Scorch Trio - Brolt! (Rune Grammafon)
4/5
By: Charlie Potter
Does the world need more free jazz? No. Am I glad that this album exists? Yes. Definitely. Would I listen to this album if I weren't reviewing it...? The furrow in my brow that occurs through the uncertainty I feel when to answer this question can only be communicated on this page thus: ////////////
So rather than trying to answer the question of whether you should hear this album, I think it better to merely answer the question of whether this album is good. And of course it is - this is another slice of floppy fingered jitter jazz hits from Rune Grammafon.
The personnel on this album number basically the Norwegian stalwarts The Thing but with Raoul Björkenheim on guitar rather than Mats Gustafsson on sax. Raoul recently appeared on the fantastic Box album Studio 1, also released by Rune Grammafon (reviewed HERE). My only criticism of Björkenheim's guitar playing on Studio 1 was that he could not stop, and unfortunately this is once again the case. It certainly doesn't ruin the sound, it just makes it a little lob sided.
The definite merit of this album lies in how the musicians have fearlessly followed an idea to some really unique points. Perhaps the instance that stands out the most occurs on the track 'Gaba' where there is a long section of just guitar and bass providing long lines of creaky string streaks, resonating predominantly in octaves. The sound is often confusing but if I am not mistaken Björkenheim has made his guitar sound a lot like a sax.
And actually it's all very well saying there is enough free jazz out there, but when listening to this it is kind of comforting to know that there is loads more if you want it. You don't have to listen to it, but you can if you so desire. You create a sort of never ending spiral for yourself in free jazz if you want, and the more I think about it, the more I think that that is a good thing. When listening to free jazz of this calibre you feel like you are tapping into a constant anarchic stream of human fiddle fun, which brings me to one of the greatest things about free jazz - the musicians really have no idea what they are doing or where they are going. Sometimes you lose sight of that, but when you think about it clearly, it just makes you feel like you never really want it to stop.
There is also something about the sound quality that makes this recording really engaging absorbing. You can very much hear the acoustics of the room, and you get the feeling it's not a very big room. This is a bunch of amazing musicians going way out there in a small room. What more do you want? (Don't say a chorus).
Artists in this article: Scorch Trio
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