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Fuhler / Bennink / de Joode: Tinderbox

By Jerry D'Souza
June 25, 2003
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Han Bennink's painting on the cover of this disc proclaims a tinderbox as “a potential explosive place or situation.” Considering its members' credentials, this trio has the potential to be highly explosive. The three Dutchmen keep that tendency in check, which does not mean that the music they make is not interesting. It is, but in a heated simmer with just an occasional blast that is kicked more often than not by Bennink. He can toss up a tempest, and he does ride high as he finds accents and rhythm with dynamic impact, well exemplified on “Polykhameskero." It is also a lesson in percussive nuance and sound, a trait that manifests itself in the company of de Joode on the four “Jag” tunes which form a coherent whole when run together.

The music is not static in its devolution. Cor Fuhler takes a happy path as he steers “Butterfly Pilot,” the notes cascading and lilting, the ideas flowing in a torrent fueled by de Joode and the shifting timbres of Bennink. The free improvisation of “Bewitched Cherry Pits” is built on Fuhler's melodica. The pace is deliberate, almost traversing level ground—but even as they move along, the three players shape stimulating nuances. Mainstream happiness drives “Elf In Een Dozijn,” one of the tunes that does not pull creativity out of the impulse. The trio turns to darker waters on “Battery Surf,” with the sonic ambivalence of the keyolin (half violin and half clavichord) splitting the funereal movement.

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Track Listing

Kirkology; Jag 1; Tschon; Galactic Dust Curves; Butterfly Pilot; Jag 2; Bewitched Cherry Pits; Jag 3; Glasso Chor; Jag 4; Polykhameskero; Close Match; Pyromoon; Elf In Een Dozijn; Battery Surf

Personnel

Fuhler / Bennink / de Joode

Cor Fuhler

Album information

Title: Tinderbox | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Data Records

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