Alto saxophonist Omri Ziegele, electric bassist Jan Schlegel and drummer Dieter Ulrich rarely record as Noisy Minority, although the trio has been together since 1995. The Swiss-Israeli reed player and Swiss rhythm team confound expectations on Wrong is Right by welcoming American trombonist Ray Anderson. Unlike the proverbial third wheel, the voluble brass player's contributions are like adding a fourth wheel to a European mini car. Connected as if he was part of the chassis from the beginning, Anderson helps create a smooth ride without negating Noisy Minority's sports car-like freedom.

Case in point is "Tolck", whose throbbing narrative boomerangs from an exploration of the trombone's husky bottom timbres intercut with high-pitched mocking saxophone lines to a relaxed interface arbitrated by bass sputters, which snaps back into energy-music-like cadences by the finale. Schlegel's stinging parts are as solid as James Jamerson's were for Motown, aptly demonstrated on the title tune. He's able to rein in enough though so that Anderson can slip in clenched throat growls before the swinging line resumes. The quartet also handles a modified West Coast jazz-like march ("Finally Your Own Voice") and a high-energy boppish refrain ("Late Cats' Rushing Hour") with the same dexterity, each benefitting from Ulrich's wriggling off-center accents. Like a '50s beret- wearing hipster's finger snaps, Anderson's dyspeptic near-vocal intermezzos are perfect accompaniment to Ziegele's pseudo-beatnik poetry reading on "Where I'm Going To". When Anderson's buzzing plunger leaps coincide with the saxophonist's sharp reed bites without words, the tune reaches a gutty climax, extended with a crying coda on the following track.

"Decimal System" is the most characteristic instance of the quartet's concrete cooperation. A stop- time exposition where the musicians creep along like cape-wearing cartoon villains, the sonic journey is characterized by regular road-marker-like pops from Ulrich and sluicing flutter tones from both horns, with Anderson digging beneath the asphalt for subterranean timbres and Ziegele motoring along to maintain the groove. Neither too noisy or much of a minority where jazz is concerned, this quartet and CD actually have majority appeal.

Le saxophoniste alto Omri Ziegele ne nous est pas inconnu et nous avons déjà signalé son travail tant en duo qu’en nonette avec lequel il a réalisé déjà trois disques. De ce groupe, il n’a conservé que la rythmique (Jan Schlegel, basse électrique, et Dieter Ulrich, batterie) pour former Noisy Minority, trio très soudé et ouvert, auquel s’est joint ici le grand tromboniste américain Ray Anderson. L’apport de cet immense musicien, et la façon dont il navigue à travers les huit compositions de Ziegele (lequel n’est pas en reste) provoquent un vif intérêt.

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