – BBQ Reside ‘82 (Black Truffle, 2022)

The primary of the BBQ releases was put out final 12 months on Oren Ambarchi’s
terrific Black Truffle imprint, and as of this writing there are nonetheless
vinyl copies accessible, each from the label and from Johansson. The
recording is from the 1982 Moer’s Competition and the sound high quality is nice.
The set begins off with plucky ruminations of the double bridge selection and
disjointed percussion. Carl serves up multitudes of grima on the Brazilian
cuica, a small Brazilian drum, as Petrowsky follows on clarinet. Reichel’s
guitar sound hovers within the background like an alien spacecraft, warbly and
outlandish, whereas the reedsmen wail like startled abductees. Johansson
works all method of percussion and objects, giving the improvisation a
crooked, hinted at construction that’s madly reconnoitred by the bass
clarinet and flute. He then switches to accordion and begins his serenade,
joined in brief order by Carl with steampipe flute accents from Luten and
the tapped, pointillist patterns of Reichel. These patterns set-up the subsequent
phase, as Johansson returns to his equipment, Carl switches to Tenor, and
Petrowsky to baritone and the group returns to free jazz blow-out
territory. The group covers a whole lot of floor on this monitor in specific and
it’s a terrific instance of the free jazz/bop/people fusion that makes this group
so fascinating to hearken to. The second half of the set sprouts from the
seeds of the primary, with the group in an inquisitive dialogue of woozy
guitar shimmer and percussive swing that pulls a number of playful quotes and
references from the horns. Judging from the chuckles and hoots of the group
there may be one thing the listener misses by not being there, as is usually
the case, and the band appears like they’re additionally having a good time
(Reichel even performs some straight guitar). The sound once more dissociates and
goes on a softer path with Johansson crooning and whistling the best way earlier than
splintering into parallel streams of snake charmer whistles, sizzling guitar
licks, and half sung people melodies that doubtless performed out spectacularly in
entrance of the audibly entertained onlookers.

Bergisch-Brandenburgisches Quartett – BBQ at TMM 1982 (SÅJ, 2023) 

This second set from the Quartett was recorded on the Complete Music Assembly
(TMM), once more in 1982, so the instrumentation is just about the identical,
beginning with Carl’s cuica which supplies the primary piece its title. Rubs and
squeaks merge with the aural potpourri of Reichel and Johansson as ELP provides
melody on flute. The chiming haze of guitar relents to a low finish thrum
sometimes. Stating the plain, there actually isn’t anybody else like
Reichel – in a gaggle setting or in any other case. The tempo quickens and the
reedsmen have interaction in dueling dialogue with transient bouts of carnival music and
people piercing their move. Because the power relaxes the accordion makes its
first look and the quartet stretches out. Johansson recites poetry
and the cuica and accordion get acquainted in some critically pleasant
music making. There are segments of lengthy held tones by the woodwinds, drone
like, with Reichel’s saucer of mercury spilling in every single place. The
subsequent monitor “Figur” begins with some critically bluesy ruminations. Woody
clarinet runs and accordion honks move down a stream of turbulent
percussion and strolling guitar thump. Insect-like sounds buzz the periphery
as avant people pours from the accordion and Johansson units to work on his
traps. Audible chuckles from the viewers throughout quieter moments once more
reveal that tape can’t seize the entire efficiency, and with the manic
nature and circus calls which can be audible it appears like time with
BBQ certainly. There are some nice interactions b/w the reeds and guitar on
this piece, Reichel’s enjoying sustaining a bluesy undertow all through a lot
of the monitor. On “Roll” we get simply that from Johansson with some very
chime-like, dry guitar and percussive reed pops. The drums relent and
Johansson recites improvised poetry as all method of dirty sounds manifest,
together with what appears like violin, I assume from Reichel (it was his
childhood instrument). After the spoken phrase the monitor explodes into wild
improvisation, the saxophones growling, yowling, bellowing. On “Sunny
Aspect”, the ultimate piece of the set, the stage is about for Johansson who
croons and laments. Reichel plucks harmonics that drift like sky lanterns
towards heavy bellows noise and shiny accordion melodies. The Quartett
shifts between modes of dry, probing dynamism and explosive,
torch-the-village melees earlier than wrapping the monitor in introspection, maybe
as a reminder to maintain on the sunny aspect of life.