German, Berlin-based alto sax player Anna Kaluza (a former student of Frank Gratkowski, and member of London and Berlin Imoproviser Orchestras) and prolific double bass player Jan Roder (who has played with such heavyweights as Alexander von Schlippenbach  and Peter Brötzmann, and many more) first met in 2004 when they started playing together in different combinations like the still active Kaluza Quartett (with trombonist Christof Thewes and drummer Kay Lübke), or the trios with pianist Niko Meinhold or with drummer Michael Griener and many others. In 2020 they played their first duo concert in the art gallery Hosek Contemporary located on a boat in Berlin and decided to continue with their work as a duo. In September 2020, Kaluza and Roder went to Christian Betz’ studio in Friedrichshain, Berlin, to record «Am Frankfurter Tor».

The ten pieces of «Am Frankfurter Tor» are free improvised, and flow organically, bursting with natural energy, great intensity and urgency, as if Kaluza and Roder waited long enough for this opportunity to materialize. And, obviously, you can sense the deep intimate rapport between two highly experienced improvisers. Kaluza and Roder manage to sketch instantaneous and melodic compositions throughout these dramatic, fast and tight improvisations like on «vier» or the restless ballad «fünf». Their interplay often references post-bop and free jazz and becomes more intense, raw, and wild when Roder picks up the bow on «sechs».

Eyal Hareuveni  

Anna Kaluza (as), Jan Roder (b)