a r t i s t : Han Bennink Trio
t i t l e : Parken
d a t e : 2009
l a b e l : ILK Music
g e n r e : Jazz
r l s. d a t e : May/2010
t r a c k s : 09
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 70,5 MB
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One of the most iconic players from the European free-music
scene, Han Bennink's 50 plus year career has seen the Dutch
master drummer traverse through a multitude of musical
settings. Bennink's journey has embraced revolutionary,
avant-jazz recordings such as saxophonist Peter Brotzmann's
ferocious Machine Gun (FMP, 1968) and accompanying reed player
Eric Dolphy on his final recording, Last Date (Verve, 1964),
to providing the backbone of reed player Anthony Braxton's
revisionist project around saxophonist Charlie Parker and a
long and fruitful partnership with Dutch pianist Misha
Mengelberg.
Far from limiting himself to exclusively practicing his art
within the confines of the jazz world, some of Bennink's later
collaborations have included artists as disparate as anarchic
punks The Ex and an appearance on Spring Heel Jack's future
jazz/jungle experimentation Amassed (Thirsty Ear, 2002). In
each instance, Bennink has played with as much dazzling
technical ability as absurdist wit, from subtle percussive
colorations to evoking the sounds of an avalanche, and on
occasion using anything within grasp (or mostly not!); be it
his own shoe or a piece of discarded fruit. His ability to
flexibly integrate in each chosen musical setting has made him
a choice collaborator for literally hundreds of artists. And
it is this flexibility that is displayed on Parken,
surprisingly the drummer's first group-led outing, a trio
rounded out by pianist Simon Toldman and clarinettist Joachim
Badenhorst. Containing a mixture of traditional jazz ballads,
abstract improvisations and the occasional blast of free-jazz
carnage, Bennink's debut as leader is a diverse as his musical
background, offering a degree of accessibility arguably absent
on many recordings by the Bennink's contemporaries.
The majority of the improvised material on Parken is
characterised by a mood of curious introspection and, perhaps,
emotional detachment. Pieces such as "Music for Camping" and
"Reedeater," amongst others, clarify the group's ability to
really search out sound and travel through a broad range of
musical terrain, turning and shaping each tonal collection
with patience and delicacy. Toldman and Badenhorst are
emphatic collaborators, and Bennink leaves enough space for
both the young Europeans to shine, as each member of the trio
is given the opportunity to direct and shape the music with
varying subtlety and strength.
"Myckewelk," however, proves that Bennink has lost none of the
fire that made him one of the most requested percussionists in
the free music scene. This piece is volcanic, an all out
assault on the sensory: Bennink yelping in unison with snare
hits and cymbal smashes that destroy any of the contemplative
space heard elsewhere on the album. Toldman stabs at the keys
with varying degrees of aggression, forming tonal clusters as
sharp and cold as icicles as Badenhorst screams through his
clarinet with some of the most ferocious over-blowing heard
this side of Brotzmann. The group at various instances has the
ability to flare up some of the more inward looking aspects of
its collective sound, providing a tension that charges each
track on the album.
These examples show only one aspect of a multi-faceted record,
all of which are tactfully interspersed with the more song
based material. Duke Ellington's classic "Lady of Lavender
Mist," is played with obvious love; warm piano chords and a
gentle clarinet sketch are left to breath as Bennink dips in
and out of subtle cymbal work and a more forceful shuffle. The
title track is perhaps the most surprising piece on the album,
a melancholic piano dirge with achingly beautiful female
vocals tastefully framed by the trio with a hypnotic
repetition that lulls to its conclusion like a whispered
lullaby; it is a unique closer to a very interesting record.
Parken's combination of composition and abstraction is what
makes it such a rewarding listen. The juxtaposition of these
approaches, rather than cancelling each other out, strengthens
the impact of each track on the record. It is an album that
perfectly embodies its leader's multidisciplinary skills,
exhibited by his discography, and is played with restraint and
recklessness and an interaction that at points borders on
telepathy. A rewarding listen that is only encouraged by its
accessibility, and a valuable entry into this unique
musician's oeuvre.
Personnel: Han Bennink: drums, percussion; Simon Toldman:
piano; Joachim Badenhorst: clarinet, bass clarinet.
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01-Music For Camping [09:51]
02-Flemische March [04:20]
03-Lady Of The Lavender Mist [05:46]
04-Myckewelk [02:00]
05-Isfahan [06:20]
06-Readeater [06:44]
07-Fleurette Africaine [04:21]
08-After The March [05:23]
09-Parken [03:57]
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48:42 min