Rupp-Rößler-Hall is a purely acoustic project with musicians from the
Berlin Echtzeitscene, consisting of a veteran of the free
improvisation community, guitarist Olaf Rupp, Australian drummer and
percussionist Samuel Hall and double bassist Isabel Rößler. The most
important characteristic of the project’s music is not to differentiate
between backing band (drums and bass) and solo instrument (in this case the
guitar); the individual voices should be equal and on an equal footing.
Rupp plays acoustic guitar here, but his technique is strongly based on
his playing on electric guitar. This means that there are many of his
typical harmonics, flamenco-like chords and Phrygian cadences, which he
likes to merge into a seemingly atonal chaos. All three musicians tug at
their strings, extended playing techniques are used and the instruments are
plowed in all possible ways. The whole thing gurgles, grinds, echoes and
threatens to fall apart again and again – but this never happens. In this
way, sound textures and structures are created and fanned out, as the flow
of the music is very purposefully controlled. Samuel Hall’s contribution
is reminiscent of Tony Oxley’s playing and that of Paul Lovens on their
recordings with Cecil Taylor. Ultra-fast and high-pitched, yet very
precise. Isabel Rößler’s bass is very powerful and massive, she can be
very loud and knows how to hold her own against her partners in crime.
Joëlle Léandre and Barry Guy shine through here again and again in a very
pleasant way.
Especially in the first piece, “Die schlichte Freuden der Armen”, it
becomes clear how well coordinated the tonal surfaces are; the whole thing
never becomes too pleasant, but is always roughened and bulky. Obviously
the music also serves as a commentary on our difficult times, because the
titles of the pieces (translated they mean “The simple joys of the
poor“, “All the heavy sand here is language, deposited by wind and tide“
and “Darkness is in our souls, don’t you think?“) point to a gloomy
atmosphere.
All in all, a nice collection of three fragments, hopefully there will be
more to hear from this trio soon.
Rupp-Rößler-Hallis available on vinyl (as a 7-inch) and
as a download.
You can listen to the music and here:
