PAT BATTSTONE SEXTET - Elements
LeoRecords CD LR 821
Pat Battstone, piano, percussion; Marialuisa Capurso, vocals, ocarina, electronics; Adolfo La Volpe, live electronics, guitar; Mariasole De Pascali, flutes; Francesco Massaro, saxophone; Giacomo Mongelli, drums, percussion
Recorded at MAST studios, Bari, April 22nd 2017
These works may best be described collectively as ‘spontaneous music’ as they are certainly that and it’s at least a transparent description – you and I can all understand what it means. I have heard it referred to as ‘pataphysical, but such a categorization expects too much. Have you heard the notation “biology is explained by chemistry which is explained by physics which is explained by metaphysics”? ‘Pataphysics comes next, complete with its opening apostrophe, and explaining metaphysics. The term was realised by French symbolist writer Alfred Jarry, best known for the play Ubu Roi, often cited as the earliest example of absurdist literature and postmodern philosophy. See what I mean? Let’s not go there in this context. But do let us go there to hear it.
Constantly improvising percussion drives all before it, excepting the incandescent vocal works which subsume the drumming yet are themselves consumed by it. The collective improvisation constructs this sonic escapade from the pedigrees of Avant Garde jazz in every sense. Nothing is predetermined; it’s a casual conversation that started out with one musician’s response to another’s original comment. The discourse grew and spread and became energising and inspirational. At first impulsive, it quickly becomes so compulsive you can hear the players listening. Insightful and illuminating.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
LeoRecords CD LR 821
Pat Battstone, piano, percussion; Marialuisa Capurso, vocals, ocarina, electronics; Adolfo La Volpe, live electronics, guitar; Mariasole De Pascali, flutes; Francesco Massaro, saxophone; Giacomo Mongelli, drums, percussion
Recorded at MAST studios, Bari, April 22nd 2017
These works may best be described collectively as ‘spontaneous music’ as they are certainly that and it’s at least a transparent description – you and I can all understand what it means. I have heard it referred to as ‘pataphysical, but such a categorization expects too much. Have you heard the notation “biology is explained by chemistry which is explained by physics which is explained by metaphysics”? ‘Pataphysics comes next, complete with its opening apostrophe, and explaining metaphysics. The term was realised by French symbolist writer Alfred Jarry, best known for the play Ubu Roi, often cited as the earliest example of absurdist literature and postmodern philosophy. See what I mean? Let’s not go there in this context. But do let us go there to hear it.
Constantly improvising percussion drives all before it, excepting the incandescent vocal works which subsume the drumming yet are themselves consumed by it. The collective improvisation constructs this sonic escapade from the pedigrees of Avant Garde jazz in every sense. Nothing is predetermined; it’s a casual conversation that started out with one musician’s response to another’s original comment. The discourse grew and spread and became energising and inspirational. At first impulsive, it quickly becomes so compulsive you can hear the players listening. Insightful and illuminating.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
