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Br: Shadows

By Mark Corroto
November 1, 2000
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Peter Brötzmann is reunited with Japanese drummer Shoji Hano and guitarist Keiji Haino for a European tour last March. This live date recorded at Wels, Austria is about as raw and true a musical expression as it gets. Brötzmann has recorded and worked with each musician separately. He recorded Dare Devil (DIW) in 1991 with Hano and has previously toured with Haino. This date composes a synthesis of Brötzmann's freedom and energy and Haino's abandon.

Guitarist Keiji Haino can probably be best described as a cross between Sonny Sharrock and Derek Bailey with an emphasis on noise. His shredded guitar plus the yelling and shrieks add up to (not an ABC mini-series) some monster music. Haino's drumming passes on timekeeping for infective rabble rousing. If this date were a soccer game, they would call out the dogs.

It?s not that this is all energy music, the trio gets philosophic when Brötzmann picks up the clarinet. Haino adapts a Frisell-like sound and calm is reached. But soon we are once again practicing the cathartic waltz. Played loud this disc has emotive power. But played at a low level (not that Peter and company ever contemplated this), sympathetic textures appear. The music is calming, bountiful, and handsome. I guess you can get the same effect at higher levels, it just never occurred to me.

Track Listing

Shadows: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; A Silhouette; Encore.

Personnel

Peter Brötzmann

woodwinds

Peter Br

Album information

Title: Shadows | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: DIW

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