For years we travelled the world together, recorded a bunch of CDs and, as a band, formed our very personal musical language. Later on we drifted apart, started other projects, and more than ten years later decided to get together again – a single concert, for old times sake.

This night at the WIM Zürich could have become a very nostalgic one: A former trio playing their old tunes or at least playing in the old vein, seeking for old, moldy stories. We all were surprised that our communication and interplay developed in a fresh way, though we know each other through and through: No new wine in old bottles; rather old wine that has matured, nonetheless tasting new...

Here it is at your disposal: Three old friends in a one-time concert, for fun and old times sake... and maybe for a future yet to come?

Dieter Ulrich, Zurich, July 2008

Ayler Records has the sort of A&R philosophy that makes for consistently high-interest releases that are of a piece stylistically. They cover the Euro-American free jazz-free improvisation world with offerings by both the known and the relatively unknown performers. And with their download-only series, they give you for a nice price the full album art and a good quality sound file. There are other labels doing important work in this genre and other left-of-mainstream or otherwise out-of-the-way idioms. Regular readers of my blogs will know which ones I have found indispensable today for an understanding of what is modern about modernity (or what is NOT so much modern, but rather traditional, for that matter).

Today we look at another interesting Ayler download release. Places regroups the trio of Christoph Gallio (alto and soprano), Dominique Girod (bass) and Dieter Ulrich (drums) for a Zurich reunion after a ten-year hiatus. These are three eloquent free players that most definitely still have much to say. Gallo channels a little bit of Braxton and Mitchell, but otherwise shows an abstractive knack that comes from his inner wellsprings. Girod has a woody tone and an extended line-weaving vocabulary that makes for good dialogues and cross-talk inside the group improvisations. And Ulrich is a melodic drummer. He phrases almost like a horn.

Places captures the trio in a mood to create elegantly sprawling improvisational castles of eloquence. It is readily enjoyable outing that will appeal to those who appreciate the world of open-ended improv. For a good price you get an interesting trio you might otherwise have missed, and on a good night at that. 

Das nach dem amerikanischen Free-Saxofonisten Albert Ayler benannte schwedische Label Ayler Records ist auf ungeschönte, authentische Konzertmitschnitte spezialisiert. Unter den Novitäten des Labels stösst man auf eine aufregende Aufnahme, die Anfang dieses Jahres in der Werkstatt für improvisierte Musik (WIM) in Zürich entstand. Der expressive Saxofonist Christoph Gallio, der wendige Bassist Dominique Girod und der betriebsame Schlagzeuger Dieter Ulrich kreieren einen facettenreichen Sturm-und-Drang-Jazz. Gallio, der auch als Komponist spröder Miniaturen bekannt ist, zeigt sich von seiner ungebärdigen Seite.