Bruford - Borstlap: Happenstance (Bruford- Borstlap: In Concert in Holland, 2004)
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
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Dutch keyboardist Michiel Borstlap and I had an improvising duo for several years in the noughties, producing three live CDs and a DVD. A fair representation of the group might be the powerful ‘The 16 Kingdoms of the 5 Barbarians’, recorded in a sweaty tent in Germany in 2004. 3000 over-heated people had been standing for a while, and by the time we came on, they needed fuss-free, clear, authoritative stadium jazz. Musicians (should) react and perform according to the situations they find themselves in, so that’s what they got.
The very word ‘improvisation’ makes some people nervous. There are many who are uncomfortable with the whole notion of ‘making it up as you go along’, although that is broadly what we all do all day long. The activity is often thought of as making the best of things while awaiting a return to the way things should be done. In music, it tends to be devalued because the music hasn’t been 'rehearsed' or 'worked at', although of course the musicians have been working at it since the day they picked up a musical instrument. "Oh, they haven’t rehearsed it, so it can’t be any good".
Improvisers both generate novelty by making rhythmic, harmonic, or melodic choices that are surprising, and react to the novelty generated by fellow participants. They must navigate a difficult line between order, disorder, chaos and control. My favourite bits with Michiel are when it appears that we are about to lose control of shape or form and recovery is in doubt! And, behind a drumkit, I’m in a powerful position to do something about that. Musicians tend to flatter themselves that they are in control of the music, when in fact letting go of control might bring about a more interesting outcome.
'Happenstance' could have been called 'Coincidence' or 'Chance', but they aren’t such pretty words. What you are hearing could not have been prepared, and so could not and was not written down or rehearsed pre- or post-performance. Any value the music may have lies in its immediacy; the spark or frisson that occurs when a lifetime of micro-decisions in each musician’s past collide and produce moments of emotional excitement, and the hairs on the back of you neck stand on end.
Obviously that’s all very well for the musicians, but what about the listeners? Are they on board with this? It’s an unrepeatable, one-night-only performance that requires active and attentive listening. How much more honest can musicians be, when all considerations of commercial success are eclipsed by the imperative of collective collaboration? You can’t really think when engaged in this kind of music; you’re reacting intuitively and emotionally to the music events as they present themselves. Philosophers of music consider that music's ability to evoke emotion in the listener stems from its ability to meet and break expectations - an idea that I doubtless reminded myself of as I sat down to play what became, just a few minutes later, ‘Happenstance’.
‘The 16 Kingdoms of the 5 Barbarians’ is available on the Bruford-Borstlap 3-CD box set ‘Sheer Reckless Abandon’ - Summerfold Records BBSF025CD.
#billbruford #jazzdrummer #tamadrums #earthworks #michielborstlap #yes #improvisationmusic #improvisationalkeyboardartists #billbrufordsearthworks
Thank you, Bill. It doesn't get any more honest than this.
Hello everyone, magical moments for you
Thank you for this music Bill. I enjoyed that. Also, thank you for your written words above. I love your description / explanation of musical improvisation. I do not believe that I've ever heard it expressed better. Well stated sir.
The camera operator was really interested in how the drum kit works. Great piece, thank you Bill for uploading
symmetry in set-up, brilliant in listening and playing!!
wonderful!!! thank you
Awesome! Thanks Bill!
Hard to believe this is improvisation. The players are both in syncopation, it seems to me, a lot of the time in this piece. Fascinating to listen to. But then Bill is always fascinating to listen to, even when you,ve heard lots of his older material a thousand times before!
Outstanding...❤
i simply love improvisation music
I wondered about the cameraman at several moments during this recording, like how he zooms in on your armpit at 2:43 and holds it there until 2:58. The performance is good, though. I felt it was struggling to find its place a few times, but it pulls together magnificently for the last minute and a half. I've really been impressed with the Bruford-Borstlap videos you've been uploading; I must check out those CDs and DVD you mention.
Did you notice in the Description Bill spelled 'nineties', "noughties"?
and 'The 16 Kingdoms of the 5 Barbarians', recorded in a hot sweaty un-air-conditioned tent. Wow! Mr. Bruford writes how he plays drums, excellent.
You make improv look easy Bill.
🎵✨️🙌
Great video.
Re Bill's maxim, "When in doubt, roll": would the keyboard improviser's equivalent be "when in doubt, sweep"? I also wonder why the camera operator only seemed to become aware of Michel at the last minute.
More cowbell !!
凄い‼️👏。これ何拍子なのですか❓
Hello everyone
His left foot is a robot at times.
(:
HELLO Eishichi
Hi Eishichi
ELVIS IS PASTOR BOB JOYCE NOW!
Uhm..Improvisation not good..