Blaise Siwula | Carsten Radtke | Projection: Zero

Blaise Siwula | Carsten Radtke | Projection: Zero

Blaise Siwula (alto/tenor-sax) |Carsten Radtke (guitar)

Recorded August 30th, 2007, Spencer Studios Brooklyn, NY. The compositions were spontaneous between the two of us. Cover art by Honyo Ohte (Tako Productions)

Tracklist: 1. WuWei Ways 2. Chance Meeting 3. Was It The Eastside 4. There Are No Goodbyes 5. Whoz Surprise 6. LynBrooklyn 7. If I Saw This 8. It Happened Tomorrow Total Time: 58:16

This music is the result of a casual session at my studio in Brooklyn. Carsten has been visiting NYC for the past few years in August and attending the improvised music series I curate – C.O.M.A. that takes place on Sundays at ABC No-Rio on the Lower Eastside. We had some interesting encounters during the open sessions and I suggested we meet at my place before he returned to Munich. Afterwards Carsten thought since we had no expectations an appropriate title would be “Projection: Zero”. As we both have an interest in Zen Buddhism it made sense… the music…the titles…the concept… The unique sound on this recording comes from our different backgrounds and approaches to music.

Carsten has been performing composed 20th century classical/ new music for a number of years while I have been immersed in the improvised/free jazz/new music scene. But to analyze this even further …the intense listening that afternoon and the spontaneous compositions became Projection: Zero.Blaise Siwula

What a great and intimate musical interaction between two artists who understand each other well this record is!Stef Gijssels freejazz-stef.blogspot.com

Siwula occasionally reaches for the intensity for which he is known but this set is remarkably relaxed. It’s a real joy to listen to and also presents a side to Siwula’s art that has heretofore only been sporadically documented.Robert Iannapollo www.allaboutjazz.com

 

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2 thoughts on “Blaise Siwula | Carsten Radtke | Projection: Zero

  1. Music can be great in little things.

    What a great and intimate musical interaction between two artists who understand each other well this record is! Blaise Siwula's alto and Carsten Radke's guitar seem to be made for each other, both in tone and in musical approach. They also demonstrate how improvised music can go well beyond any patterns and harmonies without sounding dissonant. Quite on the contrary, it is at moments amazing to hear how they create the piece together, moving in the same direction, coming together even without falling into patterns. This is gentle, sensitive, organic music. Because they had no preconceived notions when starting to play, they called it "Projection: Zero". Both musicians are also interested in Zen Buddhism, and the first track is aptly titled "Wu Wei Ways", describing their approach to music, with Wu Wei being the state of "action without action", to let things move with natural grace, without forcing things, let things grow out of themselves. And this latter organic thing is precisely what you hear. Siwula listens to Radke, Radke listens to Siwula, notes and phrases, sometimes rhythms are created, repeated, echoed, supported, expanded, … gently, subtly. That does not mean that everything is always nice and peaceful, or slow. There is speed at moments, there is tension too because many unexpected things happen, yet it is because of this that variety and sometimes differing views that other and new things happen, but in full control, with lots of disciplined freedom. Masterful. — Stef

  2. Saxophonist Blaise Siwula

    has been an active participant in New York’s ‘underground’ jazz scene for the past two decades. Although he released several recordings on independent labels, it wasn’t until the millennium that he started garnering attention. Siwula is a committed free player and his highly unique sound couples a dry throaty wail with a command of his instrument’s entire range and a wavering vibrato that’s very effective. Projection: Zero is an all-improvised duet session between Siwula and German guitarist Carsten Radtke. Radtke not only plays improvised music, but is also an interpreter of 20th century guitar literature, having performed and recorded the works of Berio, Davidovsky, Brouwer and others. On this disc he displays a clean, jazz-based tone with a rich harmonic sense. Occasionally, he’ll click on an effects box but that is not his dominant mode. He and Siwula are well matched, engaging in a conversational dialogue and all of the give and take that implies. There are solo passages, moments where one takes lead and the other comments and also some remarkable synchronous interplay. Yes, Siwula occasionally reaches for the intensity for which he is known but this set is remarkably relaxed. It’s a real joy to listen to and also presents a side to Siwula’s art that has heretofore only been sporadically documented. — Robert Iannapollo

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