Frode Gjerstad Trio, Beachland Ballroom 12/13

Captain Hate · December-14th-2007, 12:09 AM

This has been a *really* shitty year for music in this godforsaken sub-backwater where improv rarely occurs. Accordingly when I found out about this gig I yanked out all my Gjerstad discs to reacquaint myself: Borealis absolutely smokes with a double rhythm section including Paal Nilssen-Love (much more about him later) and Bob Rusch for some reason can't tell an alto from a tenor, Remember to Forget with Parker/Drake, Invisible Touch, a live duet with Brotz that's just ok, and The Welsh Chapel with John Edwards and Mark Sanders that might be my favorite, although all of them are at least good (Borealis might be my fave on another day) and Rusch can't tell that he plays a clarinet. But I hadn't heard him with the trio of Nilssen-Love and bassist Oyvind Storesund.

Typical of the Beachland (which I heard was for sale only they want $200K for the bidness without the building [judy tenuda] That'll really happen!! [/judy tenuda]) the show was supposed to start at 8 with no warmup group but the website changed at the last minute to include a warmup group (Nilssen-Love had emailed me that they were having a hard time finding a drum set and bass amp so maybe that was the way to resolve that)!!!! Daggerrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! This unfortunately kept away all my buds except for Frisco's bud Jim (although I bought him a beer so maybe he's my bud too) and there were only about 20 of us. Too bad because they missed a smoking show which started at about 9:15 (right after I got there) and went for about an hour or so.

It's hard to compare Gjerstad's playing to anybody because it's very dryly nondescript but very effective of drawing the listener in to these insistent little motifs that are played off very well against Storesund and Nilssen-Love. Storesund's playing was much like John Edwards in that it projected very well and provided an intriguing counter to Frode's lines. But the real surprise was Paal Nilssen-Love's drumming. I've seen him before with the Thing and Atomic and in those settings he was perfectly fine, but in this group he was truly supercharged, steering the group through quiet brush strokes creating a mist of cymbal sounds to slowly cranking it up with odd snare accents to a full tilt rhythmic barrage. Jim agreed: This guy is playing at an incredible level (evidently with the Brotz tentet as well).

There were only two songs played (I hesitate to call them songs since they're obviously improvs) but there wasn't a dull moment in either of them. Lots of high frequency sounds on the bass and alto/clarinet with Nilssen-Love rubbing the sticks on the cymbals, and it all worked; the crowd was absolutely into it. There are still a few dates left on the tour (including one by Frisco); definitely don't miss these guys.

Dan G · December-14th-2007, 11:11 AM

I saw Gjerstad a few years ago with Parker and Drake, and it was a very good show.

Captain, you need to track down some of the Detail albums, which was one of Frode's earlier groups. It started out a trio with him, John Stevens and Johnny Dyani; Kent Carter replaced Dyani when he died. They also recorded with Billy Bang and Bobby Bradford (separately, not a quintet). Good shit. As is Sunshine, a duo with Stevens made right around the time of Dyani's death. Most were on Impetus (now hard to find, and I don't think the first one ever made it to cd), but I think Cadence put out one or two also.

SilentKnowledge · December-14th-2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan G

Most were on Impetus (now hard to find, and I don't think the first one ever made it to cd), but I think Cadence put out one or two also.

If you are refering to Backwards and Forwards/Fowards and Backwards, it has been reissued by Impetus.

Cadence issued Last Detail. The final Detail recording.

There is another good Gjerstad/Stevens duo recording entitled: Keep On Playing issued by FMR.

Captain Hate · December-15th-2007, 10:13 AM

I picked up the trio's new disc, Nothing is Forever (it must be brand new because I can't get any hits for it on google which is unusual even for this kind of music, recorded May 16th this year), and it gives a good portrait of the touring group, although still doesn't capture the total abandon of the second song of Thursday's concert.

Frisco · December-16th-2007, 02:36 PM

I'm looking forward to seeing them here in Detroit on Tuesday. I just heard Paal a couple of weeks ago in four different sets during the Brotzmann feast in Chicago. His playing was unbelieveable, you know the kind of music that makes you want to jump out of your seat. I've never seen the bass player in the trio but he sounds fine on the recordings.

Captain Hate · January-7th-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan G

Captain, you need to track down some of the Detail albums, which was one of Frode's earlier groups. It started out a trio with him, John Stevens and Johnny Dyani; Kent Carter replaced Dyani when he died. They also recorded with Billy Bang and Bobby Bradford (separately, not a quintet). Good shit. As is Sunshine, a duo with Stevens made right around the time of Dyani's death. Most were on Impetus (now hard to find, and I don't think the first one ever made it to cd), but I think Cadence put out one or two also.

Per your excellent rec I picked up In Time Was, the last one with Dyani and also has Bradford on it, and Less More with Bang on 3 of the cuts (and Kent Carter). Both of them are excellent; I get a nice reminder with the older one of how much I loved Dyani's playing and Bradford is such an MVP at fitting in well no matter what the session. Bang really dominates the cuts rhythmically that he's on but everybody else fits in well. Thanks for the advice.

Dan G · January-11th-2008, 01:10 PM

I just listened to In Time Was a few days ago - Dyani's playing on that record is fucking amazing...