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Angles: A Muted Reality
ByThe title track opens the disc. It is a melancholic cortège that progresses from its initial darkness to a heightened state of energy. Muted trumpet is accompanied by vibraphone and eventually Küchen's alto saxophone and Alexander Zethson's piano solos which arc into a crescendo of sound. The impression is of an Eastern version of the Gil Evans/Miles Davis Sketches of Spain (Columbia, 1960) with a muddy take on third stream sound. The same reference to Eastern folk can be heard with "The Hidden Balcony" which settles into a perpetual groove accented by Mats Aleklint's thunderous trombone and a Bohemian dance ending. The brilliance here is Küchen's arrangements for these eight talented musicians. He can combine beautiful ensemble playing and raw soloing, neither seeming inconsistent with the other. The finale, "Fkk Down, Fkk Off" is a swinging boogie-woogie treat, performed at breakneck speed. It might make Gene Krupa and Cab Calloway smile.
Track Listing
Muted Reality; The Hidden Balcony; Fkk Down, Fkk Off.
Personnel
Martin Kuchen
saxophoneMagnus Broo
trumpetGoran Kajfes
trumpetJohan Berthling
bass, acousticKonrad Agnas
drumsMats Aleklint
tromboneMattias Ståhl
vibraphoneAlexander Zethson
keyboardsAdditional Instrumentation
Goran Kajfes; Maestro soundsystem for woodwinds pedal; handclap; additional percussion; Mats Äleklint: sousaphone; handclap; additional percussion; Mattias Ståhl: handclap; additional percussion; Alexander Zethson: Juno 106; handclap; additional percussion; Martin Küchen: handclap; additional percussion.
Album information
Title: A Muted Reality | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Clean
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