Джем Сешн Ленинград — Ханс Кумпф, Анатолий Вапиров, Сергей Курёхон, Алекснадр Александров

The American Review on Jazz & Blues • Cadence vol.8 No5 • May 1982

HANS KUMPF AND ANATOLIJ VAPIROW TRIO,

JAM SESSION LENINGRAD,

FUSION 8004.

Ingeburt / Klarifag / Mika (East) Meets Hadschl (West) / Pifokla/ 2 cl Wodka/ Tinana / Fusion- Fusel. 12/80.45:06

Kumpf. cl; Anatolij Vapirow. cl, b cl. as, ts; Sergej Kurjochin, p; Alexander Alexandrow, bsn.

One paradox of the Soviet-inspired crackdown on free expression in Eastern Europe is that more and more evidence of free expression from that part of the world is reaching Western audiences (mostly due to a surge of interest in things Polish). Look at the exposure suddenly given to outspoken Polish films and contemporary Soviet Jazz. One this pan-Eastern block jam, German clarinettist Hans Kumpf (who's recorded threeother LPs for his own AKM records; this session is also available as AKM 004) meets a Leningrad trio. Kumpf sat in with the Vapirow Trio on his second visit to the Soviet Union (where he found the local fans remarkably well-informed about German and Americlan free music); they'd never played together before, and throughout

those performances one can hear the musicians tentatively reaching out to each other The most obvious indication is the way each player follows the prevailing direction toward denser or leaner textures, calm or irritation, instead of thinking individually.

Although totally improvised music's supposed to be free of constraints, certain strategies - like follow the leader - are frowned upon by some taste makers. How critically listeners judge obvious/predictable thematic developments may determine how much they like this music.

Considering the players' cultural background, however, one could simply note that imitation of parts is quite natural to European music; the group employs the sonorities and pointy melodic contours characteristic of modern concert music (as well as employing non-characteristic reedy harmonies).

Texturally, they're quite true to their heritage. "East Meets West" follows the familiar follow the leader tact, but to better than usual effect; Kumpf gets off a couple of winsome licks.

Kumpf likes working with other clarinetists (two AKMs feature Perry Robinson); frequently he and Vapirow stick close to each other, as on "Ingeburt," where they sigh and chatter together (against Alexandrow's bassoon scribbles), and on "2 cl Wodka,"

their duet, where they weave around each other in an obvious way. Like many pieces here, "Wodka" has a raggedy edge, petering out rather than ending. Kumpf also plays shadow-boxing duets with the other players,"Klarifag" with Alexandrow and "Pifokla" with Kurjochin.

The piano of Kurjochin – the Kuryokhin whose solo LP was reviewed in March '82 (p.91); transliteration is an inexact science - functions mostly as en equal partner with the horns, rather than as a rhythm instrument.

He favors strongly percussive, single-note lines; he steps out on "Tinana," in front of droning horns.

Kumpf is one of the out players who is putting the clarinet back on the map. Putting it? At this point it's back already.

Kevin Whitehead

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