Gebhard Ullmann - Tá Lam '1998

Tracks list

This release compiles and remasters selections from Tá Lam’s two
German only CDs, Tá Lam and Moritat, on 99 Records: the first performed
entirely by Ullmannm overdubbing himself up to 16 times on a panoply of
woodwinds, and Swiss accordionist Hans Hassler; the second by his band Tá Lam
Acht, including Hassler plus six highly accomplished reed players brought
together from East and West Berlin’s jazz/improv/new music scenes.
Ullmann’s original compositions feature tonally rich ensembles that
balance jazz and contemporary classical forms with elements of folk and world
musics, particularly those experienced during his tours and travels in Africa,
southeast Asia, and Australia/New Zealand. Echoes of tango, pygmy chants,
township jive, gagaku and other traditions may be discerned, but it’s all
woven together into new cloth — so that, for example, the hocketing in
certain tunes could have been inspired by pygmy music, Oceanic panpipes, and/or
medieval organa. Ullmann’s unusual arrangement of Weill’s
“Mack the Knife” completes the program. The Tá Lam project began
in 1990; highly structured yet spontaneous in feeling, the music remains as
fresh and yet enigmatic as Claudia Ullmann’s cover painting or the name
itself. “Ullmann’s records are fascinating essays on various
aspects of tradition and the avant-garde and how they intertwine.”
(Penguin Guide to Jazz, 3rd edition)

Born in 1957, Gebhard Ullmann divides his time between Berlin and New York. He
has recorded more than 20 CDs since 1984 as leader or co-leader (with Die
Elefanten and long-time collaborator guitarist Andreas Willers among others),
and has received several awards and prizes. Moritat was nominated best jazz
record of 1994 by the German Schallplattenkritik and acclaimed as “a real
masterpiece” in the influential Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, His other
working bands are his quartet Basement Research (with Ellery Eskelin, Drew Gress
and Phil Haynes, CD on Soul Note), his trio Trad Corrosion (with Haynes and
guitarist Andreas Willers, CD on Nabel), and a new clarinet/bass clarinet trio
with Kupke and Nabicht. Also new is a performance suite for accordion and string
trio. Ullmann is a member of Günter Lenz’ Springtime and the Hannes
Zerbe Blechband, and collaborates with actor Otto Sander on literary readings
with music. He has performed and/or recorded with Paul Bley (who has called him
“one of the finest improvising artists in the world”), Enrico Rava,
Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Bobby Previte, Michael Riessler, Andy Emler,
Laurent Cugny, Bob Moses, Bob Stewart, Tiger Okoshi, Aki Takase, Glen Moore,
Trilok Gurtu, Lauren Newton, Ernst Ludwig Petrowsky, Steve Argüelles, Jörg
Huke, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Willem Breuker, Michael Moore, Keith Tippett,
Rita Marcotulli, Percussions de Guinée, and the European Radio Jazzorchestra.

Accordionist/clarinetist/pianist/guitarist Hans Hassler was born in Switzerland
in 1945. He studied accordion with Mogens Ellegaard in Copenhagen,
performed/recorded with Mathias Rüegg’s Vienna Art Orchestra and Swiss
Art Orchestra and in the avant-jazz group Habarigani, performed as soloist with
the Zürcher Kammerorchester, and was a member of the Marco/Käppeli
Selection. He has played Italian folk songs (with La Lupa), dixieland, operatic
and symphonic repertoire, and dance and theatre music as well as composing a
clarinet concerto and music for accordion among other pieces. He currently
performs/records in the Ivano Torre Quintetto and plays Swiss folk music to
African percussion with Beat Föllmi.

***1/2 “A lovely sound – mellifluous, broadly harmonized and
carefully deployed over the typically wide range of influences that make
contemporary Euro-jazz seem so refreshing these days.” — Mark
Miller, The Globe and Mail

***1/2 “The most interesting piece is the reworking of ‘Mack the
Knife,’…The leader composed the remaining tunes, which stress
densely layered sounds, interspersed with plenty of fine improvisations. Hassler
is particularly effective on accordion…The combination of
‘world’ elements and very serious composing strikes a chord, and
Ullman has talent to spare, both as a composer and as a soloist.” —
Steven A Loewy, Allmusic.com

“…ties together elements of African, Asian, and European traditions
in a seamless personal musical compositional style that is as creative,
finely-crafted, and compelling as anything I’ve heard recently…It
will undoubtedly make my list of ’98’s most rewarding
listens.” — Chris Kelsey, Cadence

“His scores weave a wonderful dance for the ears…The groups’s
music is lushly orchestrated and engagingly melodic while being challengingly
complex and entertainingly unpredictable.” — Alexander Varty, The
Georgia Straight

“Musical ideas from his world travel inspire him to create sound-scapes
for his passionate writing. This is mood music; sometimes happy, often sombre
and occasionally pastoral but never less than stimulating. New Age meets the
Avant Garde without too many abstract voicings.” — David Lands,
Jazz Journal International

Gebhard Ullmann, soprano, alto & tenor sax, flute, alto flute, bass flute, wood
flute, bass clarinet, piccolo
Dirk Engelhardt, soprano & tenor sax, bass clarinet
Hans Hassler, accordion
Thomas Klemm, tenor sax, wood flute
Jürgen Kupke, clarinet
Joachim Litty, alto & bass clarinets, alto sax
Heiner Reinhardt, bass clarinet
Volker Schlott, soprano & alto sax, flute, wood flute
All compositions by Gebhard Ullmann except 7 by Kurt Weill

01. Gebhard Ullmann - Reg Alien (1:53)
02. Gebhard Ullmann - D. Nee No (4:14)
03. Gebhard Ullmann - Tá Lam (7:48)
04. Gebhard Ullmann - Think tank (5:49)
05. Gebhard Ullmann - Heaven No. 2.4 (4:46)
06. Gebhard Ullmann - Seven rests for woodwind ensemble (3:12)
07. Gebhard Ullmann - Mack the knife (6:48)
08. Gebhard Ullmann - Oberschöneweide (5:11)
09. Gebhard Ullmann - Oergardens What (3:07)
10. Gebhard Ullmann - Mala Drôle (1:35)
11. Gebhard Ullmann - N.B. Eleven (4:07)
12. Gebhard Ullmann - Heaven No. 2.4 (Again) (2:35)
13. Gebhard Ullmann - Red Prixx (Allegretto) (1:29)
14. Gebhard Ullmann - Black Cat (4:13)
15. Gebhard Ullmann - Basement Research (3:44)

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