Der Mann im Fahrstuhl (The Man in the Elevator)

by Heiner Mueller, Guenter Mueller, Heiner Goebbels

Overview

Using the texts of playwright Heiner Muller and collecting a wide range of imaginative musicians, Heiner Goebbels constructed a fascinating music-theater piece that mixes languages and musical styles. The text, read and sung by Arto Lindsay, concerns the thoughts and fears of an employee summoned to his boss' office and has something of a Brazil-like aura about it. Perhaps coincidentally, Lindsay interjects some Brazilian songs into the proceedings. But the highlight is the performance by this stellar ensemble, ranging from free to punkishly tinged jazz-rock to quasi-African. There are outstanding contributions from guitarist Fred Frith, trombonist George Lewis, and the late Don Cherry on trumpet, voice, and the African hunter's guitar known as the doussn'gouni. Goebbels brews a rich stew of overlapping languages and styles in a dense matrix that creates an appropriate feeling of angst, but never loses a sly sense of humor. If anything, some of The Man in the Elevator is reminiscent of Carla Bley's better work and fans of hers as well as curious rock listeners should have no problem enjoying this one. ~ Brian Olewnick

Product Details

Release Date:	05/23/2000
Label:	Decca / Ecm
UPC:	0042283711020
Rank:	107898

Tracks

1. In Einem Alten Fahrstuhl [In An Old Elevator]
2. Es Geht Um Einen Auftrag [It Concerns A Task]
3. F¿¿nf Minuten Vor Der Zeit [Five Minutes Too Early]
4. Drei Stufen Auf Einmal [Three Steps At A Time]
5. No Taboleiro De Baiana
6. Ein Schneller Blick Auf Die Uhr [Quick Glance At My Watch]
7. Allein Im Fahrstuhl [Alone In The Elevator]
8. Wilde Spekulationen [Wild Speculations]
9. Der Chef [The Boss]
10. Sein Selbstmord [His Suicide]
11. Fita Nos Meus Olhos
12. Ich Verlasse Den Fahrstuhl [I Step From The Elevator]
13. Ohne Auftrag [Without Any Task]
14. Mitleid In Peru [Compassion In Peru]
15. Trockener Schlamm Mit Fahrspuren [Caked Mud With Vehicle Tracks]
16. Heimweh Nach Dem Fahrstuhl [Homesick For The Elevator]
17. Kalter Schwei¿¿ [Cold Sweat]
18. Etwas Wie Heiterkeit [Something Like Serenity]
19. Diese Frau Ist Die Frau Eines Mannes [This Woman Is The Wife Of A Man]
20. Auf Einem Gras¿¿berwachsenen Bahndamm [On A Railway Embankment]
21. Worin Besteht Mein Verbrechen [What Is My Crime]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Heiner Mueller   Primary Artist
Heiner Goebbels   Primary Artist,Piano,Synthesizer
Guenter Mueller   Primary Artist
George Lewis   Guest Artist,Trombone
Ned Rothenberg   Guest Artist,Clarinet (Bass),Saxophone
Arto Lindsay   Guest Artist,Voices,Guitar,Vocals
Don Cherry   Guest Artist,Doussn'gouni,Trumpet,Voices,Vocals
Ernst Stoetzner   Vocals,Voices
Fred Frith   Bass,Guitar
Charles Hayward   Drums,Metal Objects,Metal Percussion

Technical Credits

Dieter Rehm   Artwork,Cover Design
Mike Krebs   Cover Photo,Photography
Anton M. Rey   Photography
Heiner Goebbels   Mixing,Arranger,Composer,Producer,Programming
Reinhard Zwierlein   Engineer
Henschelverlag Kunst   Translation
Gisbert Lackner   Engineer
Mort Green   Composer
Morton J. Green   Composer
Mike McMackin   Engineer
Don Cherry   Composer
Oswaldo Vasques   Composer
Ary Barroso   Composer
Peter Fey   Engineer
Angenor de Oliveira   Composer
Manfred Eicher   Mixing,Producer
Heiner Mueller   Composer
Cartola   Composer
Jan Erik Kongshaug   Mixing