Bruno Gussoni/Flutes
Marcello Magliocchi/Drums
Adrian Northover/Soprano saxophone
Recorded at Bogliasco-Genova/IT
2019, June 12th
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Where is the spirit of the unforgettable John Stevens most intensively watching over the development of free improvisation? Probably in the United Kingdom, but as it turns out, not the first time, the Italian motif is also worth emphasizing in this context. What, moreover, Trybuna, the supreme organ of remembrance of the worldwide achievements of Spontaneous Music Ensemble, notices and from time to time accentuates verbally.Drummer and drummer Marcello Magliocchi, after his parents is definitely Italian, but for years he has been pursuing his musical activities mainly on the island, located geographically above the Le Manche Canal. And with each subsequent recording, he gives reason to be included in the group of important continuators of the artistic legacy of John Stevens.Today we will lean over the publishing house, which is accompanied by his almost permanent partner, the saxophonist Adrian Northover, and the three-member flutist Bruno Gussoni. Everything is happening at a concert in ... Italian Genoa. Five, or rather a part of free improvisations, three first in the trio, three more in complementary duets - 47 minutes and 36 seconds in total. The whole is called The Sea Of Frogs, and the publisher is the Greek netlabel Plus Timbre (note, like any edition, music is available at no extra charge, but only in electronic version!).Edge drumming, full of nuances and details, small, agile, cat movements - Marcello in all its glory! Next to Adrian soprano, here in the convention of molecular improvisation, woven from microelements of sound, probably closest to the snake course of Trevor Watts, which he used to do centuries ago alongside John Stevens - master class! Bruno flute, more embedded in chamber climates, but in such company, ready to ferment from the first second of the concert. The admission lasts just over three minutes, it is as dynamic as it is feisty, it is supposed to impress the recipient and so it happens. The second improvisation wakes up to the percussion intro - bells, small plates. Both bowlers enter very high and extremely clean passages, perfectly contrasting percussion dirt. Silence, focus, healthy smell of liberated chamber music and overactive drumming - perfect melange! The sensual resonance of the cymbals, decorated with sonoristics of the flute and the soprano jumping into the sky. For the final part of the bird symphony only beautiful sounds. The third constellation of three - the soprano, although almost impossible, jumps even higher, the flute is humming, the percussion is teasing with silence. The narrative seems light as a feather, at the same time, every now and again violates our inner peace with a clever acoustic barb. He can quickly grow up, after a while fall to the very bottom and yell at the reflections. For the finale a bit of surf in narrow tubes, dance dialogues and the constant power of beauty of a single sound.The concert goes into the duo phase. First a soprano and flute with the clear intention of making a quite sonoric trip. Stroking the silence, the sound of dry air, followed by a quick jump into the thicket of interaction and dramatic turning points. The narrative sometimes takes on more intense dimensions than the previous one, in a trio. A lot of events per unit of time - beautiful imitations, compulsive dialogues. Free impro chamber ’kingdom! For the finale, silence, snorting, noise, whistling, bird (frog?) Banter. The fifth and final track is two more duets. Soprano and percussion - a dance of truly liberated creations. The saxophone pulls very high again, based on the edge of the snare trembling with emotion. A very dynamic, expressive tale, almost free jazz, with almost noisy accents. When the musicians lose power, they enter the mantric dance of complete communication. Bravo! After a moment of applause, the final duo - a calm, muffled flute and drum brushes. Actively, under the arm with silence! Marcello dominates, Bruno dances next to him and he feels very good about it. The last sounds are almost exclusively acoustic, beautiful noise that adorns the sound of ... croaking frogs!
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The trio of Bruno Gussoni, Marcello Magliocchi and Adrian Northover has the unusual instrumentation of flutes, drums and soprano saxophone (played by Gussoni, Magliocchi and Northover, respectively). The standard flute and soprano sax share a substantial overlap in range, but differ markedly in timbre: one is hollow and airy in the low register and bright in the high register, while the other is penetrating and nasal in the upper register and reedy and dense in the lower register. In combination, they can create startling contrasts of color, as they do here. Whether played together in blocks of sound or as flurries of notes strung together in intertwining lines, the two instruments open up a sometimes very subtle space of difference between them.
In their unaccompanied Duo #1, these differences are emphasized through extended techniques such as air notes and key clicks; elsewhere dynamic contrasts come into play, as in the opening piece for trio and in Trio
#3’s upper register passages and held tones. Given the frequently delicate balance of sounds surrounding him, Magliocchi responds with sensitivity and open textures, never crowding out the winds. His skill as a colorist is evident throughout, but especially on Duo #2 for drums and soprano sax, and Duo #3 for drums and flute.
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