Forgive me
this one, but almost inconsciously, the first thing to come in my mind while
listening to this album is the early Chico Hamilton quintet. Of course it isnt
without any reasons. First the instrumentation is the same here : Hans Koch (
Bass Clarinet and saxophones), Michael Moser ( Cello), Martin Siewert (Guitar and lapsteel), Christian
Wolfrath (drums), and Christian Weber ( Double-Bass ), plus some electronic
extensions. But more over, you can tell Weber is initiating and leading the
project towards his own intimate liberation. This always comes from people who
ve occupied before roles and functions in various other styles of music. There
is a geography, and attached politics, to each instrument. Here the liberating
aspects (and not freedom), gives the whole ensemble a strong orientation and
seems to generate sense. It s not only about, free improvised music, minimalism
or quietness, nor just attention paid to delicate and sensitive noises. It s
much more about the process of opening things. In this regard each player uses
various pre-determined materials and approaches to achieve some sort of entity.
It s maybe important to notice that the recordings dates from september 2002, a
time where such directions still evolved a lot, were in movement, searching for
new possibilites. And I think Weber´s own interrest at the time, gives the
album a very particular sound, that saves it well from being just another usual
lower case improv release. - »Osaka Solo« ( Mimi CD available from www.christianweber.org) is an
18´40? piece recorded in 2006 that possibly gives more clues to the whole
research. It s not like Weber has radically changed, his playing still involves
a very subtile mix of compositional elements, improvised approaches and extreme
registers. He seems slightly more confident of the directions but also more
able to play with them as opposed to just »interprate« a given Sound. I particularly
enjoy over all the fact that in both cases the actual process always dominates.
It s about playing rather than fixing. About letting things happen because one
wants to hear them more than labellig and stamping each act in order to make
sure we´re there. I´m very curious of his next projects and releases, let s
wait.
Text: Noël Akchoté | 04.04.2007
04.06@vienna,konzerthaus »Solo per Soli«
~ 31.05 -02.06 2012 ~
@guks
