The Squid's Ear Magazine


Berne, Tim / Gregg Belisle-Chi: Mars (Intakt)

Succinct interpretations of compositions by New York saxophonist and composer Tim Berne, performed by Berne himself in a duo with guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi, whose collaborations with Berne and his recent album Koi: Performing the Music of Tim Berne show Belisle-Chi to be the most capably informed player to accompany Berne in these thoughtful renderings.
 

Price: $17.95



Quantity:

In Stock

Quantity in Basket: None

Log In to use our Wish List
Shipping Weight: 2.00 units

Sample The Album:





product information:

Personnel:



Tim Berne-alto saxophone

Gregg Belisle-Chi-guitar


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




Includes an 8-page booklet with a color photo, liner notes in English and discographical information.

UPC: 7640120193744

Label: Intakt
Catalog ID: ITK374.2
Squidco Product Code: 31399

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2022
Country: Switzerland
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold 3 Panels w/ booklet
Recorded at Applehead Studio in Woodstock, New York, on May 15th, by Chris Bittner.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"With his extensive artistic biography, Tim Berne is one of the most outstanding figures in American jazz. Rising star Gregg Belisle Chi, a connoisseur of Berne's music, has this year released the acclaimed album Koi, featuring interpretations of Tim Berne's compositions on solo acoustic guitar.

With his extensive skills and immense sonic potential, he is earning a central place in the landscape of contemporary acoustic guitar. With Mars, these two exceptional musicians present their first duo album. All songs are penned by Tim Berne and enchant the listener with an intense interplay that is playful, poetic and sonically stunning.

David Torn, who is responsible for the grandiose sound, writes in the liner notes: "Space Music? no, nope: Earth Music? well, yeah. Folk Music? well... i dunno, could be, but these songs on Mars are written by Tim and reimagined in-real-time by he and Gregg: them 2 being edified by, appreciative and respectful of those who've come before, and especially those ones who stayed lit and busted their own asses & spirits in order to continue initiating the kinds of flames that push us all to strive to express and to feel things of life and lives that may otherwise be functionally inexplicable, and may even be ineffable, somehow."-Intakt



"Stimulated by the recent emergence of a champion of his music, Tim Berne has made an album that pairs the longtime saxophonist, composer and bandleader with that champion, guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi. Mars is the latest addition to Berne's ginormous catalog but a rare one where he's in a sax/guitar duet.

The very idea of Tim Berne pairing up one-on-one with a guitarist is actually an old one. Back when both have just begun to gain notice from the jazz community, he and Bill Frisell recorded Theoretically (1984), a true collaboration where each have roughly equally contributed songs. A spacious, textural-heavy record made at a point where both artists were still finding their way but were already making very interesting music that disregarded the trends of the time. Theoretically has held up fine and is well worth seeking out.

Mars, though, is exclusively about Berne's now-sharpened vision through the lens of the music's creator alongside a former Frisell protégé who's become Berne's most articulate interpreter in Gregg Belisle-Chi.

No one - or at least, no guitarist - has been able to unlock the secrets contained in Berne's esoteric compositions quite like Belisle-Chi, who proved that with his 2021 all-Berne covers album played exclusively on acoustic guitar. That album, Koi: Performing the Music of Tim Berne, was one of the boldest releases of that year, deconstructing the complexity of Berne tunes into its simpler, earthbound elements through the voice of a folk instrument.

Mars is likewise bold, bringing the interpreter in close proximity to the creator. Belisle-Chi once again sticks to acoustic guitar and so once again lays bare his interpretations as he constantly finds ways to coalesce his six strings with the ardent and unpredictable alto sax of Berne. Just listen to how Berne introduces the melody on a song like "Rose Bowl Charade" while Belisle-Chi puts it into sharper focus. Or on "Purdy," where the guitarist finds the right chords at the exact right moment to tie right into what Berne is playing.

Single Berne performances have often churned on for longer than the length of a sitcom episode, but I think that Mars comprising of a hefty dozen tracks generally running in the 3-5 minute range signals a desire to emphasize conciseness and hewing close to the essence of these songs. Yet in these shorter performances a lot is revealed. The serpentine but unhurried unison lines heard on songs like "Microtuna," "Rabbit Girl," "Palm Sweat" and the brief "Giant Squids" pulls back the certain on the composing mind of Berne.

For "Big Belly," Gregg Belisle-Chi gets to set the parameters of the song on his own before Berne enters, a subtlety that establishes it more as a folk song than a jazz one, underscoring the idea that the boundless Tim Berne probably doesn't think at all in terms of genres when crafting compositions. "Middle Seat Blues" is assuredly bluesy in feeling, and here (and everywhere, actually) Belisle-Chi shows restraint in playing only what's needed to get the message across, deftly using space and silence as partners alongside notes.

The great enjoyment of listening to Tim Berne songs comes largely from them being puzzles that challenges your ears to put together, making the tenth listen as fresh as the first one. Gregg Belisle-Chi has mastered Berne's idiosyncratic language and on Mars he helps to place some of those puzzle pieces together, in real time. And the more of a Tim Berne's song is revealed, the more brilliant it comes across."-S. Victor Aaron, Something Else! Review


Includes an 8-page booklet with a color photo, liner notes in English and discographical information.

Get additional information at Something Else!

Artist Biographies

"Tim Berne (born 1954) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.

Described by critic Thom Jurek as commanding "considerable power as a composer and ... frighteningly deft ability as a soloist", Berne has composed and performed prolifically since the 1980s. His mainstream success has been limited Ð Berne recorded two albums for Columbia Records Ð but he has released a significant body of work over the decades spanning dozens of critically acclaimed recordings.

Though Berne was a music fan, he had no interest in playing a musical instrument until he was in college, when he purchased an alto saxophone. He was more interested in rhythm and blues music Ð Stax records releases and Aretha Franklin, especially Ð until he heard Julius Hemphill's 1972 recording Dogon A.D.

Hemphill was known for his integration of soul music and funk with free jazz. Berne moved to New York City in 1974. There Berne took lessons from Hemphill, and later recorded with him.

In 1979, Berne founded Empire Records to release his own recordings. He recorded Fulton Street Maul and Sanctified Dreams for Columbia Records, which generated some discussion and controversy, due in part to the fact that Berne's music had little in common with the neo-tradionalist hard bop performers prominent in the mid-1980s. Some regarded Berne's music as uncommercial. In the late 1990s Berne founded Screwgun Records, which has released his own recordings, as well as others' music.

Beyond his recordings as a bandleader, Berne has recorded and/or performed with guitarist Bill Frisell, avant-garde composer/sax player John Zorn, violinist Mat Maneri, guitarist David Torn, cellist Hank Roberts, trumpet player Herb Robertson, the ARTE Quartett and as a member of the cooperative trio Miniature.

Recent years have found Berne performing in several different groups with drummers Tom Rainey and Gerald Cleaver, keyboardist Craig Taborn, bassists Michael Formanek and Drew Gress, guitarists Marc Ducret and David Torn, and reeds player Chris Speed.

He is one-third of the group BBC (Berne/Black/Cline) along with drummer Jim Black and Nels Cline of Wilco. The group released a critically acclaimed album called The Veil in 2011.

Berne's complex, multi-section compositions are often quite lengthy; twenty- to thirty-minute pieces are not unusual. One critic wrote that Berne's long songs "don't grow tiresome. The musicians are brilliantly creative and experienced enough not to get lost in all the room provided by these large time frames." "

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berne)
3/27/2024

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

"Gregg Belisle-Chi is a guitarist and composer living in Brooklyn, New York.

Throughout his career, he has performed with Bill Frisell, Tim Berne, Cuong Vu, Steve Swallow, Reid Anderson, Ted Poor, Eyvind Kang, Ben Goldberg, Wayne Horvitz, Tom Varner, Bob Sheppard, Jay Clayton, and Jessica Dobson (Deep Sea Diver, Beck, The Shins).

He maintains an active career in music as a leader, sideman, and educator.

As leader:

Good Intentions (co-lead with Sam Decker, Dov Manski, Luke Bergman, and Dave Flaherty): playing original compositions inspired by pop/rock and singer/songwriter music.

Ensō (with Matt Aronoff and Jason Burger): a trio of guitar, electric bass, and drums playing songs inspired by twelve tone rows, long form compositions, and mixed meter rhythmic cycles.

Book of Hours (with Dov Manski, Matt Aronoff, and Michael W. Davis): a 50 minute through-composed piece with elements of improvisation, inspired by the history and texts of the Mass Ordinary, featuring a quartet for guitar, bass, keys, and drums.

I Sang to You and the Moon (with Chelsea Crabtree, Ray Larsen, and Carmen Rothwell): a song cycle based on the poetry of Carl Sandburg, featuring a chamber ensemble of guitar, vocals, trumpet, and bass. [...]"

-Gregg Belisle-Chi Website (https://greggbelislechi.com/bio)
3/27/2024

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


Track Listing:



1. Rose Bowl Charade 5:18

2. Purdy 4:18

3. Gastrophobia 3:13

4. Microtuna 3:50

5. Frosty 4:06

6. Big Belly 3:47

7. Rabbit Girl 4:28

8. Palm Sweat 2:58

9. Dark Shadows 4:38

10. Not What You Think They Are 3:15

11. Middle Seat Blues 4:42

12. Giant Squids 0:56

Related Categories of Interest:


Intakt
Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
NY Downtown & Metropolitan Jazz/Improv
Duo Recordings
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players
Guitarists, &c.

Search for other titles on the label:
Intakt.


Recommended & Related Releases:
Perelman, Ivo / Tim Berne / James Carter / Tony Malaby
(D)IVO
(Mahakala Music)
Led by Ivo Perelman on tenor saxophone, (D)ivo brings four of New York City's finest improvising saxophonists together for an outrageous quartet session, with Tony Malaby on soprano saxophone, Tim Berne on alto saxophone and James Carter on baritone saxophone, their unique styles and masterful skills creating a thrilling and intricate weaving of profound reed expression.
Berne, Tim / Nasheet Waits
The Coanda Effect
(Relative Pitch)
A tour de force saxophone duo between two masterful New York players--alto saxophonist Tim Berne and drummer Nasheet Waits--recording live at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn NY in 2019, in two impressive dialogs: "Tensile" for nearly 40 minutes of articulate expression and powerful rhythmic interaction; and the more introspective "5See" of impressive technique and intention.
Formanek, Michael Very Practical Trio (w/ Tim Berne / Mary Halvorson)
Even Better
(Intakt)
New York bassist Michael Formanek's trio with Tim Berne on alto saxophone and Mary Halvorson on guitar, embraces free music with strong melodic intent through Formanek's solid compositions, providing interesting structures in time and texture through sublimely complex and sinuous pieces that lead to rewarding resolutions of profoundly authoritative improvisation.
Other Recommended Releases:
Berne, Tim Trio
Oceans and
(Intakt)
A new trio setting from New York alto saxophonist Tim Berne with accordionist & multi-instrumentalist Aurora Nealand and long-time associate, cellist Hank Roberts, a warmly orchestrated band that allows fluid and relaxed approaches to their playing, Berne's compositions evoking exquisite tonal color and diverse conversations from pacific to tempestuous.
Berne, Tim / Matt Mitchell
One More, Please
(Intakt)
Leveraging more than a decade of collaboration, New York saxophonist Tim Berne and pianist Matt Mitchell present an intimate live concert in Montreal at Club Soda, performing mostly Berne compositions and one by Julius Hemphill ("Number 2") in a thoughtful and innately lyrical set of seemingly telepathic dialogs interpreting Berne's intricate and innovative works.
Niggli, Lucas / Matthias Loibner
Still Storm
(Intakt)
A series of sixteen succinctly expansive, dramatic and moody collective improvisations, evocative music of rich melodic and rhythmic foundation that coax inspired tempests from misty lands and seas, at the intersection of Austrian Hurdy Gurdy master Matthias Loibner and Zurich-based West Kamerun drummer Lucas Niggli; absolutely impressive and beguiling.
Coleman, Anthony / Brian Chase
Arcades [VINYL]
(Chaikin Records)
Downtown NY pianist Anthony Coleman (John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Glenn Branca), and drummer Brian Chase (Jeremiah Cymerman, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Drums and Drones) present their debut collaboration, balancing jazz-influenced improvisation with avant compositional forms to forge a chamber jazz album of thoughtful interaction informed by profound technique and creative drive.
Ziegele's, Omri Where's Africa
That Hat
(Intakt)
One of Swiss saxophonist Omri Ziegele smaller group formations with Yves Theiler on electric keyboards and Dario Sisera on drums & percussion, in a lyrical set of compositions yielding strong soloing over solid grooves and warm moods, highlighting Ziegele's remarkably fluid playing; it's nearly jazz/rock fusion, but at heart it's a solid jazz album.
Belisle-Chi, Gregg
KOI - performing the music of Tim Berne
(Relative Pitch)
After hearing Matt Mitchell's solo piano album performing the music of saxophonist Tim Berne, Brooklyn-based acoustic guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi asked himself how Berne's compositions would sound on his own instrument, reaching out to the composer for guidance as he went into the studio to interpret and record these 10 Berne compositions.
Berne, Tim / Matt Mitchell Duo
Angel Dusk
(Screwgun)
Following on New York pianist Matt Mitchell's solo album of Tim Berne compositions, the two join in the studio to record these 8 compositions in a dynamic album of dialogs that includes energetic interaction, explorative playing, and beautiful lyrical work, a profoundly intimate and connected release borne from their long history of collaboration.
Ducret, Marc
Tower-Bridge [2 CDs]
(Ayler)
Guitarist Marc Ducret completes his "Tower" series with a 12-piece ensemble including all musicians from the 4 Tower volumes, includi> ng Tim Berne, Tom Rainey, Matthias Mahler, &c. in 2 CDs of two concerts from their 2012 tour; innovative and astoundingly great modern jazz.
Smith, Ches and These Arches (Smith / Berne / Malaby / Halvorson / Parkins)
Hammered
(Clean Feed)
Drawing from some of NYC's finest - Tim Berne, Tony Malaby, Mary Halvorson and Andrea Parks - drummer Ches Smith's band takes the Downtown NY strategy to bridge experimental rock and avant jazz in unexpected and astonishing ways.
Ducret, Marc
Tower, vol. 2
(Ayler)
The 2nd volume of guitarist Ducret's Tower project, an incredible quartet with saxophonist Tim Berne, violinist Dominique Pifarly and drummer Tom Rainey, complex and exultant, intertwining improv.



Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:
Rivers, Sam Trio
Archive Series. Volume 6 - Caldera
(NoBusiness)
Continuing NoBusiness' archive series of late reed & wind player Sam Rivers, this wild and sophisticated concert from 2002 was recorded at the Freeport-McMoRan Theatre in New Orlean's Contemporary Arts Center, by the long-standing Sam Rivers Trio with Doug Matthews on upright & electric bass and bass clarinet, and Anthony Cole on tenor sax & piano.
Moses, Ra Kalam Bob / Damon Smith Duo
Purecircle
(Balance Point Acoustics)
A superb, inventive duo collusion between percussionist Ra Kalam Bob Moses and double bassist Damon Smith, continuing their collaborations that started with "Astral Plain Crash" with Vinny Golia, Henry Kaiser & Weasel Walter, here in concentrated form, recording and layer in the studio for 14 diverse dialogs using advanced techniques on drums, gongs, spring drums and double bass.
Salamon, Samo / New Freequestra
Free Distance, Vol. 2: Poems are Opening [2 CDs]
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
With titles for the album and all compositions from a poem by US poet E.E. Cummings, guitarist Samo Salamon developed these structured improvisations during the pandemic, inviting a set of masterful improvisers including Martin Küchen, Luis Vicente, Vasco Trilla, Emanuele Parrini, &c. &c. to contribute to these magnificent long distance collective improvisations.
Perelman, Ivo Quartet
Magic Dust [2 CDs]
(Mahakala Music)
Four extended collective improvisations of implicit lyricism and transcendent power from Brazilian-born New York-based tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman, recording in the studio with his quartet of frequent collaborator and masterful bassist William Parker, also performing on shakuhachi, along with pianist Christopher Parker and drummer Chad Anderson.
Marteau Rouge / Keiji Haino
Concert 2009
(Fou Records)
An extraordinary and powerful concert at the 2009 Jazz in Luz Festival recorded at Marquee of Luz-Saint-Sauveur when Japanese improvising guitarist and vocalist Keiji Haino joined the electroacoustic improvising trio Marteau Rouge of Jean-Francois Pauvros on electric guitar, Makoto Sato on drums and Jean-Marc Foussat on analog synthesizer & voice.
Carvalhais, Hugo (w/ Parisien / Mockunas / Almeida / Pinto / Costa)
Ascetica
(Clean Feed)
Beautifully lyrical compositions filled with a sense of wonder and mystery in the 4th Clean Feed release from double bassist and composer Hugo Carvalhais, improvising in a sextet with Emile Parisien on soprano saxophone, Liudas Mockunas on tenor saxophone & clarinet, Fabio Almeida on alto saxophone & flute, Gabriel Pinto on piano & keys and Mario Costa on drums.
Pospieszalski, Marek
Polish Composers Of The 20th Century [2 CDs]
(Clean Feed)
Featuring some of Poland's most interesting improvisers and contemporary players and led by wind & reedist Marek Pospieszalski, this 8-piece ensemble use the compositions of Krauze, Kotonski, Baird, Rudzinksi, Stachowski, Sikorsi, &c. as the inspiration and influence for sophisticated arrangements & improvisations merging concepts of jazz, contemporary composition & sound art.
Rempis / Harnik / Zerang
Astragaloi
(Aerophonic)
The 3rd release for the trio of Chicago saxophonist Dave Rempis, German pianist Elisabeth Harnik and Chicago percussionist Michael Zerang, performing live at the 2020 ArtActs Festival in St Johan Austria for five outstanding improvisations fueled by their previous trio & duo work and flavored with inside piano preparations, hand percussion and superb soloing from all three.
Wunschmusik (Wunsch / Steyer / Cavenati)
Muss Atonal Eigentlich Witzig Sein?
(Creative Sources)
German vocalist Birgit Wunsch leads this improvising trio with Edith Steyer on clarinet & saxophone and Alberto Cavenati on guitar, using abstract and atonal melodies in a chamber improvised setting for freely improvised voice, text and sound, crossing a sense of pop music with non-idiomatic improvisation of great technical and creative intent.
Dyberg / Rodrigues / Rodrigues / Moir / Oliveira
Palimpsest
(Creative Sources)
Two strings, sax, bass and percussion from the free improvising chamber jazz quintet of Mia Dyberg on alto saxophone, Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello, Johan Moir on double bass and Jose Oliveira on percussion, in an interactive and dynamic live performance recorded in 2018 during the CreativeFest XII at O'Culto da Ajuda, in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sun Ra Arkestra
Nothing is ... Completed & Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
Reissuing and remastering Sun Ra's 1966 Arkestra album Nothing Is, the complete live recording from St. Lawrence University in NY with a classic ensemble including saxophonists Marshall Allen, Pat Patrick & John Gilmore, bassist Ronnie Boykins, drummer Cliffor Jarvis, &c., an incredible concert with an exemplary set of Sun Ra compositions and performances.
Ballister (Dave Rempis / Fred Lonberg-Holm / Paal Nilssen-Love)
Chrysopoeia
(Not Two)
Two burning improvisations from the Chicago / Norwegian trio Ballister of Dave Rempis on alto & tenor saxophones, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello & electronics and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums & percussion, performing live at Alchemia in Krakow, Poland in 2019 in an exuberantly assertive concert from three incredibly active artists in the trans-Atlantic community of improvising musicians.
Bakker, Anne / Rene Aquarius / Rutger Zuydervelt
Hallucine
(Consouling Sounds)
Composed from a combination of violin, percussion, vocals, field recordings & electronics by Rutger Zuydervelt, who initially merged unrelated recordings from violinist Anne Bakker (also on harmonica, kazoo & saw) and percussionist & sound artist Rene Aquarius, all three then overdubbing and editing the work to create this fascinating tapestry of hallucinogenic sound.



The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

© 2002-, Squidco LLC