Angelika Niescier: Chicago Tapes

German saxophonist Angelika Niescier first connected with her musical compatriots during a visit to the U.S. Midwest in 2012, though it would take more than a decade for that relationship to fully crystallize on record. Even that timeline needs qualification. In 2023, she recorded Beyond Dragons in Chicago with cellist Tomeka Reid and California-born Savannah Harris. Still, her 2025 return to the Windy City for Chicago Tapes feels like both a culmination and a celebration, a triumphant immersion in the city's contemporary jazz language.

Chicago Tapes opens with "Rejoice, Disrupt, Resist," a pointed response to the city's and the nation's resistance to Trump-era authoritarianism. The piece evokes the muscular urgency of the '90s Vandermark 5, a connection underscored by the presence of former member Dave Rempis on alto saxophone. Joined by bassist Luke Stewart, and Chicagoans Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone) and drummer Mike Reed, the ensemble establishes a volatile, propulsive energy that sets the tone for the session.

That same collective force animates "Great Horned Owl," which opens with a bombinating whirl of twin saxophones, punctuated by Adasiewicz's colorful accents. The mood shifts on "Fluxed," where the music takes on a more chamber-like quality. Vibraphone and drums offer delicate punctuation as Niescier unfolds a restrained yet evocative solo. "SAMO (bsqt)," named for Jean-Michel Basquiat's graffiti tag, pairs Niescier with flutist Nicole Mitchell alongside Stewart and Reed. A heavy, insistent pulse initially seems at odds with Mitchell's flute, but she meets the challenge head-on, pushing back with audacity before the piece yields to Stewart's gargantuan solo.

Mitchell and Niescier reunite on "Bouncin' The Ledge," launching the track with an aggressive one-two punch that ignites Reed and Stewart into a fierce, high-energy exchange. By contrast, "E Randolph Street" closes the album on a more inward-looking note, a haunting free improvisation that blends atmospheric textures with sudden jabs of squawk and noise.

Taken as a whole, Chicago Tapes captures Niescier not as a guest passing through, but as a fully integrated voice within Chicago's improvising community. It is a document of deep listening, shared history, and creative trust. The music honors the city's legacy while pushing its sound forward with urgency and conviction.