Search - Ken Vandermark & Paal Nilssen-Love :: Chicago Volume

Just duet

J. GARRATT | 03/26/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ken Vandermark and Paal Nilssen-Love at it again, making a purely duo album; sax and drums. If you have followed either one of these guys to this point, you know that their combined talents make a format like this not boring. Not even close. It's only natural to approach each new Vandermark release with caution, since there is such little chance of quality being spread evenly over so much quantity. But he has once again made an album that is worth your time.



And time is an important factor here. Look at that first track. That makes up over 50% of the release right there! Consequently, it has it all - sonically speaking. Even during quieter passages (and the bulk of the track seems to live in this area), these two guys are not content to let the sound "mellow out" so to speak. Ken has to continue his skronking and sputtering in a subdued manner. Nilssen-Love has to grind his sticks again the cymbals. Even as the music comes to a standstill, these two guys summon a sense of unease for the proceedings. For that we are fortunate.



"Text of Sound" works differently than that. Vandermark's slow, languid playing is offset by Nilssen-Love's active simmer, allowing himself to come to boiling point only occasionally. The end of the track sounds like a ghost waving goodbye. As for "Mort Subite," I thought the stuff was brewed on the other side of the Atlantic. Yet it's part of a Chicago-themed album. Perhaps I need to hit a wider array of bars the next I visit my brother and his family. The track itself is more free jazz goodness, two hardened veterans feeding off of one another to create some joyful noise.



So don't be put off by the fact that this is a 57 minute duet. It's actually pretty great. Makes me want to check out "Seven" and "Dual Pleasure 2." And of course this album has a forthcoming sequel in the Milwaukee variety."