PARISIEN/ PEIRANI/ SCHAERER/WOLLNY - Out Of Land
ACT Records 9832-2
Emile Parisien (sop) Vincent Peirani (acc) Andreas Schaerer ( vcl) Michael Wollny (pno)
Once again ACT have pushed the boundaries of left field contemporary music with four of the most free thinking and inventive musicians from their rapidly growing stable of true innovators. The album title was chosen by the quartet to reflect the sense of leaving the safety of their comfort zones (as wide as they maybe) and venture into unknown territory. In this they have truly succeeded. Recorded live at The Bee-Flat Club in Bern Switzerland the album consists of five original themes by the band members over the forty nine minute running time.
The relatively brief intro' number "Air Song" sets the tone for the whole recording with soprano, piano and wordless vocals giving a pronounced "Churchy" feel to proceedings on a theme written and arranged by accordionist Vincent Peirani who only occasionally adds his own distinctive voice to proceedings. A lengthy conversation between accordion and soprano kicks off track two, the mysteriously titled "B & H", before the remarkable Swiss vocalist Andreas Shearer adds his voice ( described on the sleeve note as mouth percussion) in such a way as to bring back memories of Bobby McFerrin in his prime. Michael Wollny's austere lower register chordings add depth and authority as the intensity increases between voice and soprano to a stratospheric close.
There is no let up on the pianists composition "Kabinett V" as his minimalist approach to the keys alongside subdued accordian set a dark and brooding motive full of intrigue as layer upon layer of tension particularly by Wollny (surely now recognised as being at the very forefront of contemporary masters on his instrument) begins to build . Shearer comes in, the mood does not lighten and at some point sounds like the backdrop to a horror movie. Jagged soprano enters the fray as tension rises once again before dropping into a more melodious phase. The tempo increases and at last the tension diminishes to an abrupt ending, with soprano sounds reminding us of latter day Coltrane.
There is a solemn and quietly controlled accordian opening to "Rezeusler" before Schaerer's vocal gymnastics return us to the religious feel of the opener, except on this occasion his voice carries extra passion and rises to heights no male should be capable of. At the mid point of the composition Wollny's piano centers things with a profound solo using time and space to it's full answering what has gone before, until the trio come back together to close. The final and longest cut "Ukuhamba" at nearly fourteen minutes highlights an unaccompanied soprano opening, with occasional vocal prompting before there are folky overtones from Vincent Peirani as the tempo, now led from the piano chair, introduces an urgency into the music not encountered previously. As the tempo rises further, Shearer, now in "mouth percussion" mode and the soprano battle for supremacy in a joint mind blowing improvised duet before descending to a quiet conclusion.
This is an album that defies most conventions and is more than worthy of very careful listening.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
ACT Records 9832-2
Emile Parisien (sop) Vincent Peirani (acc) Andreas Schaerer ( vcl) Michael Wollny (pno)
Once again ACT have pushed the boundaries of left field contemporary music with four of the most free thinking and inventive musicians from their rapidly growing stable of true innovators. The album title was chosen by the quartet to reflect the sense of leaving the safety of their comfort zones (as wide as they maybe) and venture into unknown territory. In this they have truly succeeded. Recorded live at The Bee-Flat Club in Bern Switzerland the album consists of five original themes by the band members over the forty nine minute running time.
The relatively brief intro' number "Air Song" sets the tone for the whole recording with soprano, piano and wordless vocals giving a pronounced "Churchy" feel to proceedings on a theme written and arranged by accordionist Vincent Peirani who only occasionally adds his own distinctive voice to proceedings. A lengthy conversation between accordion and soprano kicks off track two, the mysteriously titled "B & H", before the remarkable Swiss vocalist Andreas Shearer adds his voice ( described on the sleeve note as mouth percussion) in such a way as to bring back memories of Bobby McFerrin in his prime. Michael Wollny's austere lower register chordings add depth and authority as the intensity increases between voice and soprano to a stratospheric close.
There is no let up on the pianists composition "Kabinett V" as his minimalist approach to the keys alongside subdued accordian set a dark and brooding motive full of intrigue as layer upon layer of tension particularly by Wollny (surely now recognised as being at the very forefront of contemporary masters on his instrument) begins to build . Shearer comes in, the mood does not lighten and at some point sounds like the backdrop to a horror movie. Jagged soprano enters the fray as tension rises once again before dropping into a more melodious phase. The tempo increases and at last the tension diminishes to an abrupt ending, with soprano sounds reminding us of latter day Coltrane.
There is a solemn and quietly controlled accordian opening to "Rezeusler" before Schaerer's vocal gymnastics return us to the religious feel of the opener, except on this occasion his voice carries extra passion and rises to heights no male should be capable of. At the mid point of the composition Wollny's piano centers things with a profound solo using time and space to it's full answering what has gone before, until the trio come back together to close. The final and longest cut "Ukuhamba" at nearly fourteen minutes highlights an unaccompanied soprano opening, with occasional vocal prompting before there are folky overtones from Vincent Peirani as the tempo, now led from the piano chair, introduces an urgency into the music not encountered previously. As the tempo rises further, Shearer, now in "mouth percussion" mode and the soprano battle for supremacy in a joint mind blowing improvised duet before descending to a quiet conclusion.
This is an album that defies most conventions and is more than worthy of very careful listening.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
