25 September 2010

FREE JAZZ GROUP WIESBADEN "FRICTIONS" & DIETER SCHERF QUARTET "INTERACTION" (FLAC)

Before posting more from Herbert Joos I'd like to share two lps from and
with Dieter Scherf.
The Free Jazz Group Wiesbaden were
a collaborative combo from Michael Sell, Scherf, König and Schlick.
Sell studied politics and chemistry and
Scherf was an engineer.
Sell and Scherf provided the thematic
material for this group which lasted from 1969 to 1972.
But especially the guitarist König provides an original voice to the proceedings. Playing virtual multifunctional with a distinct
sensibility for sound and great imagination.
FJGW disbanded 1973. Scherf continued for a while mainly in a trio with Paul Lovens and Jacek Bednarek.

(The music from this trio was reissued on Atavistic : http://www.atavistic.com/catalog.php?cs=2&at=1 . Buy it! You won't be disappointed.)

Later Scherf devoted himself more and more to his profession as engineer.
Michael Sell should become one of the more distinguished composers of european Jazz Avantgarde. Although his affinity to Jazz was questioned not only by himself. Wether this is correct we can hear by ourselves during the next weeks. (I plan to share some recordings under Sell's name as well). Today he does not play trumpet anymore.

Dieter Scherf has, to my knowledge, forsaken music. (Update 2014 - he continued to play piano albeit in a more mainstream setting) What became of König and Schlick I do not know. About the lp "Interaction" I assume that it is one of his last projects. I got it as a gift without any information.

Literature about these musicians is sparse and mostly out of print. But I would like to mention at least one book. "Europas Jazz 1960 - 80" from Ekkehard Jost (a sax player alike) is the "bible" of european Free Jazz. Sadly it is only in German.


Through this book I became aware that there is a distinct european Jazz scene.


22 comments:

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Hi kinabalu,
thanks again for this great opportunity!
I have one question concerning the column "labels".
Have i forgotten something or why are my posts not visible in the listing?
However, I hope you enjoy the music as well!
All the best

Damon Smith said...

Fantastic! Thanks for these! Can you give a personel listing with instruments? You are right about the Scherf trio, it is incredible!

kinabalu said...

onxidlib,

when you make a new post or edit an old one, there's a little text box at the bottom that says "labels for this post." Enter whatever you find suitable and it will be listed in the labels column.

Splendid posts, by the way. Keep 'em coming!

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Hi Damon,
there is a setup list in the rar.
If there really none included I will post it here.
Maybe you remember me - 'bout two years ago I bought some CDs from your label for a shop in Munich. We also shared some Kowald. The movie with Brötzmann and Romano, where this other german sax player got so upset that he played some shit on the piano. I think he tried to mimic C.Taylor. Brötzmann remained really cool.

Hallo kinabalu,
thank you for the hint.
I'll try to post on Sunday at least one Fourmenonly (successor of MJQK).

Anonymous said...

As far as I know Scherf did not entirely drop making music. I heard he switched to piano, plays in a more traditional style (I was told sort of monkish?), apparently had or has contact with local jazz musicians, but it's possible his more recent musical activities have remained entirely private.

I hope I'm not telling stuff which is wrong :o)... it's all second hand information!

Anonymous said...

A Million of thanks....
Thank for this post....
thil lp is very very beautifoul rare and expensive....

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Anonymous said...

As far as I know Scherf did not entirely drop making music.

Thanks for your comment.
I think mostly infos about musicians who "retired" is hearsay.
That's even true if they are still active. But we do not like 'em because of such "stories" but we like/love the music.
And that is perfectly all right.
I assume they started (at least most of them) for the love of music.
But off course I am also interested in "gossip".
In the end it is a part of the social surroundings which in the case of Free Jazz/Impro is fittingly more true than in other styles of music.
And it's not a question of style!
I remember a quotation from "Cannonball" Adderley which goes approximately :<"Cool" is not a state of mind but a matter of fact>
Maybe it has not too much to do with what I'm writing and I'm really not cool myself - but it seems a good starting point.
At least casually.

Nuage fiché qui rêve said...

Vielen dank, Onxidlib !
In the Interaction lp, I particularly like the dreamy atmosphere of the bass clarinet-led "Just sounds" ; also "Folk rock" and again the gorgeous sounds of this instrument.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Hi Frédito,

these parts are also favourites of mine.
I'm glad that you and you all appreciate these posts.

By the way - Bouviers book you mention on your profile is also one of my dearest books (category:travelling literature) - but I read it in german. My french is not advanced enough.

More music will follow during the next ten days.

Nuage fiché qui rêve said...

Hi Onxidlib,
Ah, nice to meet someone with tastes in common (both in music, which is not so surprising here, and in books)
The last two days saw me "travelling" in a fox-hole in the company of Kafka. An often nightmarish trip. Well, i'm not very fond of the few books I read from him.
I would gladly read the Bouvier book again, it's been some time now.

Looking forward to your next posts ! (I've been listening to the Position 2000 album, but I need more listens to leave impressions. The first track is strong, I would say)

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Solomon said...

Thank you.

Colin Green said...

I wonder if the link to Interaction is correct, as Fischier keeps telling me that the page can't be displayed when I try to download.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Hi Colin - I tried it and it worked.

Colin Green said...

Tried again, but still no joy. Only time this has happened, so I'll just put it down to experience and some incomprehensible glitch.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Colin - I will do a re-up to another hoster (Zippy) soon.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Colin Green said...

That's marvellous - worked no problem. Thanks very much. All your good work is much appreciated.

El jardinero de Cantabria said...

Please, it would be possible for someone to upload this compilation of two albums from the band Free Jazz Group Wiesbaden, thanks in advance.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

No re-up for these two albums..
Free Jazz Group Wiesbaden is currently available on CD > https://www.discogs.com/Free-Jazz-Group-Wiesbaden-Frictions-Frictions-Now/release/7527696
And for Interaction there's a plan for a reissue.

mike said...

Hi Ernst, can we get an update on the Interaction re-issue? Seems like it's taking a while.