ElectroCD.com / Emprientes DIGITALes
 
REVIEWS | FEATURES | DEPARTMENTS | BOOMBOX | PODCAST | MISC
SEARCH:
splendid > reviews > 9/28/2005
Anthony Braxton and Walter Frank
Anthony Braxton and Walter Frank
4 Improvisations (Duets) 2004
Leo


Format Reviewed: 2xCD

Soundclip: "Improvisation 1"

Buy it at Insound!
Saxophonist Anthony Braxton joins pianist Walter Frank on the latter's recording debut (note: the album cover misspells his last name, adding an "s" to the end). Frank, an Argentinian composer/improviser, has a graduate degree from Wesleyan and chops to burn. His work has focused on post-minimal music, including premieres of works by composer William Duckworth. His tonally centered and ostinato-heavy style is an interesting new foil for Braxton. Happily, the pairing is an effective one on 4 Improvisations.

While each disc is split into two tracks, each including a twenty-plus minute long selection, there is an expansive quality to the music-making, as well as a concomitant multiplicity of styles, that makes each "improvisation" sound like a fantasy with several discrete sections. "Improvisation 1" is a particularly wide-ranging journey: its opening pits Braxton's bluesy tenor saxophone utterances against Frank's thick block chords. The pianist then moves into a limpid, contrapuntal style, frequently creating shimmering arpeggiations and impressionistic harmonies. This in turn elicits a lyrical dolce sensibility from Braxton, who renders melodies as hushed, impassioned whispers. While this delicate interplay is eventually succeeded by a series of more vigorous interchanges, it is the album's most stunning passage, and one that will linger in your mind.

That said, Frank also holds his own in the more muscular interchanges. He accumulates a beehive of swirling minimal ostinati, to which Braxton responds with lightning fast trills. When Braxton has had enough of the limitations of the post-minimal harmonic field, he breaks out in a roaring, almost raucous burst of angularity, inspiring Frank to crescendo into more cluster-based harmonies and engage in a dissonant cadenza of melodic jabs and body blows. The two end the work playing in disparate styles: Braxton relies on avant-jazz altissimo shrieks, while Frank lays down layers of modal harmony. They somehow remain on the same page, creating a deliciously unusual hybrid music.

On "Improvisation 2", Frank plays in a drier, more staccato style. Braxton rips through some scintillating licks, creating intricate polyrhythms against Frank's repeated bass register interjections. Both are in avant high octane mode on "Improvisation 3"; Braxton's playing is fluid -- darting nimbly, bending pitches, breathlessly spinning out endless passages of dizzying melody. Frank plays machine gun-tempo repeated notes in reply, eventually graduating into acrobatic passages that exploit the piano's entire compass.

"Improvisation 4" is a lively dance, often operating in 6/8 time. Energetic streams of piano notes move in perpetual motion. Braxton's tenor sax navigates wide-ranging solo terrain, by turns sleek and ruminative. Romantic hued harmonies are pitted against post-bop runs, combining in a music that is both ear-catching and exploratory. Braxton and Frank are terrific sparring partners; hopefully they'll team up again in the near future.



REVIEWS:

10/1/2005:
The Coral

Sounds Like Fall

Sinéad O'Connor

Light the Fuse

The Go! Team

Thebeachmachine

The Urania News

Gogglesphere / The Nancy School

9/30/2005:
Robert Skoro

William Elliott Whitmore

Derby

The Vocokesh

Greg Dulli

Valina

Lichens

Oranger

9/29/2005:
Bernard Fort

Port-Royal

Jaks

The Triangles

The Jessica Fletchers

Larvae

Waltham

Enduser

Tim Fite

9/28/2005:
Haujobb

Anthony Braxton and Walter Frank

Great Lake Swimmers

Parlour

Big D and the Kids' Table

Lakota

Cipher

AM

Cheeseburger

9/27/2005:
XBXRX

The New Flesh / Clancy Six

The Zephyrs

Orthrelm

The Bel Airs

Dereck

Paradise Boys

Matt Elliott

Binaural

9/26/2005:
Immaculate Machine

The Dirtbombs

The Ruts

Black Dice

Lords

Nightmare of You

The Luna Moth

Saxon Shore

OCS



Splendid looks great in Firefox. See for yourself.
Get Firefox!


FEATURES:
Jennifer talks to Ian MacKaye about his newest band, The Evens. Don't be surprised if Fugazi and Minor Threat come up as well. Photos: Ryan Marino



DEPARTMENTS:
Pointless Questions
File Under
Bookshelf
That Damn List Thing
LiveLine
Short Talk
Pointless Questions


ARCHIVE:
Read reviews from the last 30, 60, 90 or 120 days, or search our review archive.
It's back! Splendid's daily e-mail update will keep you up to date on our latest reviews and articles. Subscribe now!
Your e-mail address:    
REVIEWS | FEATURES | DEPARTMENTS | BOOMBOX | PODCAST | MISC
SEARCH:
All content ©1996-2005 Splendid WebMedia. Content may not be reproduced without the publisher's permission.