Ken Vandermark
Momentum 5 - Stammer (Triptych)
Audiographic Records
“Composer and reedist Ken Vandermark premiers an ambitious new large ensemble project featuring musicians drawn from across a wide swath of the current improvised and experimental music scenes. Called, "Momentum 5: Stammer (triptych)," it is the fifth installment in his ongoing Momentum series, and the first specifically organized to utilize visual materials. The composition is inspired in part by Alvin Lucier's piece, "I Am Sitting in a Room," and Tony Conrad's, "Film Feedback."”
Dave Rempis / Avreeayl Ra
Bennu
Aerophonic Records
“PRE ORDER! "When this album was recorded, both Rempis and Ra had been locked down for the entire winter, neither one having played with another musician for several months. For Ra, at 74, and Rempis, at 46, this was the longest break either of them had from performing with others since they first started playing music decades ago. Done in one take for an online stream at Constellation in Chicago, this duo session was a rebirth in the midst of those darkest days. And as Ra said on camera during the performance, “this challenge that we’re having is just gonna make the music that much stronger – it really gives a profound, poignant story to tell now, if you didn’t have one before.” On Bennu, we find them digging deep into the existential depths of that tumult and loneliness, while also celebrating the joy of reemergence, and union."”
Christof Kurzmann / Sofia Jernberg / Joe Williamson / Mats Brandlmayr
Disquiet
Trost
“"There are rare bands that succeed in materializing a sonic and poetic vision at the right time and at the right location as Disquiet does. Disquiet is a quartet formed and lead by Kurzmann for the 2018 edition of the Konfrontationen festival and featuring vocalist Sofia Jernberg (of Mats Gustafsson’s Fire! Orchestra), drummer Martin Brandlmayr (of Radian) and double bass player Joe Williamson." -Eyal Hareuveni, Free Jazz Blog”
Dafeldecker / Kurzmann / Drumm / eRikm / dieb13 / Noetinger
Dafeldecker / Kurzmann / Drumm / eRikm / dieb13 / Noetinger
Charhizma
“"The first release on clarinetist and laptopper Christof Kurzmann's Charhizma imprint in 1999 teamed him up with Polwechsel's Werner Dafeldecker on double bass and electronics and guests Kevin Drumm, Christian Fennesz, and Jim O'Rourke. On this follow-up album, with the same garish fluorescent (green this time) cover art by Fineder and Winkler, Dafeldecker and Kurzmann are joined by Drumm, eRikm, Dieb13, and Jérôme Noetinger on various electronic devices. Sourced from concert recordings from Berlin, Graz, and Vienna in 2000 and 2001, the five tracks are mixed together to form a continuous 48 minute arc of music that disappears down a hole only to return eight minutes later with the obligatory ghost track (yawn) to round off the total CD duration to exactly one hour. The dark, woody tones of Dafeldecker's bass and flutters of Kurzmann's fragile clarinet fit well with Noetinger's lo-fi electronics and Dieb13's gritty turntablism, and Kurzmann's affection for techno is evident from time to time in his fondness for gently clicking loops. The album is sedate but not without touches of humor, notably from Marseille DJ eRikm's prepared piano and shotgun samples." -Dan Warburton, All Music”
Christof Kurzmann
The Air Between
Charhizma
“"The low rumbles in the last third and the sharp blows that came before them evoke a war-like atmosphere, but that's as far the parallel between text and music can go. Kurzmann has quite a talent for sound organization, but the piece still has a couple of stretches where the mind wanders off because of the narrow sound palette, but overall The Air Between provides a captivating listen." -Francoise Couture, All Music”
