Ignaz Schick is a German, Berlin-based sound artist, composer, concept and visual artist who plays turntables and live electronics but in his youth, he studied the saxophone and performed in free jazz and avant-rock bands.
Ensemble A features Schick on turntables and sampler, Belgian, Berlin-based hyper-pianist-educator Anaïs Tuerlinckx (who plays in the Toggle trio with sound artist Andrea Ermke and percussionist-electronics player Burkhard Beins, and in a duo with vocal artist Delphine Dora) and German, Cologne-based bass clarinetist and soprano sax player-educator Joachim Zoepf. Schick, Tuerlinckx and Zoepf have developed idiosyncratic languages by experimenting with extended techniques, unique set-ups, and sound art. The debut album of this electro-acoustic trio features two extended pieces, recorded live at Dock4 in Kassel and at the Loft in Cologne in May 2023, a year after this trio began working, with no overdubs or editing..
The title of Zoepf’s opening piece, «Electroacoustic Kaleidoscope» captures faithfully the atmosphere of this piece. It is an enigmatic, minimalist texture that highlights the imaginative and risk-taking, almost tangible approach of this trio, flirting with noise and otherworldly sounds, but often gravitates into lyricism, especially when Zoepf picks the bass clarinet, and never surrenders to familiar courses. Schick’s «Turntableturn» intensifies the commotion through surprising, hyperactive rhythmic and noisy collisions, This piece offers a wild and tense ride that stresses furthermore the subversive, imaginative languages of Schick, Tuerlinckx and Zoepf.
The Cliffhanger Sessions feature a new acoustic trio of Schick, who plays the alto and baritone saxes, German drummer Oliver Steidle (of Klima Kalima trio and the leader of Oli Steidle & the Killing Popes), who plays with Schick in the duo ILOG that already released three albums, and Norwegian double bass hero Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten, who also plays in a duo with Schick but this duo has not released an album yet. The two sessions were recorded at Ausland Berlin in April 2023, and released through Schick’s label, Zarek [Online Release Archive].
Schick says that this trio took a long birth phase, but was a logical step and basically came out of juggling the possibilities and attempts of combining the effort of two high-energy noise plus the electro-acoustic duos, and going back to the roots – free jazz and free improvisation. Steidle and Håker-Flaten are the perfect partners for such a noble mission. Both Steidle and Håker-Flaten are experienced composers, prolific improvisers and bandleaders, energetic and rhythmic, and know how to sketch and develop a melody and are not shy of risk-taking. The four untitled, extended pieces give them plenty of opportunities to dive into the art of cliffhanging or the art of the moment. They let these high-octane free improvise pieces breathe and unfold organically with their own accord, visit iconic free jazz territories and enjoy generous doses of soulful lyricism and cosmic grooves, through deep listening and emphatic, conversational dynamics. This trio sounds and feels like it has been working for many years, finding and cultivating beautifully its deep roots.
Eyal Hareuveni
Ignaz Schick (turntable, sampler, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone), Anaïs Tuerlinckx (prepared piano), Joachim Zoepf (bass clarinet, soprano saxophone), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (double bass), Oliver Steidle (drums, percussion)
