Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Hans Fahling Quartet: Hamburg: Port of Call

Hans Fahling Quartet: Hamburg: Port of Call

By AAJ Staff
January 1, 2001
Sign in to view read count

Hans Fahling Quartet: Hamburg: Port of Call

Hamburg guitarist Hans Fahling wrote eleven compositions for Hamburg, each accompanied by a Patrick Haskett painting in the liner notes. The artistic intent behind this dual presentation (funded by a number of international sponsors) is well-realized through a series of shifting moods and styles. However, the interdisciplinary approach on Hamburg disguises the high-level improvisational bent of the music considered on its own.

Fahling's German Quartet, responsible for a third of the tracks, operates smoothly and seamlessly. This group appears equally at home trading fours, serving up solos, or working together to expand melodic themes. Saxophonist Reichert uses his clear, bell-like tone to alternately support and offer contrast to Fahling's processed guitar sound. Fahling's regular solos rely upon intensely scalar construction, using a occasional slicing attack to emphasize turning points.

The remainder of the record, performed with the guitarist's American quartet, also displays a highly sympathetic sense of cohesion. While the other musicians in the group play in an inspired and effective fashion, it's Fahling's virtuosic winding solos that draw the most attention. It would be a stretch to describe Hamburg as cutting-edge jazz, but the record certainly offers a solid contribution within the well-traveled category of bop.

Track Listing

Looming Out of the Fog; Savage Fair; Golden Seven; How Deep Are You?; To Walk at Night; Russian Ships at Hamburg; Hopes and Dreams; Ready to Take Lines; What Do You See?; Gibraltar to Starboard; Sunday Rain.

Personnel

Hans Fahling

Hans Fahling: guitar; Ralph Reichert: tenor saxophone; Andreas Henze: acoustic bass; Wolfgang Roggenkamp: drums; Aaron Birrell: tenor saxophone; Phil Sparks: bass; Steve Korn: drums.

Album information

Title: Hamburg: Port of Call | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Origin Records

< Previous
2000 Rewind

Next >
Nocturnal

Comments

About Hans Fahling

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

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.