The mini-disc «Hot Ass / Beauty Legs» documents a scaled-down version of German reeds titan Peter Brötzmann’s Big Bad outfit and a duo of British double bass player John Edwards with fellow double bass player John Eckhardt, both play in the Big Bad Brötzmann Quintet. The album with the clearly not politically correct title (and Brötzmann already called his early albums by the titles «Nipples» and «Balls») was recorded at naTo in Leipzig in December 2019, on the same night that Big Bad Brötzmann Quintet recorded «Bambule!» (Euphorium, 2021).

The 15-minute «Hot Ass» is, as expected, an explosive and intense piece, highlighting the wisdom and uncompromising power and stamina of Brötzmann with the like-minded, powerful young comrades, pianist Oliver Schwerdt, who runs Euphorium Records (and formerly known by one of his many alias names, Elan Pauer) and prolific drummer Christian Lillinger. Schwerdt and Lillinger keep feeding the fiery dynamics with raw and urgent masculine energy, even when  Brötzmann insists on sketching a soulful, emotional melody.

The 9-minute «Beauty Legs (From The Inner Side Of Shorter Panties)» captures the first-ever duo performance of the two Johns (Edwards collaborates regularly with Brötzmann in the last decade. Eckhardt joined the circle of the all-time hero only in 2017). The atmosphere here is more conversational but pushes the sonic spectrum of the dark, deep tones of the double basses to its outer limits with an array of extended bowing techniques, but with a strong sense of eccentric playfulness and invention.

Eyal Hareuveni

Peter Brötzmann (ts, tarogato), Oliver Schwerdt (p, perc, little instruments), Christian Lillinger (dr, cymbals, perc), John Edwards (b), John Eckhardt (b)

Big Bad Brötzmann Trio – Hot Ass (Prelude To An End Of A Dance On Power Strip Or Sun Ship Blaze For Teenie Residents) from EUPHORIUM Films on Vimeo.

John Edwards & John Eckhardt – Beauty Legs (From The Inner Side Of Shorter Panties) from EUPHORIUM Films on Vimeo.