Zlatko Kaućić Quintet: Morning Patches

Is there another dimension beyond the 3rd? Past length, breadth, and depth? And if so, can we perceive this fourth dimension? We're talking about sound and where a decent set of speakers creates an imagined material sound space. When you tap into a recording like Morning Patches from the Slovenian percussionist Zlatko Kaučič's Quintet, there appears to be something apart from the classically observed three dimensions. Maybe it is the space in which the recording took place, St. Martin's Church in Šmartno, Slovenia during the Brda Contemporary Music festival in 2018. Or maybe the quintet has managed to capture actual magic on tape.

The veteran drummer Kaučič assembled this unique three woodwind, bass, and percussion quintet for what appears to be a one-off meeting. The woodwinds include American ex-pat Michael Moore (ICP Orchestra), Roman Marco Colonna (Setoladimaiale Unit), and Catalan Albert Cirera (Agusti Fernandez Liquid Trio), plus Italian double bassist Silvia Bolognesi. The ten tracks of pure improvisation accomplish well-constructed compositions, albeit instant compositions. Credit goes, not only to Kaučič for the lineup but to the players, because multiple spins of the music result in diverse experiences, that fourth dimension. Bird songs are the substance of the brief "Jutranja," with a gaggle of horns, while "September" features circular breathing over long tones, scraping metal, and the thunder of bass and drum. Kaučič and Bolognesi are content to leave the timekeeping to the collective whole. That said, there is a faux-swing to "Delirij" with each horn taking brief solos. The sounds rocket up and spiral down, without pause. A second, third, and fourth spin can result in distinctly different experiences. Maybe that is the stuff of the fourth dimension.

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