By

Martin Schray

On the starting of the Nineteen Nineties Jeffrey Morgan, an alto saxophonist from
Seattle, got here to Cologne. In 1993 he, Stefan Keune (sopranino and tenor
saxophones), Martin Speicher (sopranino and altosaxophones) and Joachim
Zoepf (sopranino and altosaxophones) fashioned a saxophone quartet that was
totally different from most of what had been heard within the area of free
improvisation as much as then – and in reality to today: The musicians centered
on sound manufacturing, but additionally on a excessive diploma of expressivity. The
problem was not solely to push the saxophone’s prospects to its limits,
but additionally to mix the totally different taking part in types and attitudes of the
totally different gamers right into a punchy complete. On the one hand, it was all about
musical interplay and communication, confrontation and invitation on the
identical time. Alternatively, it was additionally about violence, outcast standing
and supreme freedom, which was additionally to be understood as a reference to the
irony of the venture’s title. In any case, William Bonney was nobody else however
Billy The Child.

As a consequence, The Legal guidelines of William Bonney – a group of musical
fragments from over 14 years of the band’s existence – nonetheless calls for quite a bit
of the listeners. Stunning melodies are nowhere to be discovered, nor are
uniform beats. As a substitute, one million totally different concepts and totally different
interjections shoot out of each nook. The quartet spared no danger “usually
coming precariously near the restrict of falling off with out ever dropping
the need to cross it. Protected paths had been unknown to the quartet, even
although every of them knew tips on how to contribute their private and examined
elements“, because the liner notes reveal. Morgan, Keune, Specter and Zoepf
hurtle by the stratosphere and generate an unlimited density of
info by frenzied pace and subtlety. That is primarily achieved
by the usage of contrasts. Usually, one of many 4 produces deep, darkish
drones, one other swings off in a barely recognizable method, whereas the opposite
two fireplace away like snipers. “XI – 2006“ is exemplary for his or her philosophy
of music. Right here you possibly can see all their creative talent, which isn’t
celebrated as an finish in itself, it’s merely radiant magnificence. It’s a pool of
chirps, tongue beats, effervescent and cascades of sound, pushed to a degree
the place all the things comes collectively. As a listener you can not escape this pull.
The music is exhausting in essentially the most optimistic sense and relentlessly
self-referential. When dialogical improvisation transforms a quartet right into a
kaleidoscopic marvel of sound, when saxophones transcend worldly
boundaries, it’s like 45 minutes of fireworks.

Sadly, it’s not shocking that the quartet remained an insider tip
within the underground. It was averted by so-called jazz connoisseurs anyway,
as a result of they regarded free jazz as formless and amateurish, however even
conventional free jazzers knew little about it as a result of the quiet sound
explorations meant nothing to them. What’s extra astonishing is the actual fact
why a label like FMP didn’t trouble with this music, particularly as they
launched a associated venture with Duets, Dithyrambisch by Wolfgang Fuchs,
Hans Koch, Evan Parker and Louis Sclavis (though this was about
alternating duets) in 1990.

As a consequence, the tip of this journey got here in 2007. It’s subsequently
all of the extra welcome that the choice has been taken to make this
forgotten gem accessible once more.

The Legal guidelines of William Bonney Saxophone Quartet 1993 – 2007 is obtainable as a
obtain.

You’ll be able to pay attention to it and purchase it right here: