Lucas NiggliBig Zoom - Big Ball (Intakt)
Swiss drummer Lucas Niggli is unquestionably one of the more interesting and multifaceted talents to grace that country's creative music scene. Not only is he a very able-bodied traps player, but a bandleader, composer and founder/director of another of his country's more interesting indie labels, Unit Records. Having stepped back from that latter role, he has been pursuing a wide variety of projects in recent years, including the oddly named power-post free rock trio Steamboat Switzerland (with an issue on the German Grob label) and a very introspective sounding duo with compatriot pianist Sylvie Courvoisier (Lavin, Intakt 049). These two recordings capture him in what apparently is his most recent undertaking, the first of these in its basic trio configuration , the second in a slightly augemented one. In the former, the leader is joined by guitarist Phillip Schauffelberger and the highly touted trombonist from Cologne Niels Wogram. By and large, this is a band that has worked before, as there is a fine chemistry between the players which allows them not only to simply play the music but work through, around and with it at the same time. Yet, in spite of its title 'Rough Ride', the romp is not that bumpy, especially in the second half of the disc (tracks 5 to 7) where a thread of lyricism runs through each of the pieces. Conversely, the first half grinds more, starting from the skittering intro of the opening cut (one of two versions of the title track) and up until the drum solo feature "Fratzensack," where Niggli gives us his oblique (or updated) take on Gene Krupa. While listening to these pieces, I couldn't help think of Dave Douglas's Tiny Bell trio, not only because of the fact that this too is a bassless trio with a brass instrument up front, but also because of the writing itself that, on more than one occasion, evokes certain turns of phrases close to those of the American trumpeter. While not being wholly derivative, this trio's music is very much imbued by some of the more contemporary strands of American jazz.
As for the second disc, it features a quintet this time, but what a difference can two extra musicians make. Joining the basic threesome are bassist Peter Herbert (a native Austrian now living in the Apple) and clarinetist extraordinaire Claudio Puntin, a musician who has to be included asap on TDWR lists. Indeed, his solos on straight b-flat and bass clarinets (tracks 1,3,7,8) are simply breathtaking, virtuosic for sure, but full of exciting ideas which are flawlessly connected together. What's more, Niggli's originals are just that, except in one case, "eine kleine Bop Musik" (co-written with the trombonist), in which a dizzyingly-tempoed line is spun out effortelessly, but one can sense the underlying irony behind this exercise in style. Interestingly enough, all applause has been edited out on this side, which was culled from performances last year at the Willisau festival and an early 2002 gig in Zurich. By and large, these two solid outings are worth checking out, but no need to tell you which one is the pick of the pair.
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