FMP CD 059

GROOVES `N`LOOPS
Cowws Quintett

Preis / Price : 15.08 €
Bestell-Nr. / Purchase Order No. : FMP CD 059

Rüdiger Carl

accordion, clarinet, percussion

Irène Schweizer

piano, percussion

Phil Wachsmann

violin, viola, electronics

Stephan Wittwer

electric guitar

Jay Oliver

double bass

01.

Die Einführung

05:50

02.

Relativ ewiges Lied

03:08

03.

The owls

04:38

04.

P. Waltz

05:38

05.

Hinter den Gardinen

05:15

06.

Gunst I

04:23

07.

Blue Goo

06:14

08.

Dunkler Ruhm

04:39

09.

Tati´s tatoos

03:13

10.

Erste Hilfe

04:05

11.

Gasthofsympathie

08:24

12.

Bei Fuss

04:14

13.

Gunst II

05:02

14.

Pawns

02:27

15.

H.M.E. as a young man

05:10

16.

Soweit sogut

01:06

Total time:

73:26

All compositions by Rüdiger Carl
Recorded by Ansgar Ballhorn on January 12 - 13, 1993 at the 'Ottenbrucher Bahnhof' in Wuppertal.
Produced by by the Westgerman Radio/WDR Köln
Design: Günther Förg
Photos: Walter Kranl
Liner notes: Ulrich Kurth

First published in April 1994

Excerpt from the booklet:
... GROOVES ´N´ LOOPS - this title on the COWWS Quintet´s programme astonishes us at first as no one expects catchy rhythms or continuous ground-bass from this ensemble. After all its members have for many years figured among the devoted champions of open musical improvisation in Europe. It is its very openness which makes it possible to react to change.

RÜDIGER CARL developed the concept of a directed music which creates a multitude of connections with the various musical worlds. One of its characteristics is the quote, but not in the sense of a direct musical appropriation. A beat from a waltz or a funk-riff set the stage as it were. Something about it tells us that it is no longer a waltz, but just the distant recollection of one which is admittedly laden with association. From here the events unfold on the imaginary stage - improvisation and mutual interaction plumb the very depths of music. (…) The goal is not melodic variation, but rather musical-motional development. (…)

A concept like this can only be put into effect by superior improvisationalists who are able to put the idea of motion first, and not the freedom of expression fought for over the years. For this they require a wide range of musical skills as well as the readiness to communicate to the full. In other words it is a continual sensitive response which ranges from a restraint accompaniement or even soundlessness right as far as the great solo. Something new can emerge from this - a music full of subjectivity, dedicated to emotion, or even composition and improvisation, are no longer opposed to one another, they form a unit - (…) it is an authentic form of ´chamber music´.

GROOVES `N` LOOPS (…) points the way to freedom. (…) Beautiful music is no longer a game.

Talking about memories: JAY OLIVER died suddenly in Berlin in the late summer of 1993.

Ulrich Kurth
Translation: Margaret Neuendorf