Renegade Spirits - Gonzalez/Moye

[Dennis Gonzalez]

PINKUSHION - THE MAGAZINE OF OTHER MUSICS
ON THE EDGE

Dennis González - Renegade Spirits
article écrit par Fabrice Fuentes, le 20 février 2009
Enregistré avec le fameux percussionniste de l’Art Ensemble of Chicago, Famoudou Don Moye, le saxophoniste ténor Tim Green et ses deux fils, Aaron (contrebasse, percussions) et Stefan (batterie, clarinette basse), Renegade Spirits expose les velléités transcendantales et idiosyncratiques du trompettiste texan Dennis González. Couleurs d’Afrique, chamarrées et primaires pour conter un espace sonore captivant, territoire tout en reliefs incisifs et visions flottantes en ce sens qu’elles semblent constamment fuir les amarres free auxquelles on serait tentés de trop vite les rattacher. Deux longues compositions signées par le leader ("In the Blink of a Hat" et "Flesh and Blood", placées stratégiquement en ouverture et au milieu de l’album), dépassant allégrement les dix minutes, mettent en présence deux batteries (Stefan González situé sur le canal droit, Famoudou Don Moye sur celui de gauche) et signifient l’importance accordée à la dimension percussive de l’ensemble. Même réduite à deux ou trois musiciens (les improvisations "Mayombé" et "Zarabanda"), la formation privilégie les instruments rythmiques ancestraux et entrechoqués (gongs, bells, shakers, cymbales tous joués par Dennis González, mais aussi pao de chuva, agogo bells, nellophone maniés par les autres intervenants), articule son langage empreint de spiritualité à un héritage (la Great Black Music) qui résonne en fond, scintille plus qu’il n’encombre le propos. Et Renegate Spirits de temporiser afin de rendre sensible la complexité des liens qui se nouent entre des musiciens majestueux, excellant dans la concrétion de motifs et le tracé de lignes d’horizon éclatées, soulignées tantôt par l’archet d’Aaron González, le souffle charpenté d’un Tim Green imposant ou celui, finalement modéré et songeur, du trompettiste, qui attend la fin du disque pour donner sa pleine mesure ("Triage"). Entre sérénité et syncopes, tradition et modernité, de grands esprits libres, assurément.

Translation:

Article written by Fabrice Fuentes, February 20, 2009

Recorded with the famous percussionist from the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Famoudou Don Moye, tenor saxophonist Tim Green, and his two sons, Aaron (contrabass, percussion) and Stefan (drums, bass clarinet), Renegade Spirits shows off the transcendental and idiosyncratic zeal of the Texan trumpeter Dennis González. African colors, bright and primary, with which to delineate a captivating sonic space, a territory in chiseled relief and floating visions in the way that they seem to constantly escape their free jazz bonds with which one would be sorely tempted to reattach them. Two long compositions written by the leader (”In the Blink of a Hat” and “Flesh and Blood”, strategically placed at the opening and in the middle of the album), swiftly passing the ten minute mark, put into place two drum sets (Stefan González in the right channel, Famoudou Don Moye in the left channel) and show the importance of the ensemble’s percussive dimension. Even when reduced to two or three musicians (the improvisations “Mayombé” and “Zarbanda”), the groupings pay homage to ancestral and interwoven rhythms (gongs, bells, shakers, cymbals all played by Dennis González, plus pao de chuva, agogo bells, nellophone also handled by the other participants), articulated in a language imprinting a heritage (Great Black Music) with a spirituality that resonates underneath, shimmering rather than weighing down the matter at hand. And Renegade Spirits plays for time with the goal of giving a tangible sense of feeling to the links that tie these majestic musicians together, excelling in the mixing of motifs with the bursting tracings of the line of the horizon, emphasized as much by Aaron’s arco, and by the structure of Tim Green’s astonishing blowing, as by the dreamlike and quiet breath of the trumpeter, who waits until the end of the record to show his full measure (“Triage”). Between serenity and syncopation, tradition and modernism, these are assuredly some great and free spirits.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

In Jornal de Letras (Lisbon):
Dennis González, Renegade Spirits, Furthermore Recordings, 73’08’’
By Sofia Freire
Brutal Land

The result of this encounter is absolutely shattering. Trumpeter Dennis González and Famoudou Don Moye, the legendary drummer and percussionist of the Art Ensemble of Chicago and a member of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), in Renegade Spirits, recorded one stupendously powerful trip to the edge of purest meditation. And brothers Aaron and Stefan González, with New Orleans saxophonist Tim Green, join in on this unorthodox pilgrimage to Blackness. Curiously enough, the record was recorded at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas - the ample dimension and spirituality of this music corresponds well to the space. The music contains just a hint of continually growing release that straddles the subtle frenzy of the rhythmic section, which gives room to the well-spaced and wise notes of Dennis González and Tim Green (listen to Zarabanda and to the fabulous drum solo in Flesh and Blood). Some of the compositions, such as Mayombé or Triage are total improvisations. At times, lines appear to fly off in different directions, but truly, the articulateness of this set brings it all together. Totally cathartic rips open up, and at times a savage tone emerges, much as one sees the land at times: brutal, red, primary, natural. Supremely powerful!