289: DIE ENTTÄUSCHUNG. Lavaman
Intakt Recording #289/ 2017
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K
Unfortunately the followers of so-called Classic Jazz are so committed to a limited repertoire repeatedly played in only one manner by recognized song rercreators that they wouldn’t recognize that the ebullient Die Enttäuschung could be ingeniously concocting a new variation of Trad Jazz. Especially with the addition of trombonist Christof Thewes, who can snarl plunger tones with the best, the quintet would be an asset at any Jazz Party. That will never happen of course, precisely because of the quintet`s other capability: its members are constantly seeking new forms of expression.
Sound explorers now clustered in Berlin, Die Enttäuschung`s founding members – trumpeter Axel Dörner, clarinetist Rudi Mahall and bassist Jan Roder – are not only involved in multiple ensembles, but also in the case of the horn player, have evolved novel methods of improvisation alongside the likes of John Butcher and Paul Lovens. Meanwhile new drummer Michael Griener has previously worked in ensemble headed by everyone from Butch Morris to Ulrich Gumpert. Obviously these guys can play anything.
This is demonstrated as early as the second track of 16. After confirming on track one that Chris Barber, Al Hirt or any other Dixielander could be bested with little inconvenience, the quintet’s treatment of “Fälschlich” could come from the Cool Jazz canon, since it includes echoing double bass pops, squeaky reed shrilling and the brass players mingling sharpened grace notes. Overall, although the tracks only run from less than two to seven minutes there’s still plenty of space for individual expression. On “Voraussichtlich” for instance, as Thewes replicates the sonic pressure of a buzz bomb, the other horns push the melody forward while cannily moderating the trombone-created shrapnel sounds. Slowing the tempo, Mahall’s noodling vibrations and Dörner’s flattened expressiveness then create the perfect backdrop on which Thewes recaps the now peanut-butter smooth theme.
Using sticks and/or brushes for maximum effects, Griener drives or responds when needed, only stepping upfront, trading breaks with the others on “Reich durch Jazz”. Meantime, part of the quintet’s definition, whether attaining a Miles Davis-like muted groove on “Jazz als Hobby” or a sliding, seesawing New York City Art Quartet resembling stop-time narrative on “Bulyah-Dath” relates to Roder’s balanced walking bass lines on the former or subterranean plucks which palimpsest-like underline the horn parts as they leak into each other’s expositions on the latter.
Despite elevated ideas, Die Enttäuschung’s watchword is cooperation not challenge, which is best demonstrated on “Ausgekannt”. Here fiery trumpet blasts, explosive contralto clarinet and gliding trombone pumps move from timed call-and-response to unselfconscious swing propelled by cymbal splashes and martial-like drum pacing. With sawing double-bass strokes, capillary brass surges, reed puffs and plunger responses, tracks such as “Das Jan am Stück” may be more dissonant. But the band’s collective strength confirm that while positioned strongly as contemporary improv, its sophisticated execution wouldn’t frighten anyone but the most die-hard Dixielander.
https://www.jazzword.com/reviews/axel-dorner-christof-thewes-rudi-mahall-jan-roder-michael-griener/
P
On their first new album in five years, Berlin’s Die Enttäuschung not only withstand the loss of founding drummer Uli Jennesen (seamlessly replaced by Michael Griener) but grow into a quintet with the addition of trombonist Christof Thewes. They remain one of the most agile, imaginative, and satisfying improvising bands on the planet, especially with Thewes joining the highly interactive front line of bass clarinetist Rudi Mahall and trumpeter Axel Dörner.
https://chicagoreader.com/music/ensemble-dal-niente-pianist-mabel-kwan-on-a-playful-post-smartphone-look-at-david/
Reviews in Other Languages
J
Tout remonte à 1994 et un premier travail sur l’œuvre de Thelonious Monk, qui aboutira, sous la direction du pianiste Alexander von Schlippenbach, à l’enregistrement de « Monk’s Casino », l’intégrale des compositions du célèbre musicien (Intakt CD 100). L’équipe se compose alors de Rudi Mahall (clarinette basse), Axel Dörner (trompette), Jan Roder (contrebasse) et Uli Jennessen (batterie) [1]. Ces quatre là forment par ailleurs le quartette Die Enttäuschung qui sortira trois disques chez Intakt. Changement de batteur avec l’arrivée de Michael Griener, avec qui Mahall et Roder ont enregistré « Squakk » (cf. Culturejazz « Trois grands orchestres et quelques pépites » 27/10/2014), dont le quatrième larron était le jeune tromboniste Christof Thewes. Lequel est intégré à Die Enttäuschung, qui devient donc un quintette sur ce quatrième disque, vous me suivez ? Ce groupe et ces musiciens exceptionnels – Mahall et Dörner, notamment, font partie des meilleurs Européens sur leur instrument – s’inscrivent dans une lignée post free jazz (j’insiste sur le mot jazz), avec les accents, dissonances et brisures rythmiques hérités d’une lignée Eric Dolphy-Ornette Coleman-Steve Lacy, pour simplifier. C’est dire que le swing est omni-présent tout au long de ces seize thèmes courts proposés par les uns et les autres. Une musique ouverte, aérée, dynamique et fraîche par des musiciens qui s’impliquent, bref, qui jouent!
https://www.culturejazz.fr/spip.php?article3360
K
Met de komst van trombonist Christof Thewes is de ooit als trio
begonnen Enttäuschung uitgegroeid tot een kwintet. Met trompettist
Axel Dörner, klarinettist Rudi Mahall, bassist Jan Roder en drummer Michael Griener was de band al een van de spannendste formaties in het Berlijnse. Het esthetische kader en het groepsgeluid zijn duidelijk geworteld in de akoestische postbop, maar vooral improvisatorisch veroorloven de blazers zich zoveel vrijheden dat net zo goed van geïmproviseerde muziek gesproken kan worden. Ritmisch wordt er regelmatig hard geswingd, maar er zijn ook stukken waarin met tempi wordt gegoocheld, zoals Dörners Voraussichtlich. De vele, vrijwel altijd intrigerende thema's - het zijn er niet minder zestien zijn van de oudere bandleden, maar solistisch is de elegant articulerende Thewes van hetzelfde creatieve niveau als Mahall en Dörner. Geen stuk is voorspelbaar, terwijl de interacties tussen de musici vrijwel altijd logisch lijken.
J
Die Entäuschung (skuffelsen, på norsk), er et tysk band som til daglig befinner seg i det musikalske miljøet rundt Alexander Von Schlippenbach og det friere jazzmiljøet i Berlin. Bandet består av bassklarinettist og klarinettist Rudi Mahall, trompeter Axel Dörner, trombonist Christof Thewes, bassist Jan Roder og trommeslager Michael Griener, og «Lavaman» er deres fjerde utgivelse på selskapet Intakt Records, et av Mellom-Europas mest aktive og spennende plateselskaper om dagen. Bandet har eksistert i mer enn 20 år, men det er ingenting å si på den ungdommelige kreativiteten, selv etter såpass mange år.
Vi får 16 musikalske strekk som i hovedsak er komponert av Mahall, Dörner eller Roder, men også Griener bidrar med en komposisjon, selv om komposisjoner kanskje ikke er den rette betegnelsen på de relativt korte strekkene vi får servert. Den korteste er på 1:48, mens den lengste klokker inn på 6:01, og det er mest i de lengre strekkene at musikken får ro og tid til å «sette seg», som nettopp i tredjesporet «Die Wohlgesonnten» på 6:01. Og her briljerer Mahall på klarinett, vi får en fin trombonesolo av Thewes og Dörner leverer velkjente og kreative løsninger på trompet, mens Roder spiller stødig som en båtmotor på 4/4.
Flere av disse musikerne er faste medlemmer i Alexander Von Schlippenbachs «Monk Casino»-prosjekt, og på mange av sporene på denne innspillingen kan vi høre at det er flere enn pianomester Von Schlippenbach som er inspirert av Thelonious Monks komposisjoner. På samme måte som i «Monk Casino», har på mange måter tatt Monks musikk videre, og man skal ikke se bort fra at det hadde vært denne formen for jazz Monk hadde holdt på med hvis han hadde levd i dag.
Det er blitt en lystig, kreativ og fin plate, hvor særlig de tre blåserne, får vist seg godt fram som tre gnistrende gode instrumentalister.
Jeg har hørt de andre platene med dette ensemblet, men jeg kan ikke huske at de andre har vært like gode som denne. Det virker som bandet med denne fjerde innspillingen virkelig har «satt» seg, og gjennom de 16 strekkene får vi en rekke godbiter.
Å kalle bandet for «skuffelsen» vet jeg ikke hva årsaken er til, men å lytte på «Lavaman» er omtrent så langt fra en skuffelse som det er mulig å komme!
https://salt-peanuts.eu/record/die-entauschung/
