The Squid's Ear Magazine


Vandermark / Kugel / Tokar: No-Exit Corner (Not Two)

The second CD by the trio featuring tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Ken Vandermark, drummer Klaus Kugel, and bassist Mark Tokar, the band back at Krakow's Alchemia Club, bringing these three Chicago and European players together for a skronky, energetic romp of commanding playing alongside unorthodox approaches and powerfully creative intent.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Ken Vandermark-tenor saxophone, clarinet

Klaus Kugel-drums, percussion

Mark Tokar-double bass


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UPC: 5906395187393

Label: Not Two
Catalog ID: MW979-2
Squidco Product Code: 26353

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2018
Country: Poland
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at the Alchemia Club, in Krakow, Poland, on December 12th, 2016, by Rafal Drewniany.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Vandermark, Kugel and Tokar are back at The Alchemia Club in Krakow, where they recorded Escalator in May 2016.

Since their last release, Vandermark's been very productive. The Construct Series with DEK Trio has been finished, another monumental release with DKV Trio, the first and second release with his new group Marker, and the second and third album in the Momentum series. And this is just a selection.

Drummer Kugel has a very long background of collaborations with Peter Evans, Switchback, Rivers of sound ensemble, Jemeel Moondoc and many more. The latest release with him playing I believe is with John Edwards and Joe McPhee (Journey To Parazzar, Not Two Records MW975-2) and is definitely an album I look forward to hearing.

Bassist Tokar; Resonance Ensemble (if you find the massive 10-CD Resonance box, do not hesitate to pick it up), Ultramarine and various other collaborations.

This is classic free jazz of very high quality, which we have come to expect from anything involving Vandermark. It's also a trio which sounds very closely knitted together, as a group.

'Left Sided Driver' is packed with energy. It has Vandermark blowing his heart and soul out, varying the theme endlessly. He's bending, twisting and turning trying to find ways in and out of the music. Wave after wave rush over me but Kugel and Tokar knows exactly where to go. The end of 'Left Sided Driver' is an elegant study in leaving it all out there. Well, the end is more like a quarter of the song in which the trio builds up energy to the boiling point. It's a feverish theme moving machine-like forward, stomping and crushing.

Appropriately enough, they follow-up with a slightly more introvert performance. Tokar gives us an extended presentation, or should I say conversation that has the resemblance of listening to people talking on the other side of a wall. Chimes and bells lead us to the next part which has an intimate Vandermark continuing the story-telling. But something is not right. There's a mellow melody trying to reach through and explain. As always, Vandermark will keep it going until his companions joins him. Sure enough, the trio join forces and we get to hear a bluesy theme that propels the song onwards until the inevitable happens: it all falls to pieces, except for Tokar who I can hear keeping calm while Vandermark and Tokar takes off, at least to begin with. Excitement builds up and suddenly its over and we get a few moments to relax.

This is also how this great album continues, with tensions building up and being let go. With individual freedom always present, yet with Vandermark as the unifying force that brings it all back home. Kugel reminds me of Paal Nilssen-Love on this album, with a lot of emotions happening in the moment, whereas Tokar has a lyrical expression that I really appreciate. I will be keeping my eyes open for more albums where he's playing."-Gustav Lindqvist, The Free Jazz Collective


Get additional information at The Free Jazz Collective

Artist Biographies

"Born in Warwick, Rhode Island on September 22nd, 1964, Ken Vandermark began studying the tenor saxophone at the age of 16. Since graduating with a degree in Film and Communications from McGill University during the spring of 1986, his primary creative emphasis has been the exploration of contemporary music that deals directly with advanced methods of improvisation. In 1989, he moved to Chicago from Boston, and has worked continuously from the early 1990's onward, both as a performer and organizer in North America and Europe, recording in a large array of contexts, with many internationally renowned musicians (such as Fred Anderson, Ab Baars, Peter Brötzmann, Tim Daisy, Hamid Drake, Terrie Ex, Mats Gustafsson, Devin Hoff, Christof Kurzmann, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Joe McPhee, Paal Nilssen-Love, Paul Lytton, Andy Moor, Joe Morris, and Nate Wooley). His current activity includes work with Made To Break, The Resonance Ensemble, Side A, Lean Left, Fire Room, the DKV Trio, and duos with Paal Nilssen-Love and Tim Daisy; in addition, he is the music director of the experimental Pop band, The Margots. More than half of each year is spent touring in Europe, North America, and Japan, and his concerts and numerous recordings have been critically acclaimed both at home and abroad. In addition to the tenor sax, he also plays the bass and Bb clarinet, and baritone saxophone. In 1999 he was awarded the MacArthur prize for music."

-Ken Vandermark Website (http://kenvandermark.com/2013/10/made-to-break-biography/)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Klaus Kugel studied at the School of Jazz in Munich. Since 1989 he attracted attention worldwide through projects with Petras Vysniauskas, Karl Berger, Tomasz Stanko, Charlie Mariano, Kent Carter, Michel Pilz, Theo Jorgensmann, Kenny Wheeler, Vyacheslav Ganelin, Bobo Stenson, Glen Moore, Steve Swell, Sabir Mateen, Robert Dick, Peter Evans, Perry Robinson, Hilliard Greene, John Lindberg, Gerd Dudek, William Parker, Bobby Few, Roy Campbell, Jemeel Moondoc, Waclaw Zimpel, Mars Williams, Charles Gayle, Conny Bauer, Ken Vandermark, Joe McPhee, John Edwards a.m.o..

Over the past 30 years, he gave numerous concerts and appeared at festivals throughout Europe, the Baltic States, Canada, USA, Syria, Japan, Mexico, Russia, China, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Israel."

-Klaus Kugel Website (https://www.klauskugel.com/)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Mark Tokar originally studied classical guitar at S. Lyudkevych Music College. During this time he began to play double bass, which became his main instrument.

During 2002-2004 he repeatedly participated in the Krakow Jazz Workshop, directed by M. Parkinson (USA). In 2006, via the "Gaude Polonia" scholarship program, Mark studied at K. Szymanowski Jazz Academy under the direction of Professor Jacek Niedzela. The program was granted by the Minister of Culture in Poland. Since 2006 he has given private lessons at various jazz schools. During 2005-2006 Mark worked as art director of the Ukrainian-Polish Jazz Bez festival. He organized a series of Metro Jazz Philharmonic musical performances in Lviv.

Mark has performed with various bands at numerous festivals in Germany, Poland, Lithuania, USA, Austria, France, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Hungary, Georgia, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic. He participates in Ken Vandermark's international project "Resonance". He also plays in the groups Undivided, Five Spot, Four, Varpaj, and Yatoku. Additionally, he is the leader of the international projects Leo'm'art, Mark Tokar's Quintet and Avtokar. Mark Tokar has performed with Ken Vandermark, Bobby Few, Perry Robinson, Steve Swell, Michael Zerang, Tim Daisy, Dave Rempis, Roberta Piket, Fred Frith (USA), Klaus Kugel, Arkadij Shylkloper (Germany), Petras Vishniauskas (Lithuania), Mirchea Tiberian (Romania), Mazzol, Mikolaj Trzaska, Waclaw Zimpel, Piotr Baron, Kazimierz Jonkisz (Poland), Jurij Jaremczuk (Ukraine), Magnus Broo, Per-Ake Holmlander (Sweden), and Mark Sanders (England)."

-Mark Tokar Website (http://www.marktokar.info/about-mark-tokar)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. 1. Left Sided Driver 19:23

2. 2. Everyday Fabric 14:00

3. 3. Objective 49 4:52

4. 4. Split Hinge 3:43

5. 5. Message To The Past 14:43

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
Trio Recordings
Chicago Jazz & Improvisation
Ken Vandermark
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Not Two.


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