TIM BERNE'S SNAKEOIL - Incidentals
ECM 576 7257
Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Oscar Noriega (clarinet, bass clarinet); Ryan Ferreira (electric guitar); Matt Mitchell (piano, electronics); Ches Smith (drums, vibes, percussion, timpani);
David Torn (guitar on 'Hora Feliz' (intro) and 'Sideshow' (outro)
Recorded December 2014
This latest chapter in the story of Tim Berne's Snakeoil ensemble can be seen as a companion album to the excellent You've Been Watching Me with both albums being recorded in December 2014 with the same line up. The only difference being cameo appearances by David Torn bringing his distinctive guitar sound to a couple of tracks, and presumably added after the event in the studio at mixing stage.
Once again Berne's concept works on the principles that opposites attract and the music is often based on fragments of melody that are interspersed with collective improvisation, or indeed splinter groups that emerge from the ensemble to explore areas opened up by the theme or as a result of the collective conversations. At times the resulting music can be quite unrelenting, a harsh cacophony of sound that chip away at melodic or rhythmic motifs. This is approach is evident in 'Stingray Shuffle' that bullies its way through the theme to some dense collective interplay.
With the group now firmly established, this is Snakeoil's fourth release for ECM, it is interesting to hear how the relationships between player are coalescing. The interplay between all is deepening significantly with the clarinet and saxophone of Oscar Noriega and Berne so in tune with each other processes and methods as to render it impossible to tell who is leading who in their dialogues. Painist, Matt Mitchell, has found his place in the music and instinctively knows when and how to stay out of the way of the guitar, the other chordal instrument in the ensemble, and thus avaoiding any clash between the two. Mitchell's ability to lead from the piano stool in much in evidence in his superb contributions on 'Incidentals Contact'.
The most satisfying track on the album comes in what is also the longest clocking it at just over twenty six minutes, 'Sideshow'. Over the course of this marathon piece the group find the perfect blend between composition, collective improvisation and the splinter groups, duos and trios, that seem to appear organically from within the fabric of the music. Originally part of an hour long piece, with the other half being 'Small World In A Small Town' which was documented on You've Been Watching Me, which Berne regularly plays on gigs splitting the original piece in half and plying each in a different set within the concert. Within the performance the group explore the whole gamut of their collective and individual experiences, and bring to the music that perfect blend of light and shade and performance dynamics that does not wane or seek to thrill from start to finish.
This is another inspiring set from Tim Berne's Snakeoil, and it will be interesting to see where he takes the group from here, given his wont in looking for new textures to bring to this exciting band.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
ECM 576 7257
Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Oscar Noriega (clarinet, bass clarinet); Ryan Ferreira (electric guitar); Matt Mitchell (piano, electronics); Ches Smith (drums, vibes, percussion, timpani);
David Torn (guitar on 'Hora Feliz' (intro) and 'Sideshow' (outro)
Recorded December 2014
This latest chapter in the story of Tim Berne's Snakeoil ensemble can be seen as a companion album to the excellent You've Been Watching Me with both albums being recorded in December 2014 with the same line up. The only difference being cameo appearances by David Torn bringing his distinctive guitar sound to a couple of tracks, and presumably added after the event in the studio at mixing stage.
Once again Berne's concept works on the principles that opposites attract and the music is often based on fragments of melody that are interspersed with collective improvisation, or indeed splinter groups that emerge from the ensemble to explore areas opened up by the theme or as a result of the collective conversations. At times the resulting music can be quite unrelenting, a harsh cacophony of sound that chip away at melodic or rhythmic motifs. This is approach is evident in 'Stingray Shuffle' that bullies its way through the theme to some dense collective interplay.
With the group now firmly established, this is Snakeoil's fourth release for ECM, it is interesting to hear how the relationships between player are coalescing. The interplay between all is deepening significantly with the clarinet and saxophone of Oscar Noriega and Berne so in tune with each other processes and methods as to render it impossible to tell who is leading who in their dialogues. Painist, Matt Mitchell, has found his place in the music and instinctively knows when and how to stay out of the way of the guitar, the other chordal instrument in the ensemble, and thus avaoiding any clash between the two. Mitchell's ability to lead from the piano stool in much in evidence in his superb contributions on 'Incidentals Contact'.
The most satisfying track on the album comes in what is also the longest clocking it at just over twenty six minutes, 'Sideshow'. Over the course of this marathon piece the group find the perfect blend between composition, collective improvisation and the splinter groups, duos and trios, that seem to appear organically from within the fabric of the music. Originally part of an hour long piece, with the other half being 'Small World In A Small Town' which was documented on You've Been Watching Me, which Berne regularly plays on gigs splitting the original piece in half and plying each in a different set within the concert. Within the performance the group explore the whole gamut of their collective and individual experiences, and bring to the music that perfect blend of light and shade and performance dynamics that does not wane or seek to thrill from start to finish.
This is another inspiring set from Tim Berne's Snakeoil, and it will be interesting to see where he takes the group from here, given his wont in looking for new textures to bring to this exciting band.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
