Search - Peter Brötzmann :: No Nothing

From the home of the Saxophone

Mark Harrington | Ireland | 06/30/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Peter Brotzmann is a part of that long standing European Avant Garde that has developed in parallel with its US counterpart. In concert you can expect to hear hard blowing from one of the most powerful pairs of lungs playing saxophone anywhere in the world. On No Nothing, he stretches the definition of Solo Saxophone by reverting to a Roland Kirk like mix of earlier and made up reed instruments; his tarogato and his Brotzophone. For me the most intriguing pieces are on the deeper instruments, where the full benefit of his lightning fingerwork gets the required support from those aforementioned lungs. It is telling that the longest two tracks revert to the Bass Clarinet. This never goes without some reference to Eric Dolphy when used in a jazz context. Whilst never mimicking Dolphy's playing, there is that questing for a fresh voice that can truly be said to be the spirit of dolphy in what he plays here. All in all, a first rate mix of free improv playing, verging towards tunefulness in odd moments, with an arabic flavour when this happens. Of that small minority of saxophonists most at home in the solo setting, he is not just one of the best in Europe, but a true world leader.Only he and Evan Parker (who he is most like on track 7) for me have that ability to articulate a brand new saxophone language in their own unfettered way."