Arranged and conducted by
Mats Gustafsson,
Fire! Orchestra present a new reading of
Krzysztof Penderecki's
Actions for Free Jazz Orchestra. The work's 1971 debut was performed by
Don Cherry's
New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra. Assembled by the trumpeter (who did not perform) it was conducted by its composer. The original orchestra consisted of 14 musicians: among them
Kenny Wheeler,
Peter Broetzmann,
Thomasz Stanko,
Terje Rypdal, and
Han Bennink.
Penderecki had heard the
Globe Unity Orchestra a few years previously and was enthralled with the possibilities of working with musicians whose backgrounds and cultural perspectives differed from those in the classical world.
Fire! Orchestra's recording on
Rune Grammofon is the only known interpretation of
Penderecki's work. The chief creative challenge was to apply correct balance between composition and improvisation.
Gustafsson and
Fire! Orchestra place this classic piece in a new contemporary setting, with a bigger ensemble and a new sonic approach.
Gustafsson's performance score is graphically visualized by
Kim Hiorthoy's adaption on the sleeve. The assembled players here include three saxophones, three trumpets, tuba, trombone, flute, bass clarinet, Hammond B-3 organ, drums (
Andreas Werliin), guitar (
Reine Fiske), and two bassists in
Torbjorn Zetterberg (electric) and
Elsa Bergman (upright). The instrumentation is almost identical to the 1971 group's, though a tuba replaces one of the trombones and
Celine Grangey's innovative live sound mix. The lone composition is 41-minutes long, lengthier almost by half than its predecessor.
Fire! Orchestra's lineup is unique here: Founding members/singers
Mariam Wallentin and
Sofia Jernberg are absent for the first time, while the ubiquitous
Fiske makes his debut appearance with
Fire! Gustafsson's use of
Penderecki's motifs and themes are parceled out, elongated in most cases, and set in expansive harmonies. The charts weave (seemingly alchemically) elements of blues, film music, progressive big-band jazz, ceremonial music, and improvisation. Sections will play elongated lines together as various players drop out or are added by improvising along. Dynamics are stretched to their limits and time becomes elastic while the band's expression remains remarkably tonal -- even in very dissonant sections -- with a remarkable awareness of rhythmic pulse.
Actions changes constantly. The first half favors the ensemble over soloists, playing set lines, with adornments and symmetrical exchanges along the work's spine. At the halfway point,
Penderecki's love of serial music is woven through
Gustafsson's presentation as brass and reeds explore the higher registers of their instruments in harmonies and drones before the individuals develop their own improv statements dynamically. The interplay of the two bassists creates a baseline for the organ and horn to encounter one another, at first warily and then in aggressive exchange. As it moves to a close, individual statements become more frantic, but are more tightly controlled within the piece itself. Layers upon layers of alternating scales from the horns follow this trajectory until the guitar erupts in fractured chords and vamps, shepherding the brass and reeds into a series of spacious and energetic cacophonies.
Actions is essential, bracing, modern orchestral jazz. ~ Thom Jurek
![Porgy and Bess [Mono LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0887654075710_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Porgy and Bess [Mono LP]")
