2000 with JAN KLARE / BART MARIS / WILBERT DE JOODE / MICHAEL VATCHER* + STEVE SWELL* / ELISABETH COUDOUX – Plant (El Negocito / Umland Rercords 19; EEC) Featuring Jan Klare on alto sax, Bart Maris on trumpet, Wilbert DeJoode on bass and Michael Vatcher on drums plus Elisabeth Coudoux on cello and Steve Swell on trombone. 1000 began in 2004 as a quartet with Mr. Klare, Maris, DeJoode and Vatcher. This quartet went on to record five discs, the last one included Eugene Chadbourne as their guest. Although they are an improvising unit, they have played pieces by classical composers like JS Bach, Ravel, Monteverdi and Gregorian chants. Formerly American drummer Michael Vatcher moved to New York in 2017 and has been helping out at DMG this year. 1000 expanded with two guests (Steve Swell & Elisabeth Coudoux) to become 2000 and play at the Moers Festival last year (2018). This disc features the six piece version of 2000 and was recorded in a studio in May of 2018.
Since I am only mildly familiar with the music of Bach and Ravel, I couldn’t tell you which composers inspired which pieces on this disc. All the pieces were written Jan Klare or Bart Maris with one piece as a group improv. Starting with “Garden”, there is an enchanting series of drones provided by the sax, trumpet, cello and bass with Mr. Vatcher’s subtle small percussion used as selective sonic spice. “Shells” sounds free yet there is much more going on below the surface, it sounds as if the center is constantly shifting, with different waves rising and falling. I love the sound of those shifting harmonies, the sax, trumpet, trombone and cello work well as one united sound mass. On “Toss”, the several currents shift around one another, keeping us all off balance, like balancing on raft in the ocean. The sounds of multiple horns is most triumphant, as if there is something important to take place. No matter how free things sound at times, there is a number of directed or written sections which emerge from the more chaotic moments. There is a good deal of unexpected magic going on here, sections that seem to come out of nowhere and bring together different subsections of the sextet. Longtime favorite of mine, Michael Vatcher is a perfect choice as he knows when to lay out and only contributes when it is necessary. Without a doubt, this is my favorite CD of the week! – Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14