Hannes Enzlberger: Songs To Anything That Moves

Austrian bassist Hannes Enzlberger describes his affinity for the music of Carla Bley, along with brief anecdotes about how some of her works influenced the material here. The bassist conveys an organic tone amid his pliant execution and booming patterns. Whereas Enzlberger’s arrangements are built upon a chamber-like approach, awash with the quartet’s concise unison lines and compelling improvisational excursions. The group expounds upon the various flavors of these pieces with a semi-structural flow – where the disciplines of a classical quartet coalesce with the loose vibe of an improv troupe. Ultimately, they capture a mood to coincide with a few bluesy concepts, and whimsical storylines. Enzlberger asserts that his (suite-like) piece titled “Sieben Versatzstucke,” “represents a collage” of his exploration of Ms. Bley’s now legendary Escalator Over The Hill 3-LP set. Here, the quartet opens with a harsh ostinato groove, emphasized by pianist Oskar Aichinger’s heavy-handed block chords and Hans Steiner’s raspy bass clarinet work. The musicians also pursue highly emotive dialogue, while maneuvering through dark corners and cleverly articulated harmonic episodes. Recommended...