Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Phil Grenadier / Bruno Raberg Duo: Plunge

2

Phil Grenadier / Bruno Raberg Duo: Plunge

By

Sign in to view read count
Phil Grenadier / Bruno Raberg Duo: Plunge
Swedish-born and now Boston-based bassist Bruno Raberg explores meditative soundscapes with a flexible free improvisation approach in a variety of ensemble sizes. On Presence (Orbis Records, 2000) he featured a trio lineup. Chrysalis (Orbis Records, 2004) showcased an all-star nonet; and on his sprawling two disc Lifelines (Orbis Records, 2008) he employed a quartet. With Plunge though, he pares things down to an intimate duo setting, teaming with trumpeter Phil Grenadier for the most modern sounding outing in his discography.

Sparseness and space are often a big part of duo outings, but less so here, due to Råberg's very effective use of sound design. These mostly free improvisations were laid down in real time, with effects and sound manipulations added later to craft an eerie electronic atmosphere. Grenadier lays down his lines—muted and open horn—with a patient resolve. Råberg's bass paints dark washes and pounds out percussive interludes. "Double duos" appear, where Råberg and Grenadier recorded free improvisations and then overdubbed, interacting with and bouncing off the first take.

The pieces are short, ranging from the forty-five second opener, "Reveille," to the six and a half minute heart of the disc, and one of two written pieces—alto saxophonist free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman." This frequently covered Coleman tune has never sounded more anguished, with Grenadier's two trumpet parts weaving around one another inside a dread-filled soundscape hum.

The disc closes with the searching "Being and Time," a tranquil trumpet accompanied by Råberg's bass that shifts between edgy fibrillation and steady metronomic notes, to wrap up an excellent suite-like free jazz outing.

Track Listing

Reveille; Last Train to Seville; Five Short Pieces: Seiryuu- Azure Dragon, Byakko - White Tiger, Suzaku - Vermillion Bird, Genbu - Black Tortoise, Ouryu - Yellow Dragon; Lonely Woman; Heartwood; Ushas/Quadratic; Intersections I - IV: Part 1 - Moving Cycles, Part 2 - Line and Sphere, Part 3 - Sand Clock, Part 4 - Isomorphic; Area 51; The Outermost Island; Triangulum; Lizrael; Intersections V: Part 5 - Being and Time.

Personnel

Phil Grenadier: trumpet; Bruno Råberg: acoustic bass, sound design.

Album information

Title: Plunge | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Orbis Music

Comments

Tags

Concerts

Mar 25 Mon

For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.