Label: MPS Records – 68.168
Format: Vinyl, LP / Country: Germany / Released: 1977
Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation
Recorded on 19. October 1975 live at the Donaueschingen Music Festival.
Producer, Recorded By [Recording Director] – Joachim Ernst Berendt
Photography – Wim Riemens
A1 - Ouverture 'La Plagiata' . . . 6:20
A2 – Streaming . . . 5:25
A3 - Luiermuziek . . . 4:48
A4 - Logical . . . 5:59
B1 - PLO-March . . . 5:10
B2 - Trauermusik Aus 'Keetje Tippel' . . . 5:38
B3 - Szenenwechsel-Musik Aus 'La Plagiata' . . . 6:18
B4 - Riette . . . 4:22
B5 - Nietzsche Aan Te Doen . . . 1:15
(Nichts Dran Zu Ändern / Aus: 'Anthologie')Willem Breuker: saxophones & clarinets
Bob Driessen: alto saxophone
Maarten van Norden: tenor saxophone
Ronald Snijders: flute
Boy Raaijmakers: trumpet
Willem van Manen: trombone
Bernhard Hunnekink: trombone
Jan Wolff: French horn
Leo Cuypers: piano
Arjen Gorter: double bass
Rob Verdurmen: drums
Many of the pioneers of "free music" are from the Netherlands. In 1966, pianist Misha Mengelberg founds eg whole avant-garde, the ICP Orchestra with Willem Breuker will be part at the beginning. Eight years later, in 1974, he founded his own ensemble, the "Willem Breuker Kollektief." Dutch clarinetist and an important contribution to the development of European jazz is beginning to stand out from the all-powerful American model. Gradually, the old continent jazzmen discover their own identity.
Two aspects in particular distinguish the Willem Breuker Kollektief of others-seem: a subversive humor rooted in the second component of its policy clear music-ment, namely a true critique of society. Willem Breuker and reconnect all in this with the compositions of Hanns Eisler apparently popular, but careful listening reveals a true complexity. Not to mention "Parade" Erik Satie whose diverse building styles inspired probably the model for the musical concept of Willem Breuker. Pop music and circus music is also obvious references, although shaken by the Kollektief who had eleven members in its infancy, they take almost anarchic accents.
The sharp Kollektief of concerts, with real set in the 70s in particular theatricality is definitely political street theater in vogue at that time and many works that Willem Breuker then composes for film and theater. However, behind the wild arrangements changing at breakneck speed behind the musical satire often tinged with sarcasm styles, pierces through a bitter seriousness Kollektief which denounces social inequities. His trilogy ("Hunger", "Thirst" and "Misery") is a prime example. Willem Breuker and his musicians will meet the white circus clowns, characters sad white makeup enhanced with a tear.
This very serious game with art declined to infinity hide an enigmatic humor, Willem Breuker Kollektief has practiced at the Donaueschingen Music Festival Concert in 1975 published later under the ambitious title "The European Scene "and met-known musicians such Maarten van Norden (saxophone), Boy Raaymakers (trumpet), Willem van Maanen (trombone), Leo Cuypers (piano), Arjen Gorter (bass) and Rob Verdurmen (drums). All have remained loyal for decades to Willem Breuker. During this concert ovation, deliberate mix of satirical entertainment and seriousness, it followed its "PLO March "music to the civil war in Lebanon answer a moving musi-that funeral. Between these contrasts, as a link in some way, Willem Breuker weaves excerpts from the music of burlesque drama "The plagiata" which plays an essential role also in other legendary concert at the Festival Kollektief Total Music Meeting in 1975 Berlin. Prokofiev and Shostakovich at home in the classical record, the works of Willem Breuker leave a furious burst laughing with the emergency fail reason. _ (Text: Reinhard Kager)
Label: BV Haast Records – BVHAAST 008, FMP – SAJ-06
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Germany / Released: 1976
Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation
Recorded live during the "Total Music Meeting" at the Quartier Latin, Berlin, November 5th, 1975.
Composed By – Willem Breuker (tracks: A1 to B3)
Track B4 Composed By – Bob Hilliard
Recorded By, Design [Cover Design] – Jost Gebers
"An album that's essential to a full understanding of Breuker's music."
A1 - Introduction / Oratorium (from 'La Plagiata') . . . 19:35
A2 - Jan De Wit (from 'La Plagiata') . . . 8:24
B1 - Jalousie-Song (from 'La Plagiata') . . . 5:56
B2 - Jail-Music (from 'La Plagiata') . . . 9:57
B3 - Remeeting (from 'Anthology') . . . 7:25
B4 - Our Day Will Come . . . 5:14
Ronald Snijders: flute
Boy Raaijmakers: trumpet
Willem van Manen: trombone
Bernhard Hunnekink: trombone
Jan Wolff: French horn
Leo Cuypers: piano
Arjen Gorter: double bass
Rob Verdurmen: drums
Willem Breuker: saxophones & clarinets
Bob Driessen: alto saxophone
Maarten van Norden: tenor saxophone
"It’s excellent, this sort of free association jazz. Much here is extremely humorous and plucky and a bit maniacal – but a tremendous joy."
Recorded about a month after their BASF release The European Scene, Live in Berlin is almost as fine an example of their earliest roots. The basic elements are all here, from the shameless purloining of themes from all conceivable genres (especially those not normally associated with the avant-garde) and their conflation with free jazz soloing to the revitalization of schmaltzy pop standards. There's still a certain roughness to the arrangements and performance, but Breuker's determination to set himself apart from the European free jazz scene as represented by the work of musicians with whom he collaborated early on, like Peter Brötzmann and Evan Parker, is very clear. As they and others moved more and more into abstract and non-idiomatic improvisation, Breuker attempted to balance those ideas with a structure that relied on song forms (especially those of composers like Kurt Weill) and the more classically influenced compositions of musicians like Carla Bley. He also insisted on the injection of large doses of humor, an anathema to most of his contemporaries. The Kollektief's spirited rendition of "Our Day Will Come" shows how successful this approach can be, and the album as a whole makes a good case for Breuker's stance. There is a somewhat muted recording quality here and, of the two earliest examples of this band, one would have to give the nod to the BASF release for musical and audio quality, but both are essential to a full understanding of Breuker's music.
_ By BRIAN OLEWNICK
If you find it, buy this albums!