Just like Heinz Ketchup had 57 variety of tomatoes, so 577 Records has as many varieties (or more) of free jazz. Here’s the latest cache…
Electronic Music Producer Hprizm reworks material form Gerald Cleaver’s album Signs with a series of effects and electric elocutions. There are three takes of the title tune, with rumbling percussion, staticky static and megaphone tones with a synth hip hop beat. Sounds from a Nintendo ping pong game dominate “Amidst Curses” and a mix of radiant heat and crickets create “Ferrous Slap”. Eno’s next generation. Or is it Subotnick?
Consisting of Massimo Magee on saxes the silver rattle and a pair of drummers in Tony Irving and Tim Green, The Cyclone Trio blows hard and long, causing the uninitiated to run for safe shelter. The pair of drummers create dark thunder on the 23 minute torrential opus “Inside The Circle” while Magee squeaks, squawks and shrills around the crashing climaxes. The sticks flail on “Trinosophile” with some swirling tenor provided by Magee before the team mellows at the end like the last raindrops of a storm. On soprano, Magee bops to “Cardinal Points” while the drums build up to a cataclysmic overflow of magma. Sound the alarm!
Tenor saxist Rachel Muson delivers a solo session of 16 original improvisations. Most of the pieces are around 1-2 minutes, with one, “For Pauline” an 8 minute mix of vocal poetry and mournful reed work. There’s some harsh screaming on “Reeling” and percussive pad popping along with chanting during “Peurgh” with altissimo long tomes on the lung work out of “Leavenses”. Her dynamics range from a fluffy nimbus of “Slimpets” to deep subtones on the magma of “Goodbyesing”. A walk through deep reeds.
Legendary Dutch tenor saxist Paul Dunmall teams up with intuitive drummer Mark Sanders for a collection of intuitive conversations. The team cleverly changes and mixes tempos as Dunmell’s bright tone drives hard on “Dwelling in Unity” while he roars like a lion on the somber “The Quiet Mind”. He gives a rich solo intro with soft cymbal support and brushwork that slowly starts rocking on “The Vacuum” and Sanders rumbles like a V8 hot rod as Dunmell growls out harmonics for “Henry Grimes”. Deep digs.