| By constructing a musical reality through the compositional impetus of Braxton and Ellington, thesemusicians remind us that the "Concept Of Freedom" is an ongoing challange that requests commitment, sensitivity, creativity, and vigilance, and the Art is not an escape from life, but an experience essential to life's meaning and value. – Art Lange Mr. Dahinden is a composer and performer who has worked with and played the music of Mr. Braxton in the past. His partner, classical pianist Hildegard Kleeb has also performed Braxton's music in the past, as well as Morton Feldman and Christian Wolff. Besides the fact that Duke Ellington & Anthony Braxton are both geniuses in their own ways, they are also wonderful composers, musicians and visionaries. Braxton's "Comp. No. 257" sounds like "Ghost Trance Music", but is played by a fine quartet without Mr. Braxton's guidance. This piece is done spaciously, without that unrelenting pulse. The notes are stretched out at times, giving this a more relaxed, thoughtful feeling with more space between the notes. It also has that modern classical vibe where each note is placed ever so carefully. In the third section, the haze of electronic and trombone drones begin to add a dark undercurrent as the chaotic piano soon takes a very "out" solo. Snippets of Duke Ellington's musical fragments are interspersed within ongoing framework Braxton's evolving work. It is seamlessly connected. The sound mass is often magical and mysterious and difficult to figure out, yet Huguette and I find it completely fascinating. |