Izvajalec: Trank Zappa Grappa in Varese?
Založba: Fazzul Music
Izid: year
Ocena: 4.2/5
Trank Zappa Grappa in Varese? je glasbeni projekt švicarskega saksofonista Markusa Staussa, moža tisočih obrazov in tisočih skupin. V tej skupini igra Stauss saksofon, pridružijo pa se mu še mlajši kolegi na kitari, basu in bobnih.
Če bi sodil po imenu skupine(Ali je Zappa pil grapo v Vareseju?), bi pričakoval projekt, ki bi imel glasbeno precejšnjo povezavo s Frankom Zappo ali Edgarjem Varesejem, v resnici pa ni čutiti strašne povezave z niti enim od teh dveh umetnikov. Zappin jazz rock je bil precej drugačen od stila, ki ga igrajo TZGIV, eksperimenti, ki sta jih izvajala Varese in Zappa pa tudi niso ravno podobni tistim, ki jih izvaja Staussova skupina. A kljub vsemu, tudi če glasba ni tako zelo podobna tema dvema umetnikoma, pa sta njun vpliv in zapuščina tako velika, da se čuti tudi posredno.
Kot je za Markusa Staussa že značilno, tudi ta projekt sloni večinoma na jazzu. Kot pri drugih izdelkih, so tudi tukaj še dodatni elementi, kot na primer klasika in srednjeveška glasba (kitarist je glasbo celo opisal kot mešanica jazza, punka in srednjeveške glasbe). A tokrat večja prisotnost kitare ustvari bolj heavy občutek, skoraj podoben Mahavishnu Orchestra (temu ne bi ravno rekel punk). Veliko je tudi improvizacije (ne le jazzovske), ki doda tipično Staussovo eksperimentalno noto. A tokrat se eksperimentacija zdi bolj vesoljska, manj organizirana in bolj kaotična, tako da je potrebno nekoliko več časa, da se vidi potencial in veščina, ki se v teh delih skrivata.
Tudi ta projekt je popolnoma edinstven. Pri vseh Staussovih projektih so sicer opazni neki povezovalni elementi, a največja prednost njegove glasbe je unikatnost, ne glede o katerem projektu govorimo. Lahko bi posnel tipičen jazz rock album, poln šopirjenja s tehničnimi sposobnostmi in z občasno dobro melodijo, a kot je za Staussa že običajno, je s sodelavci ponovno ustvaril nekaj nad vsemi pričakovanji. Še eden izvrstno zasnovan, inteligenten album, ki mu je življenje dahnil legendarni švicarski saksofonist. Vsi ljubitelji Zappe, Weather Report in Soft Machine – bodite pozorni na to zasedbo in ta album, lahko da je to prav nekaj za vas.
———————————————————————————————
Trank Zappa Grappa in Varese? is a musical project by the Swiss saxophone player Markus Stauss, the man of a thousand faces and a thousand different bands. This band features Stauss on saxophone, joined by a few younger colleages on guitar, bass and drums.
Judging by the name of the band (Did Zappa drink grappa in Varese?), you’d expect there to be some musical relation to either Frank Zappa or Edgar Varese, but there’s no great connection to either. Zappa’s variety of jazz rock was very different to the style TZGIV plays and Zappa’s and Varese’s experiments are done quite differently than those of Stauss’s band. But still, even though the music really isn’t similar to that of those two artists, the music Zappa and Varese created and the legacy they left behind was so influential that it can be felt through indirect channels.
As is already usual for Markus Stauss, this project is again based mostly on jazz. Like with some of his other albums, there are certain other elements, like classical and medieval music (the guitar player describes the music as a mixture of jazz, punk and medieval). However, this time round the prominence of the guitar creates a heavier, almost Mahavishnu Orchestra feeling at times (I wouldn’t really call it punk though). There’s also a great improvisational element present (not just jazz), which adds a classical Stauss experimental note. This time, however, the experimentation seems a bit out there, less organized and more chaotic, so it takes a bit more time to realize the potential and skill hidden in those segments.
This project is again totally unique. You can notice some common features between Stauss’s projects, but the greatest asset of his music is its uniqueness, no matter which project he’s involved in. This could have been a typical jazz rock album with some fine technical playing and an occasional memorable melody, but as is usual for Stauss, he again created something that is beyond all expectation with his bandmates. Another in a line of well crafted, intelligent albums masterminded by the legendary Swiss sax player. Fans of Zappa, Weather Report and Soft Machine beware, this might be something for you.
Zasedba
Michel Delville – kitara, kitarski sintetizator, elektronika
Markus Stauss – saksofoni
Damien Campion – bas
Laurent Delchambre – bobni, tolkala, elektronika
Produkcija
TZGIV
Seznam skladb
1. Opening with objects
2. Perpetuum
3. OG
4. More memories
5. Little fragment
6. Surinam
7. For Jean
8. Kater Carlo
9. Alone at lost and found
