Traditional hymns, folk music and classical music themes, multi-part compositional structure, whimsical humor, and the yearning, lyrical mode of African-American jazz all play a part in clarinetist-composer Joris Roelofs’ album “Rope Dance.” The image of a tightrope walker, a traditional circus performer, implies a more recent tradition in Dutch jazz of performing improvised music in a theatrical or circus setting, a practice pioneered by clarinetist, composer and bandleader Willem Breuker.

In the late 1960s Willem Breuker resonated with the innovative sounds of bass clarinetist Eric Dolphy and tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler, though he eventually broke from American jazz influences, and in the company of pianist-composer Misha Mengelberg and percussionist Han Bennink, founded the Instant Composers Pool. From the outset, the ICP struggled with internal temperamental conflicts, artistic contradictions, and contempt both towards and from the jazz and conservatory establishments. Even their radically reformed music proved artistically restrictive for Breuker. He left the ICP and formed the Willem Breuker Kollektief to perform composed suites for improvisers.

As the turbulence of the Dutch and German free jazz scenes subsided, younger musicians from northern Europe incorporated innovations of the preceding cohort into a new, distinctly regional creative music. In recent years, a contemporary jazz scene has coalesced around the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where alumnus, clarinetist-composer Joris Roelofs teaches in the jazz department.

The music on “Rope Dance” represents an extension in sound of Roelofs' academic study of the philosopher Friedrich Nietszche, in particular, the parable of the rope dancer in “Thus Spake Zarathustra”. In the album’s liner notes commentary, Roelofs expounds on the radical philosopher’s own failed efforts at composing, his friendship with Richard Wagner, and the openness to “gazing into the abyss” that is equally the endeavor of the rope dancer and the philosopher himself.

It is not necessary to admire Nietzsche or to be student of his gnomic writing to listen with openness to the inventive music on “Rope Dancer”. Roelofs has selected as the major soloist the astonishingly accomplished bassoonist Bram van Sambeek, who appears on several BIS classical SACDs, including Mozart, Weber, Du Puy: Bassoon Concertos - van Sambeek, Ogrintchouk, Bach on the Bassoon - van Sambeek, and Fagerlund, Aho: Basson Concertos - van Sambeek, Slobodeniouk, Kamu. In the written parts and in his improvisations, van Sambeek’s technical virtuosity and his clear grasp of Roelof’s compositional intent exemplify the rope dancer’s gaze into the abyss – and his ability to cross that abyss with fearless abandon.

Veteran jazz bassist Clemens van der Feen, pianist Bram de Looze and drummer Martijn Vink hold the feet of the dancers van Sambeek and Roelofs securely to the harmonic ropes of Roelofs’ high-risk compositions. The music itself defies genre categorization: it can be heard as new creative jazz or as contemporary classical chamber music.

“Rope Dance” was recorded in 24/96 PCM at Studio 2, Muziekcentrum van de Omroep, Hilversum, The Netherlands, with the same attention to sonic detail as any of the best chamber music recordings from BIS in recent years. The timbres of the two woodwind instruments are rendered in vivid detail. Roelofs’ engineer Micha de Kanter uses Josephson single-point microphones, which, with careful placement, produce a deep and realistic soundstage. (Josephson microphones are used on many albums from the audiophile label Sound Liaison.)

Adventurous new music listeners are invited to step out onto the tightrope: the trip will be well-rewarded.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Werlin and HRAudio.net

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