*** Georg Graewe Quintet

CONCERT IN BERLIN 1996

(Wobbly Rail)

German pianist Georg Graewe explodes the hard-bop quintet from within on this exceptional live performance. "Snapshots 1-53," the Graewe "composition" (it's more of a directed improvisation) for five players, breaks up the full ensemble into soloists and smaller groupings, then shuffles the subgroupings into contrasting sections that keep the music varied and orderly. For instance, the track's second section alternates the trio of saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, cellist Marcio Mattos, and drummer Mark Sanders with the duet of Graewe and trombonist Sebi Tramontana. The final section juxtaposes solo cello and drums against the full ensemble.

If that sounds schematic, the players make sure that the piece progresses organically in performance. Graewe's luminous, rounded sound envelops the band, unifying the group without dominating it, and the great clarity with which he develops his ideas ensures that the music always moves forward logically. The horn players all use a wide range of extended techniques that produce a range of textures and colors. Gustafsson's short bursts of sound explode like a string of Chinese firecrackers in the fast and furious trio episodes. Tramontana's almost casual command of virtuoso contemporary technique, from multiphonics to jungle growls and flatulent blats, adds color and weight to the graceful gestures of Graewe's piano in the duets. In the end, Graewe's approach gives structure and focus to a quintet that improvises with attention to detail and plenty of energy.

-- Ed Hazell