Hi, Here go some thoughts on the concert from yesterday evening at the Miró Foundation in Barcelona. The relatively small room that held the concert yesterday evening was surprisingly full (even a couple of 10-year-old kids fooling around with small The Maxx-figures in hand!). Murray, Kowald and Tsahar started their attack around 8.30pm after being introduced by Spanish pianist Agustà Fernández. Those (like me) who were expecting material similar to that featured in the ÂOpen Systems album (PK/AT/Hamid Drake/Hugh Ragin), that is, free-jazz with an unmistikable Ayler/Ornette flavour- where very wrong. The show took off with Tsahar blowing really hard from the very beginning, Kowald providing an astonishing variety of extended techniques combining finger and bowed playing, and Murray playing really soft, just trying to punctuate the great sax/double-bass interaction. Throughout the performance I couldnÂt see the legendary drummer fit very well into the environment that Tsahar and Kowald were creating. There were even times where the two musicians had to warn Murray not to interrupt their solos. Murray seemed much more concerned with his own impulse rather than contributing to the interplay of his mates. He accompanied his sometimes fierce free drumming (combining sticks and mallets) with a constant humming and even singing at some given moments. Kowald was delightful with his array of unorthodox techniques, enjoying the show and above all, entertaining. Tsahar was the big surprise for me. I had only listened to him in ÂOpen Systems and in Susie IbarraÂs ÂFlower After FlowerÂ, but the strength of his playing was virtually spitted right into our face yesterday. His sax/bass clarinet lines were so long and he blew so hard that during his breaks he seemed to retch due to the effort. Ayler, Brötzmann, Coleman, Lyons and the rawest Murray came to my mind when seeing the young Tsahar squeeze his horn like a possessed. IÂm expecting anything new coming from this guy. The concert was a one hour and a half free improvisation, no breaks, no concessions to melody or anything slightly similar and an appalling collective sound. They had no mercy and I swear I even felt a bit dizzy after the concert. Be careful if you have a chance to see these guys! :-) Best, Efrén del Valle _______________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger Nueva versión: Webcam, voz, y mucho más ¡Gratis! Descárgalo ya desde http://es.messenger.yahoo.com