Search - Peter Brotzmann :: For Adolphe Sax (1967)

The problem with Brotzmann

chris | Pittsburg, California United States | 07/18/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I used to love him, and while I can enjoy this record to a certain extent, it's actually Brotzmann's presence, in my opinion, that ruins it. At this early stage in his development, he wasn't really doing much beyond making the same high pitched squeal. Now, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but Peter Kowald and Sven Ake Johannsen are two monumentally talented musicians, and at this point, Brotz just wasn't up to their level yet. Recommended for fans of the rhythm section, but for a better Brotzmann, get either FMP-130 or Little Birds Have Fast Hearts"

Proof that Brotz is indeed a human...

Matt Stephens | USA | 02/18/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As much as I hate to be down on Brotz, I just can't get into this. The group doesn't really go anywhere with the music. Being Brotzmann's first album (1967), it's obvious that his playing hadn't yet evolved into what makes him one of the most creative free guys around. I partially agree with the previous reviewer; Kowald and Johansson are at a higher level than Brotzmann at this point, but I'm not crazy about their playing, either.



It seems like the European free music really became something else in the early 70s. The problem with this album is that there isn't really any musical premise (a common complaint with free music, often mistaken). There's nothing wrong with not having any preconceived "plans" for a musical performance, so maybe there doesn't have to be a "premise," but when that element is absent, it's the group interaction which keeps the piece going. To be honest, I'm very surprised that they sustained the title piece for over 19 minutes without running out of steam. Actually, they sort of did run out of steam (there wasn't much to begin with) but they kept on truckin' anyway, for the sake of it. And that's what a lot of Bro's music is--music for the sake of itself. I love and relate to that idea more than you could imagine, but the concept just hasn't yet fully blossomed here."