Describing the second half of the Austrian festival means, above all, talking about the wonderful final concert, that of The Bad Plus with a new lineup.
Beginning as a trio, with Dave King on drums, Reid Anderson on double bass, and Ethan Iverson on piano, they have changed lineups several times over the years, replacing Iverson with Orrin Evans, then eliminating the piano with the addition of Ben Monder on guitar and Chris Potter on tenor saxophone.
In Saalfelden, they performed without a guitar and with Craig Taborn on piano.
They presented their surprising new project, a reinterpretation of the songbook of Keith Jarrett’s American quartet. A similar but different concept from Bradford Marsalis’s album, Belonging, which featured Jarrett playing with the European quartet.
If the outcome of Marsalis’s work is interesting, that of The Bad Plus, seen live, is thrilling.
The four musicians couldn’t be more stylistically different from the originals, but this, I’d say, ultimately adds value, adding spice to the final result, which was greeted with a standing ovation from the entire room.
The concert culminated with a rarefied and moving version of Charlie Haden’s magnificent piece, “Silence.”
But if The Bad Plus represented the pinnacle of the last two days, other excellent concerts tickled your reporter’s ears.
Saturday saw Patricia Brennan again on stage with her vibraphone, this time in a trio with Lillinger on drums and Terwijn on double bass. The music was lively, vibrant, and flawless.
After the set, I approach the Gruberhalle, an abandoned industrial warehouse where a young Norwegian trio, I Likes to Sleep, is performing.
I last a few minutes, not because of the quality of the music, which is decidedly captivating, but because of the rock concert volume.
I immediately refresh my ears with a visit to the park, where hundreds of people are enjoying a formidable Swiss All-Star band paying homage to James Brown.
A remarkable rhythm section, a brilliant singer, and that’s it: it’s impossible not to move your body, your legs, your head. All the bands I hear in the park are free to enter, and the quality is decidedly high.
Another benefit of the festival, this one primarily for the benefit of the residents of the Austrian town.
I head towards the Congress Center and before long, I bitterly regret leaving James Brown’s music behind.
On stage, in fact, is the Bezau Beatz Orchestra, essentially the Genovese/Nebbia/Vogel trio I heard the day before, reinforced by six other musicians, but with the same results: huge masses of sound, no themes, no riffs, no variation compared to playing all together without knowing where to go.
Of course, this is just my opinion, reflecting my taste, but falling into the shallows of stale and dated free music can still receive enthusiastic applause, as it duly did.
I make up for it, albeit partially, with Laura Jurd’s quintet, which offers music with clear Irish roots, strengthened by the leader’s trumpet and well supported by her supporting musicians.
Fun but too light-hearted for a festival awarded for “adventurous programming.”
Teis Semey, heard the previous day in a different lineup, confirms himself as a fine performer, a guitarist with great attention to composition and arrangement, never overbearing, and gifted with fresh and intriguing ideas.
Who knows, perhaps some homegrown programmer will be struck by this and introduce him to us in our country, perhaps in place of the usual suspects.
Ahmed is Pat Thomas’s quartet, compact and ferocious in performing a single song, African Bossa Nova by bassist Abdul-Malik. It’s tough and haunting music, beautifully rendered.
Saturday evening ends with Tomoki Sanders, son of Pharoah Sanders, also on tenor saxophone, accompanied by a very young and excellent quartet.
The promise is good; let’s let him grow and mature, but for now, his instrument’s sound hasn’t yet reached its peak, even if it’s interesting and enjoyable.
The final day begins for me with a splendid duo in a historic building, also an excellent pub. On the small stage are the formidable John Edwards on double bass and Camila Nebbia on tenor, who, in this intimate and conversational setting, delivers her best set of this festival.
Passing by Gruber Halle, I listened to the final part of the set by Nothing Causes Anythings, an excellent quartet featuring Lillinger, Kranabetter, Pongrazc, and Yvonne Moriel. Definitely good.
The Sun Mi Hong Bida Orchestra is equally impressive, featuring, among others, two outstanding players: Edwards and Mette Rasmussen, alongside the leader’s drums. A focused and intense set.
Ancient to the Future is a decidedly interesting group on paper. Alongside Hamid Drake’s drums are Ava Mendoza’s guitar, Xhosa Cole’s flute and saxophone, and Majid Bekkas’s gimbri and vocals.
It could have been a meeting and fusion of multiple souls—jazz, rock, and ethnic music—but instead the balance immediately shifted to the Moroccan musician’s voice and gimbri.
Pleasant but unresolved, lacking a clear identity, and with Cole’s saxophone practically inaudible.
P.S. While I was in Austria, while I was still communicating with this person via email, I wrote to my friends in Vienna to find out who Ed Partyka really was. More details later.
