Heinz Geisser and Guerino Mazzola. Who? Seriously Though.

Why I am doing this review instead of working on my MUSIC JOURNAL reviews, which are due? The answer, for better or worse, is that like Tai Chi for some, Gapplegate blogging is part of my morning ritual, like my morning walk and cup(s) of coffee. Then comes the latter review work and guitar shop duties. The blog helps me clear my throat (my "written throat??")! The day flows into the other tasks set before me and I operate (one hopes) with an industrial-style mania and a clearly focused mind. That's the plan, anyway. And without a plan, all is hopeless. So let's begin.

You may ask yourself, "who are Heinz Geisser and Guerino Mazzola?" The Fats Waller retort, "If you don't know by now, honey. . . " doesn't work here. Fact is, Geisser is an all-over-the-place free drummer and Mazzola plays dense anti-aircraft flack piano reminiscent of Cecil Taylor. They have a number of CDs out on Cadence Jazz Records (which I have not checked out as yet). So it is not like they are an unknown quantity. Their Live at Airegin (Ayler Download) features the two in a smash-'em-up, break-'em-down first half of the recording. And that's well done.

Things get really interesting, though, on the second half of the recording, wherein they add vocalist Yuki Saga and electric guitarist Takayuki Kato. Saga has an unusual sort of sound effects voice, high pitched and expressive; Kato plays an out abstraction of multiple lines and noise-art effects. The four together construct a world of their own. It's fun and good humored. It's whacked. It's almost a happy music, almost funny, which many free improv pieces by other practitioners are not. That is refreshing. It's a good listen.

This is a download-only release that you can get over at ayler.com.