CINC @ Beachland Ballroom Tavern 6/10/06

[Captain Hate]

As I was driving home tonight on E. 152nd I encountered the biggest effing full moon just as it was rising (the strawberry moon, as Mrs Hate later informed me), which serves as a reasonably good metaphor for the heavenly bodies being in sync (or CINC) for tonight's show. Because my hopes for this being good were just about nil, given my extemely poor opinion of English Suites by Ken Vandermark & Paul Lytton, one shared by quite a few posters here that subsequently saw them (w/ Paul Lovens, iirc) in concert. On that two-disc set Vandermark was about as un-sympatico with Lytton as you can possibly imagine. In fact, the sole basis for my hopes was the additional presence of Phillip Wachsmann on violin and electronics.

Whether it was Wachsmann's presence, the alignment of the spheres, the appearance of Frisco on his way to Vizz, whatever; this was a verrrrry good show. The show was a bit truncated since it started at 7:45 and they had another group scheduled for 9 (and some noise merchants set up for the ballroom at 9 also; I *know* how the sound travels from one room to the next and it would not have been cool) but it greatly exceeded my expectations. Wachsmann was outstanding on violin; being it was in the small tavern, everybody played off-mike (although the electronics were processed through an amp) so everything could be heard crystal clearly. I'd wanted to see Wachsmann & Lytton for quite a while (particularly having listened to them recently on the very good Free Zone Appleby) and they didn't disappoint at all. Lytton was incredibly busy tapping away at lots of things that he'd place on his snare and then get rid of, when he wasn't bowing away on other things within reach; all to excellent effect, btw. Wachsmann was outstanding with the sounds he got, either *naturally* or through electronics, from the violin; in fact sitting by the stage it seemed that he was listening very intently to what both the others were doing in order to plan his next moves. Vandermark shocked me with how well he was able to tailor his lines to the other players; one of the reasons I was so put off by English Suites was that KVDM's playing just seemed to be an extremely poor fit for what Lytton does. And I don't think it was just from being used to hearing EP with Lytton. Whatever, everybody was on the same page tonight including Vandermark on tenor, clarinet, bass clarinet and baritone sax.

None of the songs were identified (I picked up a disc of the group there so maybe I'll be able to recognize some, although it was recorded in 10/04) but they didn't strike me as pure improv, bwtfdik. Whatever, it was a highly enjoyable 75 minute set that greatly exceeded my expectations.

Frisco didn't even have to tickle me.

[Rob C]

I missed these guys in Chicago, partly because I was tired, but I didn't make the extra effort because I wasn't sure that combo was going to be worth it. Glad--I guess--to hear that I was wrong. I'd like to hear what you think of their album when you get a chance, I know it's just out on Okka, right?

[Captain Hate]

Yeah it must've just come out on Okka as a release of 999 (of which I picked up 333) and I'll try to get to it later today because I'm interested in finding out just how closely it adheres in quality to what I heard last night. I also picked up a disc on Small Town Super Jazz of duets with Vandermark and Paal Nilssen-Love recorded live in Bla on 4/1/05 that ought to be more in keeping with the Vandermarkian MO.

Although there was a decently sized crowd last night (including Frisco and his compadres from Motown) a lot of the usual suspects weren't in attendance; and I always find it encouraging when fresh faces show up for these events. The way the tavern is set up the bar stretches to beside the stage area, with an approximately 4 foot wall at the side of the stage. There were a couple people standing at the wall totally engrossed in what Lytton was doing, because it offered an excellent vantage point to view his activity.

As I stated before, my attitude going in wasn't very high based on what I'd heard before. I really didn't think that Vandermark would be able to adjust his playing to be totally on the same page with Lytton & Wachsmann but he was much more flexible than I suspected. KVDM is obviously no Evan Parker (and I think he'd be the first to admit that) but he was up to the task last night. But credit should also be given to the great Paul Lytton & Philipp Wachsmann, both of which I saw for the first time. Everything they did was fascinating and I'll go see them anywhere that I'm able.

[jasonguthartz]

Originally Posted by Captain Hate

None of the songs were identified (I picked up a disc of the group there so maybe I'll be able to recognize some, although it was recorded in 10/04) but they didn't strike me as pure improv, bwtfdik.

This group does not use pre-defined structures - it's all spontaneous composition, a.k.a. free improv.

[Nate Dorward]

Thanks for the report, Hate--the same group's passing through Toronto next Friday. Probably won't go (would entail my missing Anne's piano lesson for the 2nd week in a row, & I usually attend) but you never know.....

[Nate Dorward]

& ps: glad you like the Free Zone Appleby disc--yeah, I like that one a lot. Not sure the electronics tracks are that great, but the acoustic trios are superb. Also check out Wachsmann's solo violin performance on Freedom of the City 2005 if you get the chance. He's a player who's rarely disappointed me.

[Captain Hate]

Originally Posted by jasonguthartz

This group does not use pre-defined structures - it's all spontaneous composition, a.k.a. free improv.

That makes sense since there were no song titles announced, nor listed on their disc. Any idea what CINC means, if anything? If I'd have known it wouldn't be explained anywhere, including Vandermark's website, I'd have asked him Saturday.

[Frisco]

As Captain Steve so eloquently wrote, the Cleveland show was excellent. Last night at Tonic was stepped up a notch further with more sustained segments that reached high levels of intensity. Lytton was much more aggressive in his approach and all three were interacting, flowing with one another, allowing the music to breathe at times and then building to some dense clusters at others. Not a large crowd. Cem was the only one from this forum who I saw there.

[Cem]

Yes, not a huge crowd, but I thought it was a healthy & very attentive one. Loved this trio so much, I stayed for both sets! I was not sure what to expect from Wachsmann, but was pleasantly surprised at his at times delicate, at times fierce, but always well-timed & sequenced contributions. He's a fine, original player. Lytton is always a pleasure with his killer attack & I've always loved his use of hardware, such as last night: a bow & spatulas, as well as some aluminum flashing, metal bowls & marbles (metal ones, I think, automotive... watchama call?) & chains (!!!)... Ken was his usual thoughtful & fiery self, mostly on bass clarinet & tenor (Pat?), but also made use of his bari some. I can't remember, whether he played his clarinet much. I found everyone's contributions to be well-tempered, with great bursts of fire & enough wonderful solo time for all. A seamless, beautiful performance by a juicy, improvising trio!

I hadn't been to Tonic in 8 years. It's changed a lot. A little run down, but very cozy, in a way. The staff were awesome & friendly. I think I'll pop in & out during Vision shows, especially tonight. Tiptons at 8 pm & Lotte Anker, Sylvie Courvoisier & Ikue Mori at 10. I may actually spend more time at Tonic tonight, as I have to get stuck with a buncha (male) nerds for the rest of the week...

But seriously folks, I LOVE NEW YORK!! I'm tempted to move here more after each visit.

ps. sorry to spray all over your thread Cap'n... When are you coming in?

[Cem]

I had only one complaint last night: Wachsmann's amplification was at times too tinny. Not sure what the reason was, but other friends mentioned, it worked in the back of the room. I was sitting in the front row. For whatever reason, I never mentioned it to the players. Partly, I think, I tell myself to shut the fuck up, when it's not a show I'm presenting.

[Captain Hate]

Originally Posted by Cem

ps. sorry to spray all over your thread Cap'n... When are you coming in?

Look Cem, don't ever apologize for posting about music. I appreciate your comments.

Sorry to say, I'm not gonna make it out there; we're cashing in our freebies early next month for California. It's been a bad year for doing what I want but we'll do it up right one of these days. I'm giving Vizz a wider berth than I wanted.

[Nate Dorward]

From the Globe & Mail today:


Letting the instruments get chatty
The improv trio CINC delivers a different show every night, writes J.D. CONSIDINE


Touring involves tremendous amounts of thinking ahead -- booking shows, arranging accommodations, planning travel itineraries. And for most musicians, the planning also includes knowing what they're going to play each night.

But for the three members of CINC -- violinist Philipp Wachsmann, saxophonist and clarinetist Ken Vandermark and percussionist Paul Lytton -- each night is a blank slate. When they walk out onstage, they have no set list, no repertoire of tunes to fall back on, no prearranged devices or strategies. They just play, improvising the entire performance.

Their approach seems like it should be an invitation to chaos -- and in the hands of lesser musicians, it often is. But CINC (pronounced "sink"), which performs in Toronto and Montreal this weekend, is blessed with some big advantages.

For starters, the communication between the three musicians is very strong. Unlike some free music ensembles, where it seems as if everyone onstage is simply trying to make interesting or provocative noises, the playing in CINC is interactive, almost chatty in its interplay.

"It's not unlike getting together with people you know and having a conversation," Vandermark says over the phone from Chicago. "Even if there isn't a specific topic, it's pretty easy to move into a set of ideas, and build on those ideas, and develop a line of discourse."

Nor is it difficult for the three to keep the proceedings fresh each night. "Again, it's not unlike having a conversation with a few people that you know," Vandermark says. "If you meet again, maybe you discuss some of the same ideas, but they'll be discussed differently." It helps that he and his bandmates are among the most brilliant conversationalists in improvised music.

Vandermark, who co-founded the Chicago Improvisers concert series, is a giant in the jazz avant-garde, having worked with the likes of Peter Brotzmann and Mats Gustafsson as well as leading his own groups, most notably the Vandermark 5.

Lytton is similarly well regarded in the English free-music scene, working with the London Jazz Composers Orchestra as well as the saxophonist Evan Parker.

Wachsmann, on the other hand, comes from a classical background, having studied composition with Nadia Boulanger and working with the new music ensemble the Yggdrasil Quartet. "He found that the areas in the music that were becoming more and more interesting to him were the ones that were indeterminate, or that were open for improvised movements," Vandermark says. Inspired, Wachsmann began to focus on improvisation, and eventually became "really important in the English scene as an improviser."

Although they have different backgrounds, each of the three shares a similar philosophy of music-making, in which thinking outside the box of conventional technique is highly prized. With most traditional instruments, Vandermark says, "only half of what they can do is associated with what conventional music asks of them. There's a whole range of sounds and technical possibilities on these instruments that fit well outside the conventional melodic and rhythmic music that people would hear, say, on radio."

Being able to make and master those non-traditional sounds takes a lot of work, as does applying them. "Phil, who's really a virtuoso violinist, when he's manipulating the timbres of the instrument and placing sounds, he's doing it with a huge amount of control," Vandermark says. "When the sounds are happening, they're happening in very specific rhythmic and melodic placement, so that the expressive character of those sounds is conveyed. As opposed to, like, 'Well that's an interesting noise.' "

CINC's music, like any avant-garde performance, can be challenging, but the rewards are great because its improvisations cover the full range of musical possibility, from traditional melodic ideas to abstracted rhythm and texture. "If [the music is] outside of melodic conventions, it's really saying that whatever's outside these conventions has just as much expressive power as what we're familiar with," Vandermark says. "I think that's why they feel like these things make sense, and are not just randomized, illogical sounds that happen without purpose."

CINC performs tomorrow at the Red Guitar, 603 Markham St. in Toronto, and Saturday at Casa Del Popolo, 4873 St. Laurent in Montreal.