Hesitancy by Ensemble Progresivo

Recorded by by Xabier Garcia on 18th December 2013 at Audiounderground Studios, London, UK.
Mixed and edited by Adrian Northover & Ricardo Tejero.
Mastered by Ernesto Santana.
Composed by Ricardo Tejero.
Design, Artwork by Carlos Santos.

REVIEWS

Coordonné par Ricardo Tejero (anches), l'ENSEMBLE PROGRESSIVO réunit des musiciens issus de différentes cultures. Sur cet enregistrement de 2013, nous pouvons entendre Alison Blunt au violon, Adrian Northover au saxophone, Marcio Mattos au violoncelle et électronique ainsi que Roberto Sassi à la guitare électrique. Comme son nom l'indique, ce groupe est concerné par la progression en matière musicale, en opposition directe aux conceptions minimalistes et répétitives défendues par ailleurs et par d'autres. Composition et improvisation sont les ingrédients de cette musique de bonne tenue. L'esthétique n'est pas figée, bien au contraire : selon les pièces, les échos de diverses tendances développées lors de ces cinquante dernières années, souvent mélangées affleurent (du free jazz à la pédale wah-wah, via Berio et Globokar..). On perçoit l'envie d'en découdre, particulièrement sur la pièce numéro 5, belle suite de 20 minutes qui emporte l'auditeur loin de ses à priori. Ce groupe joue bien, et mérite toute notre attention. Dino (Révue & Corrigée)

Fra composizione e spazi di libera improvvisazione.
Dal 2007, su un'idea dello spagnoloRicardo Tejero (sax alto e tenore/clarinetto).
Un quintetto che bada al sodo, non incespicando mai in eccessi cervellotici.
Vien da dire che non potrebbe esser altrimenti, vista la caratura del quintetto con base a Londra.
Che include, oltre all'ideatore del progetto, il brasiliano Marcio Mattos (violoncello, contrabbasso ed elettronica, un percorso straordinario il suo, una vita spesa nell'evoluzione dell'impro), Adrian Northover al sax alto e soprano (che molti ricorderanno nei grandi Remote Viewers), Roberto Sassi all'elettrica (Cardosanto e un presente nei notevole e zigzaganti Vole), Alison Blunt al violino (scovate il duo con Gianni Mimmo e poi mi direte).
Strutture fluide ed intriganti, cameristiche e basate su progressioni combinatorie numeriche.
Percorsi descrittivi e coesione massima.
Deragliamenti e corrosioni, chiari di luna ed adorabili ciondolamenti notturni.
Provengon tutti dall'esperienza della London Improvisers Orchestra e, questo lavoro è da ascoltare e riascoltare. Marco Carcasi (Kathodik)

Another awesome release from the stack of releases by Creative Sources comes from Ensemblo Progresivo, a project that Madrid-born composer, saxophonist and clarinetist Ricardo Tejero made by a simple idea, that is improvising within a compositional context. I can't say such an idea is totally new, but the very fact that Tajero belongs to those musicians who believe that all those more or less academic debates about the distinguishing elements between composition and improvisation, which caused a remarkable waste of breathe and ink, are not really useful. The stronger argument for such an idea is the way this ensemble implemented this coexistence which is not only peaceful, but almost idyllic as you can easily verify by listening to some of what they define "progressions" by this ensemble by means of what they call "progressions" is really amazing. according to some words that got written when the Ensemble Progresivo moved its first steps: "The concept of progression is ever-present in the work of this band. Following the principle of non-repetition and ephemeral existence that improvised music has at its core, ensemble Progresivo aims to draw upon what they like to call "Progressions", pieces where the structure is prearranged using a combination of references and musical elements worked out by Rocardo Tejero, achieving different form every time a new "Progression" is played. in this way, every time the band performs they play a different "written progression" or piece, never to be repeated again". It should be pointed out that Ricardo carefully selected the musicians of Ensemblo Progresivo, as all of them - Alison Blunt (violin), Adrian Northover (alto sax, soprano sax), Marcio Mattos (cello, electronics), Roberto Sassi (electric guitar) as well as Ricardo come from the London Improvisers Orchestra... they are not new fishes in the pool! - and such a high level of expertise is clear over the nine funny progressions: the opening " Progresion 22 - Misnuet" departs from a sort of austere minuet, which sounds like groaning for its own figure till the point it almost autonomously begins to self-deconstructed, the amazing struggling by compositional elements between Mattos's cello and Tejero's alto sax on the following "F.A.Q.", the almost psychotic overlapping of sketched (or I'd rather say hesitant) musical phrases on "Ida y Vuelta", the clarinet melody which sounds like choked in it sleep by a convulsive violin on "Moundfield" or the limping symphony of the funny "Mannock" are just some examples of their modus operandi, and you can imagine how many times formal compositions got melted down by improvisational flickering over the 19-minutes lasting central piece "Dilema"... Some words by French magician Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin came to my mind while listening to this release. He used to say that "a conjurer is not a juggler". I won't say this could be true for this great bunch of musical conjurers! Vito Camarretta (Chain DLK)

Creative Sources releases a plethora of improv/jazz and experimental electronic music.
Founded in 2000.

creativesourcesrec.com