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Dass Ornette
Coleman, Frauen und Pianos zusammen passen, zeigte er mit Geri Allen
in Sound Museum. Welche Schönheit und oft direkt ohrwurmige Melodiösität
in der Substanz seiner Kompositionen steckt, zeigen nun die Pianistin
AKI TAKASE und die Altosaxophonistin & (Bass)-Klarinettistin SILKE
EBERHARD mit ihrer Ornette Coleman Anthology (Intakt 129, 2 x CD). Eberhard
und die Grand Dame des Jazzpianos haben bereits in Takases rein weiblichem
Projekt April zusammen gespielt. Die japanische Berlinerin hat nun 32
OC-Tunes neu arrangiert für zwei Stimmen, teilweise so ungeniert
eigenwillig und selbstbewusst, wie Takases Partner Alex v. Schlippenbach
mit Monk umsprang. Aber der Mehrwert rechtfertigt sie. Wohl noch nie
hat man den bahnbrechenden Stoff von Something Else! (1958) bis Love
Call (1968) so unerhört gehört, ‚The Folk Tale‘
so peter-und-der-wolfig, 'The Sphinx‘ so holterdipolter,'Focus
on Sanity‘ so far out bis zur Entgleisung, Coleman insgesamt so
humpty dumpty wie selten. Das Piano macht Coleman einerseits so ‚klassisch‘,
wie er sich immer gern sah, gleichzeitig zeigt sie das Innenleben seiner
Musik mit X-Ray-Eyes. Eberhard, der Die Enttäuschung schon mit
'Silke‘ einen musikalischen Kuss zuwarf, ummantelt, verblüffend
hochbegabt, die Substanz mit vollmundiger Pracht. Bei Bebop-Stücken
mit Akkordstruktur ('Una Muy Bonita‘) geschmeidig, bei den Quickies
('Free‘, ‚Eventually‘) eine Flipperkugel in Zeitraffer,
bei den genialen Melodien ('Beauty is a Rare Thing‘) innig und
zärtlich. Wenn man Takase bei 'I Heard It over the Radio‘
mit allerzartester Wehmut die Tasten streicheln hört, glaubt man
kaum, dass es die gleiche Frau ist, die ansonsten so stahlfingrig flink
klopft und hämmert. Was soll ich sagen? Colemans Musik war immer
schon 'Open to the Public‘ und 'Just for You‘, Takase &
Eberhard verkünden es mit 'Engelszungen‘.
Rigobert
Dittmann, Bad Alchemy, 56/2007
Kazue
Yokoi, Jazztokyo, August 2007
Das jüngste Beispiel
dafür, dass aus der Ornetteschen Kompositionstruhe viel Schätze
zu bergen sind, ist eine Duo-CD der Pianistin Aki Takase mit der Holzbläserin
Silke Eberhard: Auf «Ornette Coleman Anthology» offenbaren
die beiden, wie ohrwurmartig und zugleich substanziell viele der Coleman-Themen
trozt ihrer Vielgliedrigkeit sind.
Christoph Merki, Tages-Anzeiger, Zürich, 22. August
2007
Zwei Frauen entdecken den
Free-Jazz–Pionier. Aufs Heftigste und sehr spät ist Ornette
Coleman letzthin ans offizielle Herz gedrückt worden: Pulitzer–Preis,
CD des Jahres und Grammy für ein Lebenswerk, das die Musik revolutionierte
und dem Resultat seinen Namen gab – Free Jazz. Ein vitales Schwimmen
gegen den Strom ist das bis heute, in Colemans 77. Lebensjahr geblieben.
Pianistin Aki Taksase, die neben dem freien Spiel immer wieder mit unorthodoxen
Adaptionen der Jazztradition überraschte, und ihre Schülerin
Silke Eberhard, eine quicklebendige Holzbläserin der weiten Berliner
Szene, haben 32 Stücke ihres Meisters für Duo und diese Doppel-CD
transkribiert und interpretieren sie in quirligen, ausgewogenen, konzisen
Dialogen, die spielfreudig demonstrieren, wie sehr diese so oft fremdelnd
wahrgenommenen Kompositionen inzwischen Klassiker sind.
Ulrich Steinmetzger, Berner Zeitung, 16. August 2007
Après Tarantella,
la pianiste Aki Takase revient à deux de ses amours : le duo
– qu’elle a interrogé déjà aux côtés
de David Murray, Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Lauren Newton ou Rudi
Mahall – et l’hommage prétexte à développer
autrement sa singularité – de ceux qu’elle a déjà
adressé à Fats Waller ou Thelonious Monk.
Avec la saxophoniste et clarinettiste Silke Eberhard, Takase rend donc
ici hommage à l’œuvre d’Ornette Coleman. Le
temps de 32 reprises et de l’interprétation d’une
dédicace (Dedicated to OC-Doughnut), le duo assiège l’univers
du maître de façons différentes : free commandé
par un piano dérangé (Free), délicatesses contemporaines
- au lyrisme accordé (Revolving Door) ou malheureusement trop
poli (Turnaround) -, swing à l’unisson (Mr. And Mrs. People)
ou démarche plus déconstruite (Motive for Its Use), voire
expérimentale (Airborne).
Si la prise de son manque parfois de chaleur, la nature des compositions
et l’acuité avec laquelle les investissent Takase et Eberhard
- qui démontre ici la palette large de ses possibilités,
capable d’évoquer Evan Parker aussi bien qu’Eric
Dolphy (clarinette basse, forcément, sur Cross Breeding) - font
de cette anthologie un songbook particulier, défendu par un duo
aussi concerné que baroque et sagace.
Le son de du grisli, Jazz, musique expérimentales
et autres, France, 32 août 2007
Manfred
Papst, NZZ am Sonntag, 26. August 2007
Dem Bahnbrecher Coleman
zur Ehre
Das weisse Plastiksaxophon war sein Markenzeichen. Weil man ihn wegen
seiner rebellischen Klänge wie einen Aussätzigen behandelte,
sah sich Ornette Coleman Ende der 50er-Jahre gezwungen, seine Brötchen
als Liftboy zu verdienen. Wenn kein Betrieb war, parkte er seinen Aufzug
im zehnten Stock und studierte Harmonielehrbücher. Heute, ein halbes
Jahrhundert später, gilt er als einer der letzten Giganten des
Jazz – ein Bahnbrecher, der noch zu Lebzeiten zum Klassiker geworden
ist.
Die japanische Pianistin Aki Takase und die Berliner Altsaxophonistin
und Klarinettistin Silke Eberhard erweisen Coleman ihre Ehrerbietung
mit einem Doppelalbum, das, bis auf eine Ausnahme, ausschliesslich Kompositionen
des grossen alten Mannes der Jazz-Avantgarde enthält. Die beiden
Könnerinnen handhaben ihre Instrumente mit einer Souveränität,
die Staunen macht. Sie spannen den Bogen von hektischen Kompositionen
mit eckigen Melodienlinien über ekstatische Ausbrüche bis
zur Melancholie von Colemans bekanntester Nummer «Lonely Woman».
Wenn man Colemans frühes Werk heute in einer derart überzeugenden
Aufarbeitung hört und die tiefe Verwurzelung in Blues und Bebop
dabei in jeder Noten spürbar ist, rätselt man darüber,
was die Zeitgenossen damals als so abschreckend empfanden.
Christoph Wagner, St. Galler Tagblatt, 3. 10. 2007
Over the years, Coleman’s compositions have received many readings,
none more committed, self-searching, or inventive than those contained
on this double CD. Berlin-based pianist Aki Takase has produced 32 arrangements
of the harmolodic maestro’s 1958-68 perido works that don’t
seek to be definitive versions. Rather Takase and reedist Silke Eberhard
have chosen to find what can possibly be done to interpret the tunes
in ways that are true to their own personalities/hearts as co-creators
with Ornette. The results are an encyclopedic spectrum of approaches
from the delicate, haunting “Lonely Woman” to the unexpected
stride- plonking of “Turnaround” and the prepared piano
marching crunch of “Focus on Sanity”. And these ladies can
by turns sing, burn, and skronk with conviction, passion and certainty
that come only from dedicated hard work on their chosen materials. Terrific
playing on thought-provoking interpretations we only thought we knew
already.
Glen Hall, Exclaim, Canada, Oct 2007
Sonic,
Oktober 2007
Christian
Rentsch, Jazz'n'more, Zürich, Oktober/November 2007
Ulrich
Steinmetzger, Leizpziger Volkszeitung, 7. August 2007
Berthold
Klostermann, Neue Ruhr Zeitung, 17.Sept. 06
Monika
Beer, Fränkischer Tag, 28. September 2007
Helmut
Ölschlegel, Fränkischer Tag, 1. Oktober, 2007
A Favorite Record
of the Year
German reed player Silke Eberhard has been making waves in Europe since
the late ‘90s. In addition to her own groups, she has collaborated
with Dave Liebman, Johannes Bauer and others. Ornette Coleman Anthology,
a set of duets with pianist Aki Takase on Coleman tunes is a real gem.
Eberhard plays alto sax, clarinet and bass clarinet and while the saxophone
appears to be her main instrument, she is equally adept on the others.
Their approach to Coleman remains faithful to the music while putting
their personal stamp on it. The fact that Takase plays the main chordal
instrument Coleman avoided (with a couple of exceptions) indicates this
is a different direction from the composer’s original intention.
However, this record is a resounding success. One can hear both players
reveling in the openness provided by the music. The material is from
pieces composed from 1958-1968 and approached from a variety of directions.
Some are brief theme statements with succinct solos; others are explored
at length and with unique approaches. “Focus On Sanity”
finds Takase playing a heavily prepared piano after the initial fanfare.
“Airborne” in its original version is a buoyant piece but
here, after the theme statement, it turns into a sparse, textural improvisation
with Eberhard blowing quiet breathy phrases and Takase exploring the
insides of the piano. On the bluesy “Turnaround”, Eberhard’s
clarinet gingerly skips over the twists and turns provided by the theme
as Takase breaks into stride. This is usually not the way Coleman played
these tunes but it’s clearly the way these two contemporary improvisers
hear this music and it’s what makes this disc so strong. The one
jarring note is the one Takase composition, “Dedicated To O.C.-Doughnut”,
which doesn’t sound particularly Coleman-esque and seems to break
up the program with its rhapsodic approach. But that minor quibble aside,
this a favorite record of the year.
Robert Iannapollo, All About Jazz USA, November 3, 2007
All About Jazz New York, November 2007
Marc
Chénard, La Scena Musicale, Canada, November 2007
The music of Ornette Coleman
is so bound up in his own performances that far fewer musicians have
tackled those indelible compositions. Yet on the ambitious Ornette Coleman
Anthology, pianist Aki Takase and reedist Silke Eberhard delve into
33 of Coleman's tunes. While Coleman's sometimes buoyant, sometimes
beautifully somber melodies shine through, the duo worked hard at recasting
many of these pieces. Their essence remains, but rather than emulating
the original free-boppish settings, they formulated novel new arrangements,
whether it's the tango tinge they give to "Angel Voice," the
slow-motion stride groove Takase brings to "Face Of The Bass,"
or the way they just rip apart the components of a piece like "Change
Of The Century."
Because Coleman worked without a piano when he recorded these tunes
for Atlantic, Takase creates something new out of necessity. Her interaction
with Eberhard reflects the crucial spontaneous interplay at the heart
of Coleman's singular performances, the facet that made the music revolutionary.
Peter Margasak, Downbeat, USA, Dezember 2007
Is pianist Aki Takase making a point of releasing an outstanding duo
CD every year? Spring In Bangkok (Intakt Records, 2006), in the company
of vocalist Lauren Newton, was a model of in-the-moment creativity,
and whilst the reasoning behind this latest release is radically different,
the end result is equally stimulating.
Tackling a two-disc program of pieces by saxophonist Ornette Coleman
might have been a challenge for both musicians present here, but the
results suggest it was anything but. The downright tricky opening unison
on “Cross Breeding” is handled with extraordinary aplomb
and also serves notice that Silke Eberhard is a reed player to watch.
Her bass clarinet playing is admirably self-contained in the sense that
it shows little overt influence of either Eric Dolphy or David Murray,
and she imbues the unwieldy horn with a certain grace even in its lower
registers, as on “Free,” where Takase makes the keys ring
in a fashion some less open-minded pianists can only dream about.
In places Eberhard's alto saxophone playing shows traces of Lee Konitz's
deeply considered approach, but on “Mr. And Mrs. People”
her own considerable musical personality on that horn comes to the fore,
especially when it's spurred on by Takase's exercises in rhythmic displacement.
The duo is acutely alert to the humour in Coleman's music, as per the
clarinet-piano duo of the opening “Turnaround,” where the
ungainly elegance of the melody is allowed to ring through sheer simplicity
of approach. This is one of those happily infrequent occasions over
the course of the two discs where the two women assume the roles of
soloist and accompanist, but when Takase steps out on her own she melds
Coleman with pianist Thelonious Monk in a way which suggests this is
music reinvestigated, as opposed to music subjected to the clinical
reverence for the notes that the notion of repertory might imply.
Over the course of both discs no less than thirty two Coleman pieces
are covered along with one by Takase (”Dedicated To OC-Doughnut”),
and in a sense the lack of expansiveness that implies is one of the
set's many strengths. Thus the one minute and twenty three seconds of
“Round Trip” on the second disc is a model of concentrated
communication, with Eberhard spinning out some coruscating phrases on
alto before the theme reprise.
”Peace” is taken at a slower tempo than the Coleman quartet's
original reading; Takase's exercise in taking the thing apart and reconstructing
it in a new way exemplifies how Coleman's music is individual enough
to withstand such close scrutiny. The point is underscored by Eberhard
when her turn comes, and the dry, slightly acerbic quality of her alto
is both well suited to the music and a diametric opposite to Coleman's
work on the same horn.
At over seven minutes “Face Of The Bass” is given one of
the lengthier treatments here and such is the duo's empathy, with each
other and for the music, that not a second of the time is wasted. Eberhard
explores the upper register of her bass clarinet in the wake of some
ruminative low end variations, and in her solo Takase utilises her left
hand in a manner so intriguing that the listener might rue the absence
of a piano in those early Coleman groups. It's certainly the case that
the depth of her musical intelligence is such that she can imply all
sorts of harmonic variations.
All in all, those end-of-year polls have got themselves another entrant
here. Regardless of its age, and some of the compositions here are almost
half a century old, this is music worthy of the deep re-investigation
going on here, and the listener reaps abundant rewards.
Nic Jones, All About Jazz, USA, December 15, 2007
Mit freigeistigen Etüden
möchte ich Euch ins nächste Jahr entlassen, und wer wäre
dafür besser geeignet als Coleman, der hier von der in Berlin lebenden
Pianistin und der extrem geistesverwandt aufspielenden jungen Saxofonistin
und Klarinettistin absolut fantastisch interpretiert wird? Ein ungemein
stark aufspielendes Duo, das auf 2 CDs 33 frühe Stücke Colemans
- die er zu der Zeit bewusst auch noch ohne Piano einspielte - krass,
kratzig, komplex, streng und fordernd, aber auch lyrisch, mäandernd
und geradezu leichtfüßig formuliert. Ob auf Arrangement oder
auf den Klang fokussiert, wieviel Facetten die beiden hier herausspielen
können, ist sagenhaft. Takases kraftvoller und extrem pointierter
Anschlag und Eberhards tiefe und schnelle Schwingungen verbinden sich
derart kongenial, dass die hochbewusste und selbstverständliche
Suche nach der absoluten Freiheit, die hier niemals mit Beliebigkeit
verwechselt werden darf und auch nicht wird, zu einem Fest wird. In
diesem Sinne: Feste feiern wie sie fallen, doch nicht zu feste, sonst
nur lallen. Mehr Tipps im nächsten Jahr. Love, Honker.
Made my Day by Honker, www.terz.org,
Dezember 2007
Pianist Aki Takase has long
been fond of slicing and dicing "repertory" (consult her slept-on
St. Louis Blues, for example). Even knowing this, though, you've still
got to be impressed when a pianist dives into the harmolodic canon.
Her duets (two discs worth!) with Silke Eberhard (alto sax, clarinet,
bass clarinet) will surely invite comparisons with the Lisle Ellis/Paul
Plimley session on Hat. But 1 think in terms of ap roach, rather than
instrumentation, there's a kinship with Schlippenbach's aforementioned
Monk survey. You already know how great the tunes are (and the duo sticks
mostly to early Ornette), and the pia ying is top-notch throughout,
but what really makes this release so worthwhile are the wonderfully
inventive arrangements, with radical reharmonizations that don't get
in the way ("Turnaround" and "Revolving Door" now
a rhapsody), airy abstractions of some of Coleman's most punchy numbers
("Humpty Dumpty"), or-punishing splattercore ("Free"
or the punk rock Jaki Byard heard on "The Disguise"). Eberhard's
a great player, with a tonal range and mischievous streak similar to
frequent Takase partner Rudi Mahall - but on the licorice stick he's
got the kind of facility of a Ben Goldberg (especially notable on his
gorgeous solo reading of "Change of the Century"). He can
also really calls the hogs on bass clarinet, as he does memorably on
"Face of the Bass." Takase herself is anything but flashy
here, which is a mild disappointment given what a fantastic player she
is ' really only stepping out on a few tunes (like "The Sphinx,"
the abstract "Beauty is a Rare Thing," or a barreling "Broadway
Blues"). But she's absolutely key to conjuring up the varied feels
of these pieces, which is really what matters most here. Perhaps nowhere
is this better illustrated than on one of Ornette's signature tunes,
"Lonely Woman," which is given a stunning pindrop reading,
with inside piano work and real abjection in the feeling. And if you're
wondering if they ever just get down and swing, well you can rest easy
that "The Blessing" and "W.R.U." deliver the goods.
Where many similar recordings can feel like too much before even a single
disc is complete, this two-fer is over too fast.
Jason Bivins, Signal to Noise, USA, Winter 2008
Sybille
Zerr, Jazzthetik, Deutschland, Dezember 2007
Kevin
Le Gendre, Jazzwise, GB, November 2007
Kurt
Gottschalk, Coda, Canada, Jan/Feb 2008
Ulrich
Steinmetzger, Sonic, Deutschland, Dezember 2007
David
Kane, Cadence Magacine, USA, January 2008
Chris
Joris, Jazzmozaiek, Belgium, Dezember 2007
Luc
Bouquet, Improjazz 142, Février 2008
E’ un sentito e appassionato omaggio alla musica di Ornette il
nuovo progetto monografico di Aki Takase. Dopo i tributi a Fats Waller,
Eric Dolphy e W.C. Handy per la pianista giapponese nel 2006 è
arrivato il momento di affrontare il maestro che conobbe negli ani Sessanta
attraverso il disco At the Golden Circle.
Con questo lavoro a quattro mani e a due voci, la Takase ha antologizzato
la prima parte della strepitosa storia discografica del sassofonista
texano. Ne è risultato un CD che può essere consigliato
sia agli irriducibili appassionati del profeta del free sia a chi non
ne sa nulla. Il piano dell’opera tocca infatti tutte le facce
dell’articolato mondo ornettiano. Un pianeta che la pianista giapponese
spiega di aver sistemato in tre grandi insiemi. Quello delle nette strutture
accordali di impianto boppistico come “Una Muy Bonita” o
“The Blessing”, quello dei temi brevi che aprono ampi scenari
improvvisativi e infine i pezzi melodici come il nostalgico “I
Heard It Over the Radio” o “Beauty Is a Rare Thing”.
Nel disco non si rinuncia all’interpretazione e all’arrangiamento
dei pezzi che spesso vengono eseguiti all’unisono dai due strumenti
del caso (piano e di volta in volta uno dei tre fiati della Eberhard),
ma l’aspetto più interessante consiste nella restituzione
di quell’estrema logicità e di quel rigore nella libertà
di Coleman. Un esempio chiaro per tutti? Partiamo dall’iniziale
“Turnaround”, segnata dai quarti della pianista e da uno
strepitoso assolo stride, e proseguiamo con “Round Trip”:
nell’esecuzione per piano e sax alto il fiato “ritarda”
il tema di due quarti rispetto alla tastiera per lanciarsi in un’ineffabile
assolo. Oppure, tanto per fare un altro esempio tra i tanti, è
interessare ascoltare come è stata ripensata “Face of the
Bass” rispetto all’originale versione di Change of the Century.
Del tutto particolare (e senza precedenti) anche il tipo di duetto che
qui è alle prese con un repertorio originariamente concepito
nella sua stragrande maggioranza (fatta eccezione per i pezzi registrati
per la prima volta in Something Else!!!) per una formazione senza piano,
strumento che Coleman ha sempre considerato (soprattutto tra la fine
degli anni Cinquanta e i primi anni Sessanta) un limite più che
un valore. E il pianoforte che in questo CD si rivela dinamico e ricchissimo
di risorse cromatiche, lungo un abbondante dialogo con la Eberhard che
dà una prova di grande espressività, tecnica e che è
eccellente anche se esaminata sotto il profilo della sonorità
e della pronuncia. Aspetti questi ultimi che, ça va sans dir,
non vanno mai messi in relazione al sassofonista texano con cui i punti
di contatto sembrano essere pochi.
Al di là dei singoli brani e delle indiscutibili doti delle due
protagoniste il dato più sostanziale del lavoro è la continuità
che il disco conferma e mette a fuoco tra i volti di Coleman, dando
un valore quasi monkiano alla sua summa tematica. Insomma Ornette Coleman
Anthology è destinato a rimanere un disco significativo nella
discografia jazz più recente. Imperdibile.
Gigi Sabelli, All
About Jazz Italia, 11.2.2008
Two years following the highly successful "Monk's Casino"
- a take on complete works of Thelonious Monk done by Alexander von
Schlippenbach, his mate, pianist Aki Takase does a spin on Ornette Coleman's
works. Along for the ride comes a young German saxophonist Silke Eberhard.
For the most part, this is early Coleman stuff. Pieces like "Broadway
Blues", "Congeniality", "Change of the Century"
and "Focus on Sanity" are mainstays of the set. Spread over
lengthy 2 CD programme, the collection quite nicely covers some pieces
that have long been forgotten and really need to see light of day once
again. If I was to point out the album's strength, it would be the fury
with which Eberhard executes the tunes. Takase's determination in keeping
her piano notes fresh and vibrant is an ear-opener as well. Some of
the better part's of Takase's playing come in the form of prepared piano.
"Focus on Sanity" features a heavily dosed-up percussive mish-mash
on inside of the piano. The strings gyrate heavily [possibly wooden
blocks or metal paraphernalia that was placed directly on the strings]
and the piece takes on a distinctly vibrant and chaotic mask. Poignant
moments arrive on "Free" where Eberhard plays some nicely
pointed bass clarinet lines, while Takase accompanies her. The tension
builds in quite rapidly only to fall apart at the very end. The more
you dig into the set, the more you'll discover these two women to be
completely in sync with each other. Most directly satisfying readings
of Coleman's works that I've heard in at least the last couple of decades.
Tom Sekowski, Gaz-Eta
Nr. 57, Poland, August 2007
Klaus
Nüchtern, Falter, Österreich, Nr. 39 / 2007
Harri
Uusitorppa, Helsingin Sanomat, Finnland, 16. August 2008
DW,
De Morgen, Belgium, October 3, 2008
In 2005 bracht het Zwitserse
label Intakt een box uit met drie cd's waarop het kwintet van de Duitse
pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach alle nummers van Monk speelde. Even
volledig is de 'Ornette Coleman Anthology' van Aki Takase en Silke Eberhard
niet te noemen, maar het muzikale resultaat is even verpletterend. Verspreid
over twee cd's spelen de uit Japan afkomstige pianiste en de Duitse
rietblazer composities die de Amerikaanse jazzsaxofonist en freejazz-voortrekker
Ornette Coleman schreef tussen 1959 en 1968.
De heerlijke, soms ronduit catchy melodieën van Coleman zijn slechts
één element in het tot stand komen van dit prachtige dubbelalbum.
Aan de andere kant staat de aanpak van het uitvoerende en arrangerende
duo. Takase en Eberhard spelen niet alleen Coleman, ze spelen er ook
mee: de stukken worden immers op verschillende manieren belicht, waarbij
het resultaat steeds sprankelend en spontaan blijft met de verfijning
van klassieke kamermuziek. Zo slagen Takase en Eberhard er in een struinende
Coleman te laten horen naast een sobere ('Lonely Woman') en een donkere
('Free'). Daartegenover schuwen ze ook de speelse kant van de componist
niet, noch de standard Coleman, zoals die te horen is in het swingende
'The Blessing'. Zelf een Harry Potter Coleman ontbreekt niet door de
dwarrelende prepared piano in 'Round Trip'.
Opmerkelijk fraai is de manier waarop Aki Takase en Silke Eberhard elkaar
aanvullen. De Duitse heeft op altsax en (bas)klarinet een heerlijk en
smakelijke sound die ideaal is voor het melodische aspect van de composities.
Af en toe gaat ze overblazen, maar het blijft allemaal erg esthetisch.
Takase op haar beurt zoekt sneller de extremen op: clusters à
la Cecil Taylor, de dissonante abstractie van hedendaagse klassieke
muziek, weerbarstige Monkiaanse hoempa, impressionistische momenten
en het gebruik van prepared en inside piano. Bij haar zijn deze technieken
geen trucjes, maar als weloverwogen keuzes waarbij alle klanken echt
gaan deelnemen aan de muziek. Het meest indrukwekkend klinkt de pianiste
in het afsluitende 'Una Muy Bonita' waar ze de begeleiding laat leven
en borrelen en goochelt met repeterende formules en clusters.
De verbeelding van de dames zorgt er voor dat de nummers van Coleman
alle kanten uit vliegen. De korte tracks zijn miniaturen terwijl de
langere het toneel zijn van twee muzikanten die samenkomen, zich losmaken
en elkaar terug opzoeken: compositie, improvisatie en vooral communicatie.
In deze nummers verandert de muziek geregeld van vorm: niet als een
eclectisch statement, maar als de logica zelf. Variatie en contrast
tasten nergens de integriteit van de compositie of de uitvoerders aan.
Zo kan een zuiderse habanera-referentie naast een onhoudbare drive ('The
Disguise') staan. In 'Little Symphony' demonstreren de dames een polyfone
themaverwerking waarbij classicisme en atonaliteit verzoend worden,
terwijl 'I Heard it Over the Radio' in een canonstructuur geplaatst
wordt. Voor 'Folk Tale' lijkt de inspiratie voornamelijk te komen uit
de tempowisselingen van de cartoonmuziek, waarbij het duo de muziek
laat marcheren, huppelen en sluipen. 'Focus on Sanity' is dan weer een
opmerkelijk vrij stuk met akoestische ruis- en rammelgeluiden en een
muzikaal verloop dat eerder in gestes, bewegingen en geluid gedacht
is dan in duidelijke melodielijnen.
Minstens even indrukwekkend als de variatie en de integriteit is de
autoriteit die Takase en Eberhard laten horen in hun samenspel. De ritmisch
scherpe en speelse bochten in de thema's worden blindelings en accuraat
genomen. Een zelfde aanvoelen is te horen in de momenten van vrije improvisatie:
losjes uit de pols en met een perfect getimede verfijning. Takase en
Eberhard weten zo goed wat ze aan het doen zijn dat ze elkaar, na een
rondje vrij spelen, probleemloos terugvinden en dit zonder opzichtige
hints. Ook hier is de communicatie tussen de twee dus hoorbaar. Of beter:
tussen de drie, Ornette Coleman meegerekend. Deze 'Ornette Coleman Anthology'
is immers een uitzonderlijk treffen van een uitmuntende componist en
al even indrukwekkende muzikanten. Het resultaat is een dubbelalbum
zoals er te weinig zijn: grappig, muzikaal integer, ontroerend en verbijsterend.
Koen Van Meel, Kwadratuur.be,
Belgium, 25. September 2008
Nog een uittip nodig voor
deze week? Donderdag aanstaande om 19 uur moet je in het Concertgebouw
in Brugge zijn. Daar speelt dan het duo Aki Takasi (piano) en Silke
Eberhard (altsax, klarinetten). Ze spelen muziek van Ornette Coleman
op een heel onverwachte manier: speels, dansant, droog, raak.
Het programma is ook te horen op de werkelijk verrukkelijke dubbel-cd
Ornette Coleman Anthology (****).
De betreffende bloemlezing beperkt zich tot het vroege materiaal van
Coleman, de melodieÎn die hij in de jaren vijftig en zestig aan
de openbaarheid prijsgaf.
We weten intussen dat die melodieÎn absoluut niet getormenteerd
hoeven te klinken, maar Takase en Eberhard serveren ze met een werkelijk
ongeziene zwierigheid. Soms denk je dat Thelonious Monk of Charlie Parker
even per vergissing om de hoek komen kijken.
Het duo trekt de muziek van Coleman op lucide wijze uit zijn avantgarde-context
en geeft melodieÎn zoals 'Round Trip', 'The Disguise' en 'The
Blessing' een bijzonder frisse wending. Het is twee uur lang heerlijk
genieten.
Dit is Coleman met ongekende zwierigheid.
Didier Wijnants, De Morgen, Belgium, 30. September 2008
Aki Takase y Silke Eberhard
nos ofrecen, gracias a la hospitalidad discográfica de Intakt
Records, esta espléndida “antología” celebratoria
del primer Ornette, una suerte de Variaciones Coleman. Aproximaciones
a la obra primera, composiciones que datan de esa primera década
(1958-1968) en que se dio a conocer el genio felino, pausado y salvaje,
del siempre controvertido formulador de la harmolodía. Aproximaciones
a esa obra desesperadamente hermosa, desde diferentes ángulos,
como si Eberhard y Takase quisieran acorralar a la fiera, que desde
los primeros compases del primer corte, “Turnaround”, comienza
a ronrronear y cae rendida ya en “Lonely Woman” a los pies
de ellas. Ellas: la extraordinaria pianista Aki Takase y ese descubrimieno
–nuestro, al menos, seguro que muchos de ustedes ya la conocían–
llamado Silke Eberhard, al saxo alto, clarinete y clarinete bajo.
Como hace notar Bert Noglik en el texto introductorio, no deja de ser
llamativo y estimulante el acercamiento a las composiciones de aquel
Ornette del “Original Quartet”, compuesto por el saxo alto,
su inseparable trompetista Don Cherry, el contrabajista Charlie Haden
y Billy Higgins a la batería. Esto es, un cuarteto SIN PIANO.
Aki Takase se enfrenta valientemente a ese repertorio, con arreglos
atrevidos y atractivísimos, de una variedad estilística
que añade sorpresa a la ya de por sí impredecible música
de Coleman. La elección de los temas, su disposición y
los diversos acercamientos a aquellas melodías “liberadas”
del tejano nos parecen de una extraordinaria sensibilidad y revelan
un profundo conocimiento de su obra. Todos los temas son de Coleman
y arreglados por Takase, que firma únicamente una composición,
“Dedicated to OC-Doughnut”, curiosamente en piano solo.
Baste a dar idea de la multitud de enfoques que presenta el doble cedé,
a modo de ejemplo, la secuencia inicial: desde ese monkiano “Turnaround”
pasamos a una estremecedora versión de “Lonely Woman”
(Eberhard al clarinete, su fraseo tan sólo sombreado aquí
y allá por los graves de Takase y las cuerdas golpeadas), de
ahí a la contrastante crispación de “Free”
y la fluidez de “The Blessing”... “Cuando interpreto
sus composiciones”, dice Takase, “pretendo desenvolverme
en un espacio intermedio entre tonalidad y atonalidad”. Se dice
en el libreto que Takase no ha escuchado a Coleman en sus grabaciones
acompañado por pianistas (Geri Allen, Joachim Kühn...),
lo cual se tiene por positivo, por cuanto la pianista puede, de algún
modo, “partir de cero”, inocentemente.
Este doble cedé no es meramente una antología, sino también
–como señala Noglik– una “enciclopedia de acercamientos
a las melodías de Coleman. Toda suerte de arreglos e improvisaciones
imaginables son aquí explorados –en lo que se refiere a
melodía, harmonía, ritmo y sonido”. De modo análogo
al Monk's Casino de Schlippenbach (la integral de Monk publicada también
en Intakt), esta Ornette Coleman Anthology supone un proyecto in progress,
que ha ido fraguándose en múltiples conciertos y al que
se van añadiendo otros temas ornettianos, además de las
treinta y pico piezas incluidas en el presente cedé. Takase desempeña,
además, un papel parecido al del Schlippenbach investigador y
arreglista, éste en el caso del legado de Monk y aquélla
en el caso de Coleman. Takase ya había realizado varias grabaciones-homenaje:
recuérdense, entre otras, las dedicadas a Fats Waller o ese disco
a dúo con Rudi Mahall en que rendían tributo a Eric Dolphy.
Con “Una Muy Bonita” –como conjurando ese prejuicio
posmoderno que nos hace a veces rehuir la belleza, esa cosa tan rara
y no necesariamente medioburguesa– se cierra este caleidoscópico
homenaje, con mucho una de nuestras novedades favoritas.
Alberto Marina Castillo, TomaJazz, Marzo 2008, Spain
Masahiko
Yuh, CD Journal, Japan, December 2008
Hiroki
Sugita, Jazz Diary (Website
of Seven Oaks), Japan, 10/2008
Seiko
Natsum, JAZZ HIHYO, Japan, No.147, 2008.
Goncalo
Falcao, Jazz.pt, January/Februar 2009
Franziska
Buhre, Die Tageszeitung TAZ, Deutschland, 9. März 2010
Chris Searle, Morning Star, 15. October 2013, Great Britain
Pianist Aki Takase and reedist Silke Eberhardwere born a generation apart, but their creative impulses make them seem like sisters. The Germany-based musicians show a rich appreciation for the expanse of jazz history, both in their improvisations as well as in projects that explore specific bodies of work. Takase leads a dynamic band in which she impressively brings together drummer and hard-core improviser Paul Lovens with wacko singer and guitarist Eugene Chadbourne to play the music of Fats Waller, while Eberhard's Postsa Lotsa was formed to play the music of Eric Dolphy. Takase and Eberhard also both love the duo setting, and have been working together for a decade now, often playing the tunes of free-jazz icon Ornette Coleman. On their remarkable 2007 album Ornette Coleman Anthology (Intakt), they express a range of styles and expressions within that repertoire: a bit of tango kisses their version of "Angel Voice," for instance, while some stride pulses within "The Blessing." Celebrating Coleman's melodies and sense of freedom, they use his music as a canvas for highlighting their own quirky personalities. Their rapport is electric, and their inventiveness often seems sparked by the fun they're having. This is the duo's Chicago debut.—
Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader, Oct 29, 2015
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