Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Gebhard Ullmann: Basement Research

269

Gebhard Ullmann: Basement Research

By

View read count
Gebhard Ullmann: Basement Research
On Basement Research, Berlin-based Gebhard Ullmann combines his unique brand of composition with the pre-existing American trio of saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Phil Haynes. The recording is remarkable in that there is no sense whatsoever of Ullmann being grafted on to an admittedly close trio. While it is true that Eskelin and company are playing Ullmann's compositions, the degree of meshing of the quartet is amazing.

This version of the quartet is the first in what will become an ongoing project for Ullmann, and is dramatically different and more "normal" than the pure reed releases of Ta Lam (99 Records, 1993) and Moritat (99 Records, 1994). Subsequent releases by this quartet project include Kreuzberg Park East (Soul Note, 1999) and Live in Münster (Not Two, 2006), where Tony Malaby replaces Eskelin.

Of the ten tracks on Basement Research, only three pieces—"Café Toronto," "Farbiges Lied" and "New No-Ness"—are new, with the other seven first appearing on earlier recordings including Moritat and Ullmann - Rava - Willers - Lillich - Schäuble.

By this time, what is apparent is that Ullmann views artistic growth not just in producing new work, but also in taking the old, then isolating its essence and recasting it for a different kind of group. Hence, someone who follows Ullmann can literally hear him work out different challenges over time. What becomes clear is that each of Ullmann's pieces has an identifiable kernel, and it is the job of the group at hand to bring it out with the complex balance of arrangements and free sections.

Eskelin, Gress and Haynes prove to be able interpreters of Ullmann's ideas, and the level of emotion is high. Eskelin is an almost alternate personality of Ullmann in how he understands what is required, while Gress and Haynes are less of a rhythm section and more an addition of two other independent voices. Given the fact that this quartet has a significantly different sound than the earlier works, Basement Research presents the listener with a new piece of the aural puzzle that is Ullmann.

The opening track and most recorded of Ullmann's pieces, the immediately recognizable tango-based "D. Nee - No" shows us just how well the group communicates and takes off while working with a clearer tune. With "Oberschöneweide," the group is taken into the realm of pure sound rather than tune.

An interesting observation can be made about the fact that two of the new tunes—"New No-Ness" and "Farbiges Lied"—both have boppish, although quite modernized, themes; perhaps Ullmann is showing his roots.

Basement Research is a wonderful recording by itself, and its attraction is only increased by the reworking of the material.

Track Listing

D. Nee - No; Think Tank; Caf

Personnel

Gebhard Ullmann
saxophone

Gebhard Ullmann: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet; Ellery Eskelin: tenor saxophone; Drew Gress: bass; Phil Haynes: drums.

Album information

Title: Basement Research | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Soul Note

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT



Gebhard Ullmann Concerts

Sep 24 Wed

Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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

Eternal Moments
Yoko Yates
From "The Hellhole"
Marshall Crenshaw
Tramonto
John Taylor

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

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

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.