Glod / Ramond / Kugel: No ToXiC

The collaborative marvel that is No ToXiC, hatched in the fertile grounds of NEMU Records, is less an album and more of a dare—a sonic gauntlet thrown at the feet of free jazz and improvisation. Roby Glod (who flirts with both alto and soprano saxophones), double bassist Christian Ramond and drummer Klaus Kugel take us on a journey that laughs in the face of convention.

Right out of the gate, "Unconscious Superglitzer" demands attention, not politely but like a post-bop blitzkrieg. Glod's sax serenades fervently, while Kugel's percussive antics provide a rhythmically complex backdrop. Following this, "Carol's Dream," a nod to Connie Crothers' compositional smarts, highlights Ramond's double bass as it steps into the spotlight, providing a robust canvas for Glod's temperate sax work, painting broad expressive strokes. The synergy here is not just musical, it is telepathic.

Diving into the diverse emotional palette of the album, "Bottlefish" emerges as a whimsically brief escapade, serving up Glod's sax phrases like hors d'oeuvres at a musical banquet. In stark contrast, "Basalte" plunges into somber depths, with Ramond's bass painting shadows so thick one might worry about what is lurking within.

The pièce de résistance, "No ToXiC," is where Glod's sax weaves a web so intricate that spiders could take notes. Kugel's percussion injects a sense of urgency, while Ramond's bass underpins the expedition. This track is not just music, it is a high-speed chase down the rabbit hole of virtuosity and collaboration.

The auditory delight is matched only by its visual counterpart—the album artwork by Andrea Silbermann, which could be described as the visual equivalent of jazz improvisation; abstract, intriguing and impossible to ignore.

Glod, Ramond and Kugel are not just playing their instruments, they are orchestrating a rebellion. This outing does not just invite us to listen—it dares us to experience it. Whether one is a seasoned jazz connoisseur or a neophyte eager to explore, No ToXiC promises a journey through soundscapes that are as bewildering as they are beautiful.

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