Günter Christmann – Sometimes Crosswise (CD2094)

A cross-section of European free improvisation at the start of the 1990s. Trombonist and cellist Günter Christmann, one of the pioneers of free jazz in Germany, gathers a whole range of partners here in changing line-ups. Bassist Torsten Müller, sound poet Elke Schipper, Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and drummer Paul Lovens join him, and on some tracks there’s a whole trombone choir with Radu Malfatti, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Paul Rutherford, J. Bauer and L. Verheijen. The recordings come from various places in 1991 and 1992.

The 13 pieces are as varied as the line-ups. Intimate duos and trios stand next to dense ensemble pieces. Christmann uses circular breathing, multiphonics, mutes and unusual mouthpieces on the trombone, and also plays cello. Elke Schipper’s sound poetry turns the voice into an instrument. Titles like “Calcul tas”, “Frequenzgang”, “PO-SAU-NE 3” (German for “trombone”, split into syllables) and “Erregte Einwände, entfernte Ereignisse” (“Agitated objections, distant events”) reflect the playful, exploring spirit of the music.

This is a must for fans of European free improvisation, FMP, Globe Unity and the “improvised chamber music” of the 1990s. Released on Moers Music. When you buy here, you’re buying directly from the label, and we only sell originals.

The Side Story

Günter Christmann was born in 1942 in Śrem (Schrimm), Poland, and has worked as a freelance musician since 1968. He was there from the very beginning of German free jazz. He played in the Wuppertal and Berlin circles around Peter Brötzmann and Alexander von Schlippenbach, recorded early milestones on the FMP label with Rüdiger Carl, Peter Kowald and drummer Detlef Schönenberg, and from 1973 to 1986 was a member of the Globe Unity Orchestra. There he played in a legendary trombone section with Albert Mangelsdorff and Paul Rutherford. Rutherford is also part of the trombone choir on this album.

Christmann later moved away from free jazz towards a kind of improvised chamber music. In 1979 he founded Vario, an ensemble with constantly changing line-ups that included Phil Minton and Maggie Nicols. From the early 1990s, he focused more and more on combining music with other art forms: film, light, dance theatre (including work with Pina Bausch) and painting. In 1993, at the ZKM in Karlsruhe, he created the project in actu about the interaction of music and painting, with painter K.R.H. Sonderborg and drummer Paul Lovens. The two tracks “mit K.R.H.S.” on this album probably refer to Sonderborg.

Tracklist

1. Calcul tas 1 – 6:08

2. Calcul tas 2 – 6:45

3. Frequenzgang – 4:37

4. Me not me – 5:31

5. “Scheiße Affe” – 2:51

6. Mais, pourquoi? – 3:53

7. Mit K.R.H.S. – 1 – 2:25

8. Mit K.R.H.S. – 2 – 6:55

9. Huit & dix-sept – 5:20

10. Slide-8 – 5:53

11. PO-SAU-NE 3 – 3:17

12. “Erregte Einwände, entfernte Ereignisse” – 6:17

13. Par contre – 8:04

Total running time: approx. 68 minutes

Personnel

• Günter Christmann – trombone, cello

• Torsten Müller – bass

• Elke Schipper – sound poetry

• Mats Gustafsson – tenor saxophone

• Paul Lovens – percussion

• Radu Malfatti, Giancarlo Schiaffini, J. Bauer, Paul Rutherford, L. Verheijen – trombone

• A. Frangenheim – bass

• M. Griener – percussion

• R. Mahall – clarinet, bass clarinet

• G. Wolf – bass

Details

• Format: CD

• Label: Moers Music

• Catalog no.: CD2094

• Recorded: 1991 and 1992, various locations

• Price: €14.00