Appearing at ZDB following a productive studio session whose results will soon be released on an album, this quartet of “old acquaintances” brings to the stage music dedicated to the spirits of Robert Wyatt and Abdullah Ibrahim. Imposing figures whose lives and work shed light, in a way that is not so obvious but deeply felt, on the many directions taken by this band of seasoned musicians, whose equally valuable and distinctive careers span the realms of jazz and improvisation. Luís Vicente is a regular presence at this venue; a testament to the ongoing work of this trumpeter, whose growing recognition has led him to perform all over the place, both as a leader and in collaboration with musicians such as William Parker, Hamid Drake or Vasco Trilla. The American Michael Formanek has now amassed four decades of experience on the double bass, a career that has seen him play with the likes of Mary Halvorson and Tim Berne and in a whole host of ensembles, including those featuring these very musicians. Jeff Williams, unfortunately, will be unable to attend this evening; in his place, drummer and improviser João Pereira will perform. The connecting link, Ziv Taubenfeld—now based in Lisbon after a long spell of activity on the fertile Dutch scene—traces melodic lines on his bass clarinet that range from contemplation to the unknown, as if evoking the lyricism of Wyatt and Ibrahim to transmute it into music that is as narrative as it is open, oscillating between the poetic serenity of chamber music and moments of centred harmonic frenzy that are not entirely dissimilar to the finest moments of Soft Machine or the radiant optimism of ‘Banaya’. If only by mere suggestion.
BS

I remember that in 2015, when I released the double album The Invading Past, I would occasionally feel daunted by the self-imposed pressure to ‘make new music’. I still find myself thinking about it these days, but I’ve trained myself not to let it bother me: the same pattern never turns out quite the same. This concert comes without any pomp and circumstance: in a state of grace following a seven-date tour last February with Yann Gourdon, I simply wanted to book a date to keep my touch. Although there is a new album (The Invading Present), I don’t remember how I recorded those pieces, so I won’t even attempt to reproduce them. Nor will there be a performance of a ‘new’ or ‘exclusive’ piece. It will likely be whatever is inspiring me most in the days leading up to the concert. Whether it’s a new composition or a 12-string reinterpretation of an old piece, we’ll see.