The fourth album of the trio Disorder at the Border (giving Coleman Hawkins’ live album from 1952 by the same title, Spotlite, 1973, a prophetic, relevant meaning) – Italian reeds player Daniele D’Agaro and double bass player Giovanni Maier with Slovenian drummer-percussionist Zlatko Kaucić – was recorded live, like the previous albums of this trio. But now the trio added a distinguished guest – British, Amsterdam-based reeds player Tobias Delius, who joined the trio performance at BCMF in Šmartno in Slovenia in September 2017.

These four musicians are masters of free improvisation who crossed paths before at different places and times. Kataklisma was inspired by Homer’s canonical epic poem «The Oddysey» about the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the fall of Troy. Like Odysseus, these four musicians travel with their free improvisations into uncharted and adventurous situations with a narrative approach, knowing that the sonic journey, the long, musical stream of consciousness is as important as the destination.

The dynamics of this quartet are conversational, as D’Agaro, Maier, Kaucić and Delius share their personal insights and perspectives from past journeys and keep feeding the others with their free improvised experiences. The quartet patiently sketches their own, common lyrical narrative in the 40 minutes of the opening piece «The Šmartno  Oddysey», which accumulates more playful subtleties and nuances but also focused eruptions of fiery, catalytic power. The following, shorter pieces – «Calls From Ithaca» and the title piece – condense these lively conversations into tight and energetic packs, while the reserved and melancholic «Polyphemus», led by Maier, demonstrates the delicate, poetic qualities of this meeting.

Eyal Hareuveni

Tobias Delius (ts, cl), Daniele D’Agaro (s, cl), Giovanni Maier (b), Zlatko Kaučič (d, perc)