By Sammy Stein
Ivo Perelman’s Sao Paulo Creative 4 comprises Perelman on tenor sax, Livio
Tragtenberg on bass clarinet and alto saxophone, Rogerio Costa on soprano
and alto saxophone, and Manu Falleiros on soprano and baritone saxophone.
These four musicians come from varied backgrounds and training. Perelman’s
classical, multi-instrumental beginnings, to his fixation on the tenor
saxophone, his study at Berklee, his self-tutelage in different art forms,
and his development of eclectic music that has seen him become one of
today’s most powerful improvisers. Tragtenberg’s experience includes opera
and orchestral projects alongside a career as an author, while Costa’s
compositions for others have received praise, as have his recordings with
Brazilian group Aquilo Del Nisso and his research projects. Falleiros’
experience includes participation in many musical projects, including
festivals, and his role as a coordinator of projects researching the
relationship between art and sound.
Each musician has an individual approach to playing and music
interpretation. Put them all into a studio in Brazil and see what happens
seemed to be Perelman’s idea. The result was something unique.
From the opening track, the differing musical influences and playing styles
become apparent, yet, as the track develops there is a settling,
engagement, and communication that draws the listener in. This album feels
different from Perelman’s previous work – even Perelman seems different
here as he responds to the different participants.
‘White Dwarf’ features fugal entries from the bass clarinet, and saxophones
before the conversation begins in earnest with sections that vary in style
like mini movements. There are sections of staccato chords, a searing
altissimo rendition, and harmonics encompassing nearly six octaves. Raspy
reeds combine with subtle, flowing melodic transitions to create a
beautiful cohesion of sound that never loses its grounding.
In ‘Black Hole’ different harmonics are explored and extended phrasing
loops around to unite the interspersed classical derived intonations, in
some places sounding like the prelude to an oratorio work before the
expected notation is changed and there is a reminder these are improvising
musicians of the highest calibre as the music veers into exquisitely
wayward deviations.’ ‘Planetary Nebula’ is intricate and quirky while in
‘Black Dwarf’ there is a sense of falling away, feeling ungrounded as the
musicians reel down the scales and up again, creating true sound waves and
ripples that meet, collide, then veer off into mini orbits while remaining
connected to the main theme and chordal lines.
‘Blue Supergiant Star’ has a controlled energy with a slight sense of
menace provided by the bass clarinet. The saxophones spin around the
grounding throaty notes, the lines interlinking and entwining. ’Brown
Dwarf’ is lighter, and features varied rhythms while the final track, ‘Dark
Matter’ features off-kilter harmonics and powerful lines from each
musician.
There is room for all four musicians to sparkle and shine on this recording
– like stars they find their paths across a universe of sound, united by
the journey each is on, relishing the chance to come together, at times
colliding to produce the explosions and energy burst expected of the title.
Even silences, like the short sudden dropping away on ‘Planetary Nebula,’
have meaning, and subtleties like the parping on ‘Black Dwarf’ provide a
connection between the instruments when created around the prevailing theme.
Despite being improvised music, there is, as is usual in Perelman’s music,
a connection between nearly every line, and the themes and musical ideas
are rarely lost. What happens on Supernova is that the ideas are shared,
listened to, and developed not as individuals but as a collective. It is
this that provides the cohesion of this recording.
‘The Sao Paolo Creative 4 emits a spark, of musical creation in its purest
state and that reaches us through powerful rhythmic and creative waves
where our imagination is allowed to fly’ So say the PR notes developed by
Tragtenberg and supplied with the music to reviewers and I would agree with
this. I would also wonder how the simple act of breathing done by four
musicians on instruments familiar to most, can create such diverse sounds.
Any theme with strong connectivity could have explained how the music and
musicians are connected but Supernova is the perfect title because these
are four musicians, each on separate journeys and different trajectories
who come together through the force that is Perelman’s imagination and
explode into life and a release of energy, noise, and colour – a music
encounter of the Supernova kind.