PETER BROTZMANN/JOE MCPHEE/KENT KESSLER/MICHAEL ZERANG Tales Out of Time

hatOLOGY 589 (2004)

I was lucky enough to see these guys as part of the larger Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet two years ago in Victoriaville, Quebec; the sounds they make on this album are slightly softer and more compact than the (unamplified!) wail that came from the stage that night, but the intensity is undiminished. Brotzmann and McPhee on twin tenor saxophones produce a thick, meaty sound that is unlike anything in free jazz, and the endlessly creative Kessler (bass) and Zerang (drums) provide inventive support throughout. The music is reminiscent of Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman (especially in its two horn/bass/drums instrumentation). The relative brevity of the tracks (from just over two minutes to twelve, with only two clocking in at over eight) keeps the music tight and focused, with highlights including the screaming "Alto Lightning in a Violin Sky (for Jimmy Lyons)" and the traditional gospel tune "Blessed Assurance" (dedicated to Thelonious Monk, who also recorded a version).

Here's a brief video snippet of Brotzmann and Zerang: