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Arild Andersen Quartet: Affirmation
ByThe bassist's 2022 offering Affirmation, veered away from its original plan of playing some of Andersen's distinctive compositions. In the course of trying out those tunes, he and his quartet-mates somehow shifted into a full improvisation mode. They created a compelling 37-minute suite" Affirmation Part 1" and Affirmation Part 2" that wraps up with a non-suite piece, "Short Storylistening to each other, reacting, and conversing, all with no pre-planning, while articulating a collective vision of what a saxophone-and-a-rhythm-section quartet can do.
Spacious, at times serene, at other times exuding a menacing ferocity, the openness of the music allows the savoring of the individual virtuositiesthe leader's powerful bass lines and the oftimes eerie arco work along with added pedal-generated electronic embellishments, pianist Helge Lien's deft glissandos and inward searchings, drummer Håkon Mjaset Johansen's flurries juxtaposed with his whisperings, and saxophonist Marius Neset's prayers rising into rants which taper down to ruminations.
Aspiration sounds leaderless; equality of input reigns. And it sounds coolor even coldand beautiful, like a calving glacier, its cover art looking like a good fit as an illustration for Kim Stanley Robinson's 1998 novel Antarctica (Bantam Books), the music serving as a soundtrack to a four-man sled journey to the South Pole.
Track Listing
Affirmation Part I: One; Two; Three; Four; Affirmation Part II: Five; Six; Seven; Short Story.
Personnel
Album information
Title: Affirmation | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: ECM Records
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About Arild Andersen
Instrument: Bass, acoustic
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