LIVE CAPITOL BRIG (CD)
LIVE CAPITOL BRIG
TOTAL TIME 135‘ 36‘‘
MANUEL MENGIS — TRP, SYNTH, EL
JAVIER HAGEN — VOC
HANS-PETER PFAMMATTER — KEYS, EL
MARCEL PAPAUX — PERC
Oftentimes the avant-garde, including the
world of free-improvised music, seems to suffer from a
sort of kalophobia – a purposeful avoidance of the
beautiful, as if the aesthetically pleasing were to betray
the artists’ integrity. Not so the quartet of Manuel
Mengis, Javier Hagen, Hans-Peter Pfammatter, and Marcel
Papaux, who don’t shy away from elegance – an understated
poise reminiscent in its opening moments of
Filles-de-Kilimanjaro-era Miles Davis, Mengis’ trumpet
channeling the great ancestor though the logic of his
playing is entirely his own. But the gracefully plaintive
mood is soon undermined by the subliminally aggressive
presence of Pfammatter’s synthesizer clouds and Papaux’s
percussion creaks, subverting the idyll with critical
commentary. And so the (albeit slightly creepy) serenity
of the music’s opening passages gradually gives way to a
tenser mood, Hagen’s sneakily abstract yet emotionally
charged vocal poetics interlocking with loud cymbal
ambience and regular-yet-ametric synthesizer jabs. Yet,
somehow, despite all abandon, the elegance persists all
the way to the end of the session, particularly in the
drone-oriented sections of the second disc. Perhaps it is
quintessentially Swiss that this music – even when it
crosses into distortion, even when it is punctuated by
audience laughter – remains a precision mechanism, pared
of the irrelevant: a clockwork of unity between the
musicians, connected by a common sense of purpose. It is a
music of paradoxes, contradictions, but also of assured
self-expression and intense listening of the musicians to
one another, deserving of a similarly intense listening
from its audience. Then, magical relationships of timbre,
pitch, and emotion reveal themselves, rising phoenixlike
from the poise and the noise. (Lukas
Ligeti)
***** Eine Doppel-CD, schlicht betitelt, 18 Tracks auf zwei Scheiben. Eine Musik mit langen Klängen, Erschütterungen und im Kern doch eine grosse Ruhe. Jede Intervention ist wie die Faser einer gespannten Sehne, die sich bis an den Anschlag dehnt und doch nicht reisst. Eine andere Impro-Band hätte den Pfeil längst losgelassen, Turbulenzen verursacht, im dynamischen Spiel von Attack und Release, Intervention und Widerrede. Hier vibriert eine Textur, klopft eine Trommel, wimmert eine Stimme, schlägt eine Glocke, klickert eine Taste und singt eine Trompete ihre Melodielinien in fragiler Schönheit. Die Improvisatoren werfen sich mit aller Wucht in das Ereignis und sind doch jederzeit präzise und kontrolliert. Pfammatter hantiert mit einer Vielzahl von Soundtimbres, elektronischen Verfremdungen, Piano-Tupfern, Drones, Synthesizerflächen, jähen Eingriffen. Der klassische Sänger Javier Hagen überrascht mit seinen Stimmformungen und reduzierten Interventionen, wie man sie keinem Opernsänger zutrauen würde. Perkussionist Papaux entwirft mobile Rhythmus-Skulpturen mit viel Sinn für Space. Mengis transformiert die Trompete auch mal in elektronische Energiefelder oder lässt sie in feinsinniger Akustik durch das Gedröhn zirkulieren. Längst ist nicht immer klar, von wem die Klänge stammen, die sich da in heftigen Noise-Wolken zusammenbrauen. Klar ist nur, dass es diesem Quartett gelingt, über die Dauer von über zwei Stunden eine Klang-Magie zu entfalten, in der vieles gärt und tickert, aufbricht und verglüht, flüstert und lärmt und die einen am Ende doch wie ein leises Schlaflied geborgen umhüllt.
Pirmin Bossart, Jazz`N`More-Tipp,
Jazz`N`More, Sept./Okt. Nr.5/2022
MENGIS &
PFAMMATTER & HAGEN & PAPAUX - LIVE CAPITOL BRIG
(2CD by Wide Ear Records). In 2020 four musicians played a
live soundtrack to a silent movie. I won't mention the
name of the film. The film itself has a run time of 161
minutes. The music performed is spread across two discs,
in total, nearly 136 minutes. I haven't seen the movie, so
I can't comment on whether the music fits the moving
images or vice versa. What I can say is that the music on
this release is excellent. Moody, dark and intense in a
spacious way, this isn't background music per se. And the
visuals are not needed. The music is of high quality with
its own merits. Javier Hagen provides vocals, mostly
wordless, but in the end, poetry sails through the sonic
landscape. Hans-Peter Pfammatter plays what sounds like a
prepared piano. Marcel Papaux adds a percussion layer, but
mostly on an impressionistic beatless level. And last but
certainly not least, Manuel Mengis sprinkles trumpet in
longer or shorter melodic lines into the mix. Electronic
samples shift the mood into stellar-driven heights with
more percussive looping 'beats'. Overall, this music will
open the ears and mind to a more avant-garde way of
creating alien-sounding landscapes, leaving room to create
personal imagery for the listener. Highly recommended,
although listening to this back to back might be a bit too
much. Or not, that's up to the listener, of course. (MDS)
––– Address: https://wideearrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://vitalweekly.net/1340.html
Live Capitol
Brig de Mengis – Hagen – Pfammatter – Papaux y Astragaloi
de Rempis – Harnik – Zerang son dos propuestas
esencialmente improvisadas. Distintas en cuanto a
formación y orientación, la de Dave Rempis (saxos alto y
tenor); Elisabeth Harnik (piano); y Michael Zerang
(batería) está más orientada al jazz (incluyendo ciertos
elementos cercanos al blues), mientras que la de Manuel
Mengis (trompeta, sintetizador, electronica); Javier Hagen
(voz); Hans-Peter Pfammatter (teclados, electrónica); y
Marcel Papaux (percusión), está más cercana a la
improvisación no idiomática. Algunos elementos en común de
ambas grabaciones: la paciencia de los músicos para que la
propuesta se desarrolle con gran naturalidad; la ausencia
de pretensión de protagonismo por parte por ninguno de los
músicos; también está esa imaginación que vuela y lleva a
unos conciertos con estas músicas, que al menos para quien
esto escribe, resultan sumamente atractivos en directo.
Rigo Dittmann, badalchemy.de, BA 115, p.40
MENGIS PFAMMATTER
HAGEN PAPAUX, das sind Manuel Mengis (Gruppe 6,
Hicsuntleones) an Trumpet, Synth & Electronics,
Hans-Peter Pfammatter (Laura Schuler Quartett, mit Mengis in
Le Pot) an Keys & Electronics, Javier Hagen als an sich
ausgewachsener Chorknabe an Vocals und an Percussion Marcel
Papaux, Jg. 1960 und mit langjähriger Erfahrung in den
Thierry Lang, Christoph Stiefel und Cholet Känzig Papaux
Trios. Nichts davon macht mich gefasst auf Live Capitol Brig
(WER062, 2xCD). Darauf, wie einem der zartbittere Miles-Ton
von Mengis, die in Gran abgewogene Spielweise, monoton
pulsende, knattrige Elektronik, orgeliges Dröhnen, geharfte
Mysterien, pianistisches Beinahenichts und dezent geklickte,
gedongte, gepingte Laute die Ohren spitzen. Und im
Besonderen auf das seltsame Mundwerk von Hagen, der wispert,
girrt, ächzt, tagträumerisch die Luft kaut oder
Kopfstimmsingsang verdunsten lässt – selbst seine Krawatte
schreit lauter! Geheimnisvoll, gewagt, nicht ohne heftigen
Pegelausschlag, durchwegs erstaunlich.
MENGIS PFAMMATTER HAGEN PAPAUX are Manuel Mengis (Group 6,
Hicsuntleones) on trumpet, synth & electronics,
Hans-Peter Pfammatter (Laura Schuler Quartett, with Mengis
in Le Pot) on keys & electronics, Javier Hagen (JIP) as
a full-grown choirboy on vocals and percussion Marcel
Papaux, born in 1960 and with many years of experience in
the Thierry Lang, Christoph Stiefel and Cholet Känzig Papaux
trios. None of this prepares me for Live Capitol Brig
(WER062, 2xCD). It's about how Mengis' delicately bitter
Miles tone, the granularly balanced playing style,
monotonously pulsating, creaky electronics, organ-like
droning, harsh mysteries, pianistic near-nothingness and
discreetly clicked, dubbed, pinged sounds prick up your
ears. And especially to the remarkable vocals of Hagen/JIP,
who whispers, coos, groans, chews the air daydreamingly or
evaporates falsetto notes - even his tie screams louder!
Mysterious, daring, strong dynamics, amazing throughout.
http://badalchemy.de/download/badalchemy_115.pdf
Jürg Solothurnmann, CrissCross, RaBe
(Radio Bern)
https://rabe.ch/2022/08/23/cd-news-schweiz-do-25-august-2022/
O trompetista
suíço Manuel Mengis apareceu em meados dos anos 2000
fazendo certo barulho na free music, lançando três
elogiados álbuns com seu Gruppe 6 pelo selo Hat Hut. Mas
na última década meio que parece que a repercussão
internacional a seu trabalho desceu a segundo plano, com
menos espaço sendo dedicado ao que vinha fazendo. Com este
novo quarteto, Mengis mostra que continua afiado e cheio
de ideias. A seu lado estão o tecladista Hasn-Peter
Pfammatter, um antigo parceiro, e o percussionista Marcel
Papaux. A eles se une Javier Hagen, fator que abre o álbum
a novos campos. Hagen é um tenor nascido em Barcelona e
radicado na Suíça que tem em seu currículo experiência
ampla no campo erudito, com gravações que vão de Beethoven
a Morton Feldman. Outro elemento vital para a música
apresentada são os eletrônicos explorados por Mengis e
Pfammatter, essenciais para o clima atmosférico que
caracteriza o álbum. O registro extenso, editado em CD
duplo, foi captado ao vivo em outubro de 2020, e apresenta
18 temas, que variam de 1 a 14 minutos, que devem ser
ouvidos de forma sequencial, como se de um concerto
ininterrupto se tratasse, para a melhor percepção do que
oferece esta muito particular obra.
http://www.freeformfreejazz.org/2023/03/lancamentos-novidades-de-artistas-de.html
Souvent à la
pointe d’une musique sophistiquée et très ouverte, le
label Wide Ear Records, basé en Suisse, n’est jamais avare
de surprises. C’est donc avec un certain naturel que nous
retrouvons avec Live at Capitol Brig le trompettiste
Manuel Mengis sur son catalogue. On est heureux de
retrouver le soufflant suisse, quelques années après le
Pot et les différents avatars de ses Gruppe dans un
nouveau projet, avec de vieux camarades comme le
claviériste Hans-Peter Pfammatter et des collaborations
récentes comme le percussionniste Marcel Papaux. Mais
aussi une tête nouvelle, le chanteur lyrique Javier Hagen,
dont le travail sur les onomatopées, son parmi les sons,
offre une dimension nouvelle à la musique de Mengis.
Double album enregistré sans filet, Live at Capitol Brig
est un dédale d’électronique qui cherche un équilibre et
le trouve, comme une mécanique folle qui trouverait un
rythme. On connaît la relation forte qui unit Pfammatter
et Mengis, elle fait merveille dès l’ouverture du premier
des deux albums, dans une atmosphère qui doit beaucoup aux
années électriques de Miles Davis, un paradigme que nous
avions déjà expérimenté avec Le Pot. Mais la relation avec
Papaux, pas si vieille au sein de HicSuntLeones, est celle
qui offre le plus beau panorama de l’univers en cours dans
ce quartet : dans « IX », sur le premier disque, au milieu
d’une forêt primaire d’électronique et des feulements de
Hagen, c’est la luxuriance de l’échange entre les peaux et
le souffle qui donne le tournis ; Manuel Mengis, pourtant
avare de gestes et de parole tout au long de la rencontre,
s’engage dans un jeu plus percutant qui se dédouble et se
dépasse par une électronique que la voix du ténor,
mystérieusement, incarne. Musique de l’infiniment petit,
ce double album offre l’occasion de renouer avec la
douceur et l’inventivité du jeu de Manuel Mengis. Sa
grande poésie également, notamment lorsqu’il s’adjoint le
travail de Javier Hagen, qui transforme littéralement
cette musique dans sa seconde partie, alors que les effets
de Pfammatter montent en fièvre. La petite mécanique
subtile et imprévisible de Mengis trouve avec ces
compagnons une nouvelle dynamique, sans doute moins
directe que ce qu’il proposait avec Le Pot, mais qui
annonce clairement de nouveaux terrains à défricher, selon
des chemins très familiers.
https://www.citizenjazz.com/Mengis-Pfammatter-Hagen-Papaux.html
Title: Live Capitol Brig
Format: CDx2 (double CD)
Label: Wide Ear Records Rated: * * * * *
Where do we even start? "Live Capitol Brig", like many avant-garde jazz projects, seems to revel in the art of kalophobia - the avoidance of anything that might be considered aesthetically pleasing. Yet, Mengis, Hagen, Pfammatter, and Papaux have managed to produce a work that both embraces and defies this notion, blending beauty with a hint of discomfort. From the opening moments, it's clear that "Live Capitol Brig" isn’t afraid to dip its toes into the realm of elegance. Mengis' trumpet channels the spirit of Miles Davis' "Filles de Kilimanjaro" era, but with a twist that is distinctly his own. It’s a promising start, evoking a sense of serene beauty. But don't get too comfortable – Pfammatter’s synthesizer and Papaux’s percussion often disrupt this tranquility, injecting a subliminally aggressive and somehow catty undertone that keeps you on your toes. This delicate balance between beauty and chaos is maintained throughout the album, creating a tapestry of sound that is both unsettling and captivating. Hagen’s vocals, abstract yet emotionally charged, weave through the sonic landscape, adding another layer of complexity. The music’s mood shifts from serene to tense, never allowing the listener to fully relax, but keeping the level of attention high as a wisely plotted movie or novel. However, despite the frequent descents into distortion and the punctuations of audience laughter, the album retains a peculiar sense of precision. It’s like a Swiss watch – intricate, precise, and slightly cold. Each musician is in perfect sync with the others, creating a unified sound that is more than the sum of its parts. This meticulous craftsmanship is perhaps the album’s saving grace, transforming what could have been a chaotic mess into a cohesive, albeit challenging, listening experience. The second disc, with its drone-oriented sections, offers a slight reprieve from the tension. Here, the elegance takes center stage, providing moments of genuine beauty amidst the avant-garde experimentation. These sections highlight the musicians' ability to create a deeply immersive atmosphere, proving that they are just as capable of crafting moments of serene beauty as they are of generating unsettling tension. "Live Capitol Brig" is a paradoxical album – elegant yet aggressive, serene yet tense, precise yet chaotic. It’s not an easy listen, and it certainly isn’t for everyone. But for those willing to engage with its complexities, it offers a rewarding experience that reveals new layers with each listen. It’s a clockwork of unity and a testament to the musicians' ability to push the boundaries of free-improvised music. So, if you’re up for a challenge and have an appreciation for the avant-garde, give this album a listen. Just don’t expect an easy ride.
The New York
City Jazz Record, 2022-08, p.14
http://www.nycjazzrecord.com/issues/tnycjr202208.pdf
