Lithos cs526

Although it was released only after some other collaboration albums between Ernesto Rodrigues & Vasco Trilla (among a varied cast), Lithos both predates some of those already discussed, and presents a seemingly different dimension of "natural" inspiration. The most similar ensemble was that on the prior quintet Nepenthes hibrida (recorded in December 2016, discussed here June 2017), with its evocation of flora (& perhaps fauna, given the intoxicative hybridity suggested) — there employing (frequent Trilla collaborator) Yedo Gibson on sax & Miguel Mira on cello. There was a "lushness" to that album that differs considerably from the "rocky" starkness of Lithos, however, on which the trio of Ernesto Rodrigues, Luis Lopes & Vasco Trilla are joined this time by Bruno Parrinha on bass clarinet & Guilherme Rodrigues on cello. (I see I had not mentioned Parrinha previously, but he appears in a number of similar contexts, including on Clean Feed.) Both Blattwerk & Zweige, recorded on consecutive days in February, also suggested floral inspirations, and these two albums were actually only recorded three & four days respectively after Lithos (also in Lisbon). Indeed, my first comments on any of these albums were on Nepenthes hibrida & Blattwerk, only in June 2017, i.e. after Lithos was recorded. (The shorter Synchronous Rotation, featuring Trilla with a string trio led by Rodrigues was recorded only in November 2017, and discussed here in March. In that case, one might broadly claim "geometry" as the inspiration, as with some other Rodrigues albums.) One might compare the "breathy rocks" — maybe also retaining some dampness? — to those on Sediment by the Carlo Costa Quartet (or indeed to those evoked by Costa's Earth Tongues, which appears to be an ongoing trio formation), first discussed here in March 2015. In this, Lithos has a rather consistent & austere feel, perhaps paving the way for more of these percussion & string-based explorations. (Actual stone-based percussion does not appear to be at stake here.) The clarinet does continue to inject an element of wind or breath that animates the quiet & jagged (& often rather contrapuntal) textures articulated by the strings, though. One might thus compare to another Sediment "followup," Ramble (& its sometimes deeper rumble). 25 June 2018. Todd McComb's Jazz Thoughts

"{Lithos}" comes from the same February sessions in Namouche Studio in Lisbon. Rodrigues brothers are joined here by Bruno Parrihna on bass clarinet and Luis Lopes on electric guitar. The music is similar, yet quite distinct. There is less strings, but more of the other melodic instruments. Vasco is quiet and discrete, but as essential as on the "Zweige" album. The music is very peaceful and imaginative. Bass clarinet starts by making short, quiet phrases, but soon becomes more expressive. Similarly, the guitar. Still, even though each voice can be heard separately, the whole album, containing 5 tracks, is a perfect example of a truly great collective improvisation, in which everybody listens to everybody and tries to respond adequately. My favorite is the closing track No. 5, in which Vasco sounds like a violin, and Luis like delicate drums. Maciej Lewenstein

Przebieg wydarze?/ wra?enia subiektywne:

Lithos I. Szmer strun, klarnet basowy na wdechu, koj?cy szelest ciszy. Ma?e d?wi?ki, filigranowe ekspozycje, perkusjonalia, które zdaj? si? by? jedn? wielk? strun?. Swobodna improwizacja w estetyce minimalistycznej – kategoria: klasyka gatunku. Trilla pie?ci kraw?d? werbla, wokó? smuga wyciszonych dzwonków. Narracja delikatna jak puch.

Lithos II. Wi?cej ruchu powietrza, szumu, fragmentów d?wi?ków, które mo?na zaliczy? do kategorii sustained, czy trwaj?cych. Zaniechanie, kreatywna nie?pieszno??, strach przed gwa?towno?ci?, igraszki na progu ciszy. Klimat grozy i poka?nej tajemniczo?ci. Struny j?cz? z zachwytu, klarnet dmie do wewn?trz, nie do ko?ca rozpoznawalne atrybuty fonii ze strony percussion – dzwonki, mikro gongi. Gdy dronowe ekspozycje ustaj?, do gry wchodz?, raczej wczo?guj? si? strunowce. Intryguj?ca akustyka chwili. Skrobanie i szarpanie strun, to etap kolejny. Zasada – lepiej mniej ni? wi?cej – ?wi?ci tryumfy. Po 10 minucie, na nied?ugi moment, nieco wi?cej aktywno?ci ze strony ka?dego z muzyków, ale nie wbrew obowi?zuj?cej konwencji nagrania.

Lithos III. Dr?enie instrumentarium Trilli, mo?e i tak?e jego samego. Szum w tubie, troch? ma?ego pr?du z gitary, suche struny. Kilka nowych d?wi?ków od Lopesa, skromne pizzicato na strunach wiolonczeli i altówki. Kilka gar?ci dobrego rezonansu, zapewne wprost spod d?oni Trilli, jako efekt uboczny pracy na kraw?dzi werbla, tak?e na jego dnie. Wiolonczela rusza z niskimi pasa?ami, altówka wtóruje jej w wysokim pa?mie. Perfectly Acoustic!

Lithos IV. Kind of sustained, delikatnie zmutowane wielod?wi?ki, rodz?ce si? na wystudzonych strunach. Klarnet bardziej w konwencji smooth. To jego fragment, jest aktywny i ci?gnie ensemble za sob?. Cisza i skupienie skwiercz? niemal bezd?wi?cznie. Ciekawa palcówka na altówce. Metaliczno?? Lopesa, tak?e odrobina ekspozycji w stylistyce call & response. Akcje, reakcje, ciep?e spoiwa ciszy.

Lithos V. Ci?g dalszy mikrodialogów. By? mo?e przyda?oby si? wi?cej zda? wspó?rz?dnie z?o?onych. Dominacja strunowców, spokój klarnetu, kamienna powaga perkusjonalii. Ale s?, czu? ich zapach. Samych d?wi?ków jednak niezbyt wiele. Kilka chwil dobrej fonii z gitary. Tu? potem zej?cie na sam próg ciszy i rozpoczynanie narracji do pocz?tku. Nowe szmery na strunach. Uroda pojedynczych d?wi?ków nie zast?pi jednak warto?ciowej dramaturgii. Nagranie zdaje si? by? zbyt d?ugie. Recenzent wylicza, ?e to ju? pi?ta p?yta Vasco Trilli z instrumentami strunowymi w ci?gu ostatnich dwóch lat. Najd?u?sza i najspokojniejsza. Minimalizm wyniesiony na o?tarze bez alternatywy dla tocz?cych si? wydarze?. Ostatnia prosta – wi?cej d?wi?ków, szczypta bystrych interakcji, mo?e troch? dla uspokojenia sumienia, wszak lepiej pó?no i wcale. Tu? potem najbardziej dla tej sesji charakterystyczny d?wi?k - szum bia?ej ciszy. Spontaneous Music Tribune (Andrzej Nowak)

It is impossible to follow all the releases of viola player and Portuguese Creative Sources label head, Ernesto Rodrigues. If you follow his Bandcamp page you may get the impression that he releases two or three albums every week. And, indeed, he already released 26 albums after Lithos was released earlier this year.

Lithos, after the Greek word for stone, is another free-improvised meeting conducted by Rodrigues, in a studio in Lisbon on February 2017. This session features cellist Guilherme Rodrigues, bass clarinet player Bruno Parrinha, Lopes on electric guitar, and percussionist Vasco Trilla, all of them frequent collaborators of Ernesto Rodrigues. Lopes and Trilla recorded with Ernesto Rodrigues in another improvised quintet the album Nepenthes hibrida (Creative Sources, 2017).

These five improvisers do sound as if all were sculpting and polishing a huge sonic stone, patiently and methodically, first by applying delicate, extended bowing and breathing techniques and modest effects. Later, the quintet adds more tension and thorny methods to its disciplined interplay and the austere atmosphere of their mutual work, but keeping it quiet and reserved. As if to state that delicate, almost silent vibrations may penetrate even the toughest stone. Eyal Hareuveni (The Free Jazz Collective)

O português Creative Sources é um dos selos mais ativos do free no século XXI e desvendar seu catálogo  significa conhecer uma parte relevante do que vem sendo realizado em Portugal e arredores por esses tempos. Focado na free improvisation, o selo foi criado pelo violinista Ernesto Rodrigues em 1999 e não apenas distribui seus projetos, mas o de outros tantos artistas inventivos da região – e o melhor: os álbuns ainda são editados em formato físico. Este { Lithos } reúne um quinteto de nomes bem conhecidos por aqueles que acompanham a produção portuguesa. Ao lado de Ernesto Rodrigues estão Luís Lopes (guitarra), Guilherme Rodrigues (violoncelo), Bruno Parrinha (clarinete baixo) e o espanhol Vasco Trilla (percussão). O álbum foi gravado em 24 de fevereiro de 2017, no sempre presente Namouche Studios (Lisboa) e traz cinco temas (I, II, III...). A música aqui apresentada representa bem o perfil do selo, com improvisação livre detalhista, com intervenções por vezes pontilhistas que se desenvolvem sem arroubos, sem fúria, em uma tateante exploração de caminhos improvisatórios coletivos. Música para ser ouvida com calma e atenção. Fabricio Vieira (Free Form, Free Jazz)

Recording in the studio in Lisbon, Portugal, the free improvising lowercase/subtle momentum quintet of Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello, Bruno Parrinha on bass clarinet, Luis Lopes on electric guitar, and Vasco Trilla on percussion, demonstrate intense control and remarkable concentration through the five parts of "{ Lithos }". (Squidco)