INTAKT RECORDS – CD-REVIEWS
TRIO 3
OLIVER LAKE - REGGIE WORKMAN - ANDREW CYRILLE + VIJAY IYER
WIRING
Intakt CD 233 / 2014
Manfred Papst, NZZamSonntag, 27. Juli 2014
Salvo su estreno en Intakt, Time Being, las cinco grabaciones posteriores en el sello suizo de Trio 3 (Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman y Andrew Cyrille) han sido con el trío más el acompañamiento de pianistas de primer nivel, a saber: Jason Moran, Iréne Schweizer, Geri Allen (por partida doble); el último invitado a ocuparse de las ochenta y ocho teclas es Vijay Iyer.
Frank von Niederhäusern, Kulturtipp, Schweiz, 9. Aug 2014
Trio 3, das ist geballte schwarzamerikanische Jazzgeschichte aus dem Geiste der Avantgarde der 60er Jahre. Schlagzeuger Andrew Cyrille sorgte einst bei Cecil Taylor, dem Meister des "Chaos unter Kontrolle", für die rhythmische Erdung, Reggie Workman am Kontrabass lieferte für John Coltrane und andere Heroen des Aufbruchs das Tieftonfundament, und Oliver Lake erschloss dem Altsaxofon eine zu Ornette Coleman alternative Sprache jenseits einer oft nervenden post-boppischen Turbo-Virtuosität; mit seiner in der Expressivität einem Tenor ebenbürtigen Stimme spielte er im World Saxophone Quartet eine Schlüsselrolle.
Gerne laden wir uns Gäste ein. Piano spielende. Seit längerem ist dies ein Anliegen des famosen Trios. Eines Trios, gebildet von drei Lichtgestalten des grenzüberschreitenden „Nach Modern-Jazz“. Nach den Kooperationen mit den PianistInnen Irène Schweizer, Geri Allen und Jason Moran, ist es jüngst auch wieder einer der jungen, überquellenden Kreativköpfe der New Yorker Jazz-Avantgarde: der indo-amerikanische Tastenzauberer Vijay Iyer. Und die Entscheidung, ihn für eine musikalische Exploration miteinzubeziehen, war erneut von gewinnbringender Tragweite. Des Dreigestirns ungemein organische, feurige Musik, die großem Herzen und emphatischer Seele entspringt, erfährt durch Iyers phantasiebegabtes Zutun eben jenes wirksame risikofreudige, harmonische Gewebe, für das die drei Eingeschworenen den Weg bereiten. Da ist immense Überlegenheit im Spiel, wenn die unabdingbaren Bewegungsfreiheiten für jeden Einzelnen geschaffen werden. Die drei Afro-Amerikaner sind mit allen seit der Be-Bop-Revolution vollzogenen Jazz-Fortschritten bestens vertraut, haben daraus ihre Persönlichkeit geformt und folglich selbst signifikante Beiträge eingebracht. Verfolgt haben sie aber immer einen „avantgardistischen“ Klangsinn. Dennoch ertönt ihre frei assozierende Jazzspielhaltung mit dem Wissen um Tradition. Iyer seinerseits agiert ebenso mit derartig umfassendem Verständnis. Das Kollektiv generiert ein Klangtraktat mit hohem improvisatorischen Anteil und einem erfrischenden Gegenwartswesen, das auch das Morgen freut. Das Quartett deklariert sich weiters als sensorische Einheit mit stupender Immaginationskraft. Integrierte komponierte „Inseln“, sei es thematisches Material, Überleitungen, strukturierende Gerüste, frei- wie polytonale Illuminierungen, bringen durch ihre richtige Dosierung eine ganz wesentliche Dramaturgie in die Improvisationskunst, die sich so Stereotypen verwehrt. Die Leitung steht unter Hochspannung. (han)
Hiroki Sugita, Jazz Japan, September 2014
Tom Gsteiger, St. Galler Tagblatt, 29. August 2014
Thorsten Hingst, Jazzpodium, Stuttgart, September 2014
Vijay Iyer is the latest pianist to follow in the footsteps of Irene Schweizer, Geri Allen, and Jason Moran as a guest of Trio 3, the collective band of Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman, and Andrew Cyrille. The trio is both refined and visceral; they make extremely detailed music that is by turns loosely tethered and tightly interactive; nuanced in its use of dynamics, timbre, and rhythm; and lean and concise. Since their recorded debut in 1997, they've displayed a maturity and rapport that few bands in the music can equal. And yet, in their series of meetings with remarkable pianists that begin in 2007, they have also displayed a remarkable ability to seamlessly accommodate a fourth voice into their sound world. Of course, the trio has exercised sound judgment in their choices of invited guests. Like his predecessors in this project, Iyer is well versed in the arts of solo and ensemble improvisation and composition that Trio 3 practice so successfully. Iyer brings a considered approach to the band, the ability to assess what's happening and contribute appropriately. This gives the quartet improvisation "Rosmarie" a leaderless coherence with each voice sounding equally in the ensemble. On the explosive "Synapse II" he's a cool presence in the hot music, but he keeps up with the tempo and energy with a plunging freshet of a solo. On his three-part "Suite for Trayvon," all his abilities come to the fore, in a tight three-way conversational passage with Workman and Cyrille on "Slimm," in his percussive comping on "Fallacies," and in the subtle shadings of his chords on "Adagio." The trio itself is in top form. Cyrille is positively Dionysian on his "Tribute to Bu." Lake is excoriating on "The Prowl" and "Fallacies" but quite lyrical (with a slightly acid edge) on Curtis Clark's "Chiara." Workman is the marrow of the music, whose lines provide support, momentum, or counterpoint as needed and whose solos have the spontaneous inevitability of a master improviser. Once again, these three veterans provide a master class in how to stay fresh and creative after decades in the music.
Aldo del Noce, Jazzconvention, 5 Settembre 2014
Trio 3 are joined by Vijay Iyer, that intellectually self-aware pianist, on their new jazz album Wiring
Georges Tonla Briquet, Jazzmozaiek, Belgium, September 2014
Kay Friedrichs, Klenkes 10 /14
Bernd Kostermann, Stereo, Deutschland, 11 /14
Trio 3 har nærmest gjort det til en spesialitet å samarbeide pianister. Trommeslageren Andrew Cyrille, bassisten Reggie Workman og altsaksofonisten Oliver Lake har tidligere gjort plater med Iréne Schweizer («Berne Concert» Intakt CD 150), Geri Allen («At This Time», Intakt CD162 og «Celebrating Mary Lou Williams», Intakt CD 187) og Jason Moran («Refraction – Breakin' Glass», Intakt CD 217), og da var det vel bare et tidsspørsmål før det «nye» stjerneskuddet, Vijay Iyer skulle inviteres med i studio sammen med de tre veteranene.
Le Trio 3, constitué depuis pas mal d'années par trois admirables vétérans, Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman et Andrew Cyrille, convie à nouveau un pianiste en son sein. Après Irène Schweizer, Geri Allen et Jason Moran, c'est le jeune Vijay Iyer qui est invité à se mouvoir, se confronter, partager, apporter des thèmes, voire bousculer ces trois rocs. Et, comme d'habitude, cela donne un excellent disque. Grâce à la pulsation, au swing omniprésent, à la densité, à l'urgence, à la force et à la souplesse, sans oublier la qualité d'écoute de chacun et les improvisations remarquables, le Trio 3 n'a rien d'une réunion d'anciens et témoigne, au contraire, de la vitalité du jazz afro-américain. Notons que le livret s'enrichit d'un texte d'Amiri Baraka, écrit quelques semaines après l'enregistrement de ce disque, et quelques semaines avant sa disparition.
Trio 3—alto saxophonist Oliver Lake, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille—is one of jazz's tightest, most self-contained units, but the players have long shown themselves open and flexible enough to accommodate the contributions of gifted guest artists, especially pianists. This set, featuring Vijay Iyer, continues in that tradition. Like Trio 3's regular members, Iyer journeys "inside" and "outside" with equal facility. Warm, humorous, cryptic and declamatory in turn, he alternates unison melody lines with percussive chording before breaking into solos that dance within, above, below and parallel to the main theme; his improvisations gather energy and tension by using the silence between notes as a rhythm instrument unto itself. Lake's tone is taut and acid-tinged, but he's also capable of sardonic humor (as on "The Prowl," the set's opener) and a tenderness all the more affecting for being devoid of sentimentality (exemplified by his breathy, prayer-like murmurs in the collective improv "Rosmarie"). Cyrille is a master of unforced propulsion, texturally complex even when he's straight-ahead, intermixing with Workman's sinewy lines and serpentine arco moans. Iyer's three-part Suite for Trayvon (and Thousands More), the disc's centerpiece, includes "Slimm," which portrays a courageous, joyful but already cautious young man moving inexorably toward his fate; the harsh, funk/hip-hop-tinged "Fallacies," a declamation against the injustices surrounding both his killing and its aftermath; and "Adagio," a lament resonant with grief, anguish and barely contained militancy (Coltrane's "Alabama" is the obvious point of reference). "Tribute to Bu," in contrast, Cyrille's homage to Art Blakey, is flat-out exuberance. Cyrille's playing is less flamboyant than Blakey's often was, but with its variegated textures and layered rhythmic juxtapositions, it's fully in the spirit of the master. David Whiteis, Jazztimes, USA, October 2014
Jürg Solothurnman/Dieter Ulrich_ Gespräch über Andrew Cyrille. Jazz'nmore Nov/Dez 2014
Ever play Fantasy Band and assemble a dream team of free jazz? What would you get? How about Trio 3? That would be alto saxophonist Oliver Lake; bassist Reggie Workman; and drummer Andrew Cyrille. Anyone who appreciates free-form jazz probably already knows the history of these three stalwarts. Cyrille continues to be one of the foremost free jazz percussionists. His poise, influence and unfaltering dexterity have kept him busy since the late 1950s. Particularly noteworthy is his tenure with pianist Cecil Taylor from 1964 to 1975. Lake is an equally full-range player who was a mainstay of the World Saxophone Quartet and performed with many outstanding artists. Workman—a dazzling, adaptable bassist— was in the 1961 version of the John Coltrane Quartet, and subsequently in the '60s was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and collaborated with Yusef Lateef and Thelonious Monk. Lake, Workman and Cyrille have distinguished solo careers, but came together as Trio 3 in 1992 to release a spate of live and studio dates, sometimes with guests such as pianists Irène Schweizer and Geri Allen.
Sous étiquette Intakt Records, le pianiste et compositeur Vijay Iyer se produit aux côtés de musiciens issus de la génération qui précède la sienne: le saxophoniste alto Oliver Lake, le contrebassiste Reggie Workman, le batteur Andrew Cyrille forment Trio 3 depuis un moment. Ces sexagénaires n'ont visiblement pas perdu la forme et, somme toute, mènent le bal sur cet album. Le pianiste indo-américain y fait figure d'invité car l'esthétique post-free y est prééminente. On se replonge ici dans les années 70, 80 et 90 du jazz contemporain, pendant lesquelles les musiciens liés au genre ont progressivement trouvé le liant entre jazz moderne et free, entre musique écrite, improvisation dirigée et improvisation libre. Le vocabulaire free des instruments acoustiques s'est alors précisé, pendant que la composition jazz s'est lentement approchée de la musique contemporaine occidentale sans pour autant se couper de ses racines. Le cadre de l'album Wiring est ici présenté, les musiciens le débordent, car ils ont chacun de nouvelles propositions à nous soumettre côté impro. Côté composition, cependant, nous sommes en terrain connu; peu de changements au programme.
Trio 3 & Vijay Iyer • Wiring
It really should be Trio 4 by now! For their previous four albums the threesome has added a pianist to the ranks, first Geri Allen, then Irene Schweizer, then Allen again, and lastly Jason Moran. Now on Wiring Vijay Iyer takes over the piano stool. You could argue that with their credentials saxophonist Oliver Lake (World Saxophone Quartet), bassist Reggie Workman (John Coltrane) and drummer Andrew Cyrille (Cecil Taylor) don't need assistance from anyone. But each guest subtly changes the dynamic, and Iyer's presence reboots the pointer on the inside/outside spectrum marginally towards the tradition. As ever the writing credits are shared equally, supplemented by one collective improvisation and a cover of pianist Curtis Clark's lilting "Chiara." Lake's alto has lost none of its potency, as he claws his way through the registers or interleaves lyrical fragments with ferocious free outbursts. Workman provides sturdy underpinning bristling with gravitas, while Cyrille excels at both elegant tumult and an airy swing frequently demarcated almost entirely on his cymbals. Iyer becomes an integral part of the outfit, whether stretching out simultaneously with the saxophonist, or comping energetically behind him. He contributes the bouyant supercharged opener "The Prowl," and also the three part "Suite for Trayvon (and Thousands More)," which moves from muscular swagger, via graceful unisons and jaunty tattoo, to a final "Adagio" which features funereal piano and a bittersweet alto melody. It also prompts a particularly fine solo from the pianist, which sees clusters of notes carefully pitched in the pockets of the churning rhythm. Workman's choppy "Synapse II" begins with Lake's explosive saxophone snarl and continues into a feature for the reedman's darting alto. Iyer's introduction accentuates the blues dimension on the bassist's "Willow Song." By contrast "Rosmarie," a group invention for Intakt label cofounder Rosmarie Meier, is suitably open and expressive. Cyrille's nod to seminal drummer Art Blakey, "Tribute to Bu," comprises a talking drum extravaganza against which each member pitches themselves in turn. It closes another solid set from one of more superior bands on the current scene.
Le trio du combat politique Le nouvel album du Trio 3, intitulé Wiring sur étiquette Intakt Records, est plus que singulier. Un album très important ou essentiel, c'est au choix. Car Wiring est bon, très bon même, mais aussi, voire surtout, politique. Autrement dit, Wiring est très rare. Dévoiler les identités qui forment le Trio 3 devrait rassurer quant à la qualité de cette production. Au saxophone alto, on retrouve Oliver Lake, immense pour faire suer les notes. À la contrebasse, on retrouve Reggie Workman, ex-accompagnateur de John Coltrane et grand professeur à la New School de New York. À la batterie, on retrouve Andrew Cyrille, rythmicien par excellence du juste à point. Depuis quelques années, ce triumvirat de gentlemen a entrepris une aventure particulière, car consistant à inviter des pianistes aguerris, des pianistes rompus au répertoire de Thelonious Monk comme de Cecil Taylor. Toujours est-il qu'après avoir dialogué avec Geri Allen et Jason Moran, voilà qu'ils ont invité le surdoué Vijay Iyer pour confectionner une opération politique. De quoi s'agit-il ? De ceci : quelques semaines après le soulèvement de la communauté noire de Ferguson dans le Missouri à la suite de la mort de Michael Brown, un jeune homme tué par un policier, notre trio et son complice d'un jour Iyer proposent une suite composée à la mémoire de Trayvon Martin, jeune Noir tué en Floride par un vigilante. Pour dire les choses telles qu'elles sont, pour dire la réalité des choses en question, cette suite a rappelé par l'esprit et la manière les grandes suites politiques qui ont ponctué l'histoire du jazz dans les années 60 et 70. On notera, on soulignera et on retiendra que cela faisait belle lurette que des musiciens n'avaient pas osé piquer le corps de la politique de banderilles trempées dans la révolte découlant du racisme. On tient aussi à souligner que Suite for Trayvon (and Thousands More) nous a rappelé les contestations musicales signées en leur temps par Charles Mingus, Archie Shepp, John Coltrane, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Lester Bowie et Roland Kirk. À l'instar de ces derniers, Lake et ses amis s'appliquent à décaper, à déstabiliser, à mettre en relief le mal absolu. La sauvagerie d'un temps soi-disant moderne. Wiring a ceci de remarquable qu'il est musicalement percutant un coup, calme, spirituel ou méditatif celui d'après. Il est enfin un manifeste qui renoue avec une tradition trop vite oubliée. Serge Truffaut, Le Devoir, Libre de penser, Canada, 8 Novembre 2014
Chris Searle, Morning Star, August 4, 2015 |