Swiss sax player Christoph Gallio, double bass player Dominique Girod and drummer Dieter Ulrich comprised the one of first incarnations of the avant-jazz trio Day & Taxi already in the late nineties. Gallio, a disciple of Steve Lacy, continues to lead this trio, now with double bass player Silvan Jeger and master drummer-percussionist Gerry Hemingway. Gallio, Girod and Ulrich continued to collaborate in different projects and formats and in 2008 founded a twin trio to Day & Taxi, Day & Bus, that recorded its debut live album «Places» (Ayler, 2008), as what was thought to be «a one-time concert, for fun and old times sake».

Gallio, Girod Ulrich know each other inside out and the one self-titled, 32:32-minute free improvisation proves that this trio still makes lots of fun. Or as Ulrich described the trio’s dynamics already after recording «Places»: «No new wine in old bottles; rather old wine that has matured, nonetheless tasting new…». The sophomore album of Day & Bus was recorded live as part of the series «Life At The Zoo» at Studio the Zoo in Berne in May 2021.

The interplay of the trio is totally free, restless but organic, risk-taking and attentive. The extended improvisation moves back and forth between adventurous, raw sonic searches to fiery and brutal free jazz eruptions with winks to instant, touching themes of post-bop jazz, all spiced with an eccentric sense of humor. When Gallio, Girod & Ulrich find the right dynamics they become an unstoppable, explosive unit, determined to blow out the Berne’s studio with powerful, positive vibrations.

Eyal Hareuveni

Christoph Gallio (ss. As. C-melody s), Dominique Girod (b), Dieter Ulrich (dr, bugle)