Customer Reviews

Vossabrygg

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal seems to exist in a musical universe of his own. While he has recorded dozens of great albums for ECM -- including a pair of lovely and underrated collaborations with Miroslav Vitous and Jack DeJohnette -- his passionate, yearning soundscapes have not always seemed grounded in other musical developments happening at the time, which is often a virtue (and one that is shared by several ECM artists).

This album, however, has a recognizable reference point: Miles Davis' fierce, groundbreaking 1970 birth-of-fusion masterpiece "Bitches Brew." In paying homage to that album, Rypdal has succeeded in making a record that is both true to his own deeply personal muse and accessible to the new generation of jazz-lovers for whom "Bitches Brew" is the very pinnacle of hip.

With gorgeous trumpet throughout by Palle Mikkelborg (who collaborated with Miles on his own album "Aura"), and electronics by Rypdal's son, Marius (who made extensive use of sampled sounds from his father's discography for this performance, recorded live in 2003), the album pays homage to the vibe of Miles' music while attaining a spiritual intensity and heat all its own. It's hard not to feel a frisson of delight when the first notes of Joe Zawinul's "Pharoah's Dance" ring out at the beginning of the opening track, "Ghostdancing." Terje's solos soar like an incandescent bird of fire above the churning band performances, complete with very fine contributions on Fender Rhodes piano and Hammond B-3 organ by Stale Storlokken and Bugge Wesseltoft, and a very fluid rhythm section.

One of the high points of Rypdal's long career, this is a very fresh recording that pays tribute to the past while accelerating into the future.

when vossabrygg, which translates to "vossa brew," is on, it's an amazing thing. Rypdal has taken the textures of miles' bitches brew and made them his own-- his guitar is absolutely searing, as is palle mikkelborg's trumpet. the opening track, "ghostdancing," is alone worth the price of admission, but several times later during the record the band rypdal has assembled gets quite near the heights they reach so early on. the album is not without faults, however, and most are at the hands of terje's son, marius. his electronic compositions, which act as segues between the longer improvised sections, are hit or miss. when they work, such as on "incognito traveller," they inject a truly seamless yet contemporary vibe into this music which for the most part could have been recoded at any time in the last 30 years. when they misfire, however, as on "hidden chapter," the bass heavy head nodding beats paired with samples of terje's choral and orchestral work come off as a bit cheeseball-- more dance club electronica than the great experimental electronic music being made in europe right now. that said, when marius' role is more of a supporting one on some of the longer tracks, his presence is a positive one.

overall, this is a great new release that sounds fresh (even though this music is three years old) and timeless at the same time. when it's on, it's as good as anything i've heard this year.

Long-time readers will no doubt recognize the name of guitarist Terje Rypdal, who has appeared as both leader and sideman on seemingly countless ECM recordings over the years. He is joined in this live recording by Palle Mikkelborg (trumpet, synthesizer), Bugge Wesseltoft (electric piano, synthesizer), Stäle Storløkken (Hammond organ, electric piano, synthesizer), Marius Rypdal (Terje's son) (electronics, samples, turntables), Bjørn Kjellemyr (electric and acoustic basses), Jon Christensen (drums), and Paolo Vinaccia (drums).

As soon as the opening notes of this set come out from your speakers, you will be transported back more than three decades as you hear the sounds of that famous Miles Davis album, Bitches Brew. Amazing! What Rydal has done is composed a jazz set that pays tribute to that classic Miles album, yet sounds fresh and new, which is not an easy feat.

Trumpeter Mikkelborg plays some Miles-like licks, but again, it never sounds as though the band is simply trying to imitate that sound. Rypdal still sounds like Rypdal, playing high and mysterious notes that float and linger, and his son Darius supplies some contemporary-sounding samplings that bring the proceedings into the 21st century. What this music does accomplish in to recreate the way Miles's band would establish a pulse--not just a beat, not just a rhythm, but a living pulse--and build everything up from that. Again, about the only word I can think of is, "amazing." I would never have thought that Terje Rypdal, of all musician I could think of, would put together an amazing tribute to the music of Miles Davis, but he has done just that.

If you were ever a fan of Bitches Brew, you really must audition Vossabrygg. That title, by the way, translates into "Vossa Brew." An amazing, intoxicating, and satisfying brew it is.

Terje Rypdals Vossabrygg is a journey of its own, it can and will take someone to another place and its a good one. He has quite the sideman in Palle Mikkelborg whom I have started delving into his work as well I recently bought Imagine with Kenneth Knudsen which Palle plays in,for me the trumpet with Palle is kind of like the bass to Jaco Pastorius and that is a compliment well deserving buy Vossabrygg and hear for yourself, I listen to it often and am just in awe a very good work by all artists involved, oh the coincidence with Imagine is the last track which I cant recall the name right now the gentleman playing bass kind of revisits a clip of Portrait of Tracy by Jaco and Palle has some shining moments to say the least cant wait to receive it so I can quit listening to the samples, I can not believe how deep jazz is and am glad I have become a fan of jazz what an endless treat!!!

This is a nice Jazz Fusion CD...

Terje Rypdal is a high skilled guitar and keyboard player.

The musics of the CD are quite elaborated and very smooth to the soul.

If he's referencing Miles' great 70s album, Bitches Brew (which I, personally, doubt), it's merely as a jumping-off point. There's so much post-Miles developmental stuff happening here that it almost seems anachronistic to reference that, admittedly, seminal disc, and if he's doing that, it's in a majorly postmodern way.

First off, Palle Mikkelborg, the supposed Miles trumpet analog, seems anything but a Davis clone: he's definitely his own man here, spinning out his own decades-long delved fusion lines (often doubled with the leader's guitar figures), and carving out territories scarcely envisioned by the Dark Lord of the trumpet.

Second, Bugge Wesseltof (electric piano and synthesizer) and Stale Storlokken (Hammond organ, electric piano, and synthesizer) have advanced far beyond Larry Young and Joe Zawinul both conceptually and technically.

Third, Marius Rypdal (Terje's son), by means of electronics, turntables, and samples, has created a soundscape both more sophisticated and complex than could ever have been imagined or realized by Miles himself.

Fourth, Bitches Brew, though perhaps ahead of its time in terms of its post-production techniques, sounds positively primitive next to this fully 21st-century-produced disc.

Something of a departure for ECM (but then, hasn't Rypdal always been kind of an iconoclast?), but hugely evocative and a resounding success.

I was rap-ing 1/4 through this record (jokingly, of course) with all the techno beat bull it has on some vile tracks. The other 3/4 is why i am giving it 3 stars as it is brilliant Miles influenced stuff with great moments. Will be watching you, Terje. Hope this is the last we see of your dancing shoes...

Unimpressed by this live album - inconsistent mish mash of Miles-type fusion, house electronica and Norwegian jazz. Not the best showcase to experience the extraordinary 'yearning' sound of Terje - that is best enjoyed on his live DVD with Trilok Gurtu and Miroslav Vitous and, of course on his many albums (especially After The Rain). What is wrong with this recording? It feels it is trying too hard to encapsulate too many styles and fashions (probably due to the fact that it was originally recorded for radio and a general audience). Plus all the sampled electronica 'noodling' just plain gets in the way of everything.

Only the opening track does any justice to Terje Rypdal and Palle Mikkelborg with searing trumpet and guitar solos - worthy of their very best work.

Die-hard Rypdal fans must buy this album, of course, others should look elsewhere first. There is far better Terje Rypdal albums out there to discover Europe's most original electric guitarist in the last thirty years.

BM.