By

Martin Schray

As is so usually the case when an important musician has handed away, new releases
seem comparatively shortly after his loss of life. They’re often of relatively
mediocre high quality (simply consider the albums that got here out after Jimi
Hendrix’s loss of life), however generally they’re additionally thrilling, which will be proved
by some not too long ago launched Cecil Taylor recordings. Earlier than his loss of life in
June, Peter Brötzmann had already printed an important deal himself and one
has relatively puzzled skeptically what new elements additional recordings may
make clear. However to my shock one of many first posthumous releases,
Rooster Shit Bingo with Paal Nilssen-Love, one in every of his favourite drummers in
current years does precisely that and exhibits each musicians from an uncommon
contemplative aspect.

The 4 albums the 2 have launched to this point have been stay recordings, however
in 2015 they took a while in Antwerp to make a studio recording.
Brötzmann had purchased a contra-alto clarinet and was clearly so
enthusiastic concerning the sound of this instrument that he determined to play
nearly completely devices of the clarinet household. Solely a bass
saxophone – sound-wise not distant from the clarinets – is utilized in a couple of
items. For the session Nilssen-Love introduced a number of Korean gongs with
him, which he had additionally not used earlier than. Given the selection of devices,
it’s no marvel that the timbres open up fully new spheres for the
collaboration between the 2 – darker ones, extra melancholic, delicate and
fragile ones. Brötzmann, who has so usually been in comparison with Albert Ayler, is
extra harking back to Jimmy Giuffre in a bit like “South of No Return“, for
instance. That is additionally on account of the truth that he hardly ever makes use of the excessive
registers, so fascinated does he appear to be with the low notes. It’s as if
he performs them and then takes his time to take heed to them fading away. His
position fashions are additionally evident in his melodic writing: Ben Webster and
Coleman Hawkins. That is most evident initially of “Smuddy Water“, a
piece on which Brötzmann performs bass clarinet and initially explores the
decrease registers in a really consequent approach. Then, as if from nowhere, he
explodes, shifting expressively into the upper registers of the instrument,
solely to return to the depths after a minute and a half. It’s like an echo
from the previous days, as if he wished to be sure that he would have been
succesful to play like this as properly.

Ultimately, “Ant Eater Hornback Lizard“, the final piece, is an instance of
how properly the interaction with Nilssen-Love works, even when it’s way more
refined than on their earlier recordings. Right here too, Brötzmann exhales into
his instrument, nothing is left of the previous fireplace breather of the early
years. Nilssen-Love accompanies him much more restraint, utilizing tambourines,
hand drums and the low bass drum. At the tip, the piece appears to vanish
imperceptibly in a deep void.

Rooster Shit Bingo could possibly be a misplaced soundtrack to a film by Akira Kurosawa.
And right here’s the most effective information: a second quantity of music from the identical studio
session can be launched on vinyl in 2024, together with a CD of stay
recordings.

Rooster Shit Bingo is accessible on vinyl, as a CD and as a obtain.