self eater and drinker | audeop 0399

Com formação clássica e uma grande paixão pelo free jazz, Ernesto Rodrigues é um improvisador bastante influenciado pela escrita musical contemporânea e em especial a de Emmanuel Nunes, tendo desenvolvido no violino e na viola de arco um estilo bem distinto do de Carlos Zíngaro. Bem evidente, de resto, neste duo com um teclista que pertenceu aos Plexus do dito Zíngaro, Jorge Valente, um dos primeiros a utilizar o computador em Portugal. Alguma da ambiência do pós-serialismo passa por “Self Eater and Drinker”, mas é bem outra coisa o que propõem. Rui Eduardo Paes

I thought about fragments of life, caught glimpses of extra sensorial activities, intercepted dialogues between strange alien creatures...The duo of Ernesto Rodrigues (processed and prepared violin) and Jorge Valente (computer, synth) leaves a lot of space, both literally - by respecting the principle of silence and sound being equally fundamental - and to the imagination, as one is forced to use his own mind to figure out what's going to happen, right after the very first moments of their interconnection. The alternance between strange waves of hallucinating auras and the spiky hits of the strings mixed with computer-processed electronics is the strongest point of this record: eight movements flowing without any fatigue, showing everybody that no definition is necessary when intelligence is involved. Massimo Ricci (Touching Extremes)

En duo avec Jorge Valente («"Self Eater And Drinker") au synthétiseur et à l'ordinateur, Ernesto Rodrigues utilise uniquement le violon (préparé ou non, dans une démarche qui doit beaucoup à John Cage). L'interaction des sonorités acoustiques et électriques brosse un tableau intrigant au sein duquel l'élément de surprise vient continuellement brouiller les séquences répétitives. Thierry Quénum (Jazz Magazine)

O CD que coloca finalmente em primeiro plano dois dos músicos nacionais que há mais tempo circulam nos meios da improvisação — Jorge Valente, por exemplo, pertenceu a uma das formações dos Plexus de Carlos Zíngaro, nos idos anos 70. José Ernesto Rodrigues participou recentemente em metade de "Projects", de Carlos Bechegas, lançado pela britânica Leo Lab. Rui Eduardo Paes (Jornal de Letras)

His duo from 1999 with Jorge Valente (synthesizer and computer) finds the pair (Rodrigues on violin, prepared violin, signal processor) in very scratchy, skittery mode on one piece, loopy and bloopy on another, spacy here, harsh there, less, as I hear it, expansive in exploration of areas than unfocussed. Within this, there's still a good measure of call and response, in solid efi fashion, less of a concern with the space. Now, to my ears, this makes things not so interesting, but especially at the time of its release, I could imagine it being door-opening to someone coming out of the (say) Wachsmann/Turner environment. Brian Olewnick (Just Outside)

This record predates the inception of Ernesto Rodrigues’ Creative Sources label. Back in 1999, Ernesto wasn’t even playing viola, but violin. Yet, his original take on free improvisation was already in full development. This studio session in duo with keyboardist/computer musician Jorge Valente features a single long-form improvisation split into eight sections. The violinist uses short and targeted noise-based sounds, while Valente adds electroacoustic treatments and synthesized sounds. More busy than the ultra-delicate improvisations Rodrigues will take part to later on, this record is nevertheless successful. And it offers an interesting window on a pivotal period in the evolution of a unique improviser. François Couture (Monsieur Délire)

On retrouve le même désir de diversité et de non-répétition dans «Self Eater and Drinker». Cage n’est pas loin, le violon déréglé s’étire, l’archet s’abat, la caisse de résonance du violon devient percussion à part entière. Il y a juste un petit peu plus d’austérité par rapport à «Multiples». Il y a le débit irraisonné des computers de Jorge Valente, les renversements arides d’Ernesto Rodrigues. Il y a en tout cas une personnalité émergeante singulière dont on attend les prochains enregistrements avec impatience. Merci boss! Luc Bouquet (Improjazz)

Terceira edição da etiqueta do Porto, este é o CD que coloca finalmente em primeiro plano dois dos músicos nacionais que há mais tempo circulam nos meios da improvisação - Jorge Valente, por exemplo, pertenceu a uma das formações dos Plexus de Carlos Zíngaro, nos idos anos 70. José Ernesto Rodrigues participou recentemente em metade de «Projects», de Carlos Bechegas, lançado pela britânica Leo Lab, mas tem aqui a «visibilidade» que lhe faltava. Musicalmente, reconhecem-se influências do pós-serialismo e das práticas mais convencionais daquilo que ficou conhecido como «live-electronics». Introspectiva, minimalista no sentido da economia dos materiais sonoros e das técnicas utilizadas (o violinista procura utilizar apenas certos motivos em cada tema, restringindo o seu âmbito de acção), esta suite em oito partes dedicada a Martin Kippenberger ouve-se com bastante agrado mas nunca surpreende nem tem grandes rasgos. Rui Eduardo Paes (Jornal de Letras)

Dos artistas que se mueven en mundos tan diversos no podían menos que aportar un cierto aire renovador ante el saturado y empalagoso mundo de la tecnología digital. Rogelio Pereira (Margen)

Due to courtesy of Ernesto, I obtained some very early, historical recordings of the family, distinguished by the fact that they are all in plastic CD boxes. "Self Eater and Drinker" is a duo of Ernesto with Jorge Valente: a wonderful example of totally new approach to electroacoustic music, yet firmly rooted in the Cagean tradition employing fragmented motifs and plenty of silences and pauses. The work consists of 7 parts "Part I-VII" and "Coda". It is dedicated to the memory of Martin Kippenberg. Kippenberg (1953-1997), following Wikipedia, was a German artist and sculptor known for his extremely prolific output in a wide range of styles and media, superfiction as well as his provocative, jocular and hard-drinking public persona. "Kippenberger was 'widely regarded as one of the most talented German artists of his generation, according to Roberta Smith of the New York Times. He was at the center of a generation of German enfants terribles including Albert Oehlen, Markus Oehlen, Werner Büttner, Georg Herold, Dieter Göls, and Günther Förg." Maciej Lewenstein