Two European Free Improvisation legends--Prussian clarinetist Rudiger Carl and Swedish drummer Sven-Ake Johansson--join with younger double bassist Joel Grip (Umlaut Records) for three improvised "Inflections" performed live at Au Topsi Pohl in Berlin, superb examples of the historical depth of free jazz across Europe and the continuing energy each new generation brings.
Format: CD Condition: New Released: 2021 Country: USA Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold Recorded at Au Topsi Pohl, in Berlin, Germany, on November 8th and 9th, 2019, by Alexis Baskind.
"Two historical heavyweights of European free music, clarinetist Rudiger Carl and drummer Sven-Ake Johansson, join forces with younger bassist Joel Grip for a night of incredible trios. Recorded a few months before the pandemic clampdown, in November of 2019, at Berlin's Au Topsi Pohl, the music is exploratory and swinging, with Carl's viscous clarinet and a brilliant rhythm team steeped in time-based feel but loose and sometimes ambling.
Johansson was part of the first Peter Brotzmann Trio to commit music to wax, on For Adolphe Sax (BRO/FMP, 1967), and he was on the legendary Brotzmann Octet date Machine Gun (BRO/FMP, 1968); the drummer's 1972 solo outing Schlingerland kicked off the SAJ sub-label of FMP, so named for Johansson's initials, and he has made a slew of great records for his own label, also called SAJ.
Playing tenor saxophone, Carl led a fiery group called Rudiger Carl Inc., which recorded the classic King Alcohol (FMP, 1972); he was part of legendary groups with pianist Irene Schweizer, also playing clarinet and accordion, and has recorded with many of the leading improvisors in Europe.
Johansson and Carl have recorded together numerous times, including Funfunddreissigvierzig (FMP, 1986) and Djungelmusik met Sang (Hapna, 2000).
This sparkling live set features three longer pieces, beautifully recorded, with a cover photo by Johansson and liner notes by Peter Margasak."-Corbett Vs Dempsey