Multi-instrumentalist and composer Gebhard Ullmann lays down the ground rules without ado with the slam-bang title Don't Touch My Music.
Gebhard Ullmann Basement Research
Don't Touch My Music vol. 1
Label: NotTwo (2008)
Catalogue No: MW 803
Format: CD
Tracks:
1. Dreierlei [12:40]
2. Don't Touch My Music [14:04]
3. Kleine Figuren No.2 [09:15]
4. Kleine Figuren No.3 [12:41]
Line-up:
Gebhard Ullmann - bass clarinet & tenor saxophone
Julian Argüelles - soprano & baritone saxophones
Steve Swell - trombone
John Hebert - bass
Gerald Cleaver - drums
Recorded:
live in concert at Alchemia, Krakow on October 22, 2007.
About:
born on nov. 2, 1957 saxophonist (tenor and soprano), bass clarinetist, flutist (piccolo, concert, alto and bassflutes) and composer gebhard ullmann studied in hamburg and moved to berlin in 1983. since then he has recorded nearly 40 cds as a leader/co-leader for prestigious labels such as blacksaint/soul note, leo records, between the lines, 482 music, songlines recordings, cimp, drimala records, nottwo records and clean feed.
he is considered one of the leading personalities in today's berlin and international scene and has received several awards for his work including the julius hemphill composition award ('99), the deutsche phonoakademie award ('83), one of the first swf jazz awards ('87) and the nomination "best jazz cd of the year" by the german schallplattenkritik for his cd "tá lam" in 1995. his cds "final answer" (2002) and "the bigband project (2004) were listed in downbeat magazine among the best cds of those years. in 2005 the downbeat critics poll listed him for the first time in the category rising star.
since 1993 ullmann is a recording artist for soul note and has been living in new york and berlin since. he has toured with his music throughout europe as well as africa, canada, new zealand, the usa, south east asia and mexico and performed on most of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals.
ullmann's working bands are: the new york project basement research (with steve swell, julian arguelles, john hebert, gerald cleaver), the ten-piece woodwind / accordion project tá lam zehn, the cooperative band conference call (with michael jefry stevens, joe fonda and george schuller), the clarinet trio (with juergen kupke and michael thieke) the piano trio ullmann/lande/dahlgren (with art lande and chris dahlgren), the ullmann/swell 4 (with steve swell, hill greene and barry altschul) and bassX3 (with peter herbert and chris dahlgren).
he is also a member of george schuller's 'schulldogs', the 'guenter lenz springtime' the berlin eleven-piece project stereo lisa, 'hannes zerbe's heiner mueller project' and the 'scott dubois quartet'. he works with spoken word artist sadiq bey on the nu jazz project 'schwartzegeist / the sun ra project' with poems of the great sun ra and appeared in several programs with the actor 'otto sander'.
ullmann recorded or performed with paul bley, andy emler, han bennink, satoko fujii, william parker, barry altschul, herb robertson, marvin 'smitty' smith, laurent cugny, ellery eskelin, bob moses, keith tippett, frank gratkowski, sergeij starostin, tiger okoshi, bobby previte, ernst ludwig petrowsky, glen moore, trilok gurtu, ab baars, andreas willers, kevin norton, lauren newton, andrew cyrille, sylvie courvoisier, steve swell, steve argueelles, frank moebus, lee konitz, alexander v. schlippenbach, benoit achiary, hans hassler, willem breuker, tom rainey, carlos bica, enrico rava, michael riessler, rita marcotulli, michael moore, bob stewart, dieter glawischnig, tony malaby, drew gress, michael rabinowitz, matt wilson, ivo papasov, the ensemble "percussion de guinee", the european radioorchestra and many musicians from the great berlin scene as well as many others.
(bio courtesy of Gebhard Ullmann's website)
Review:
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Gebhard Ullmann lays down the ground rules without ado with the slam-bang title Don't Touch My Music. There should be no qualms about that, Ullmann's music is made to draw rapt attention. The closer one listens, the more there is to discover.
Ullmann brings in an evolving, and revolving, cast of characters to give voice to his music. Each ensemble brings certain attributes and direction to his compositions that absorb various strains to enrich them. Basement Research with Steve Swell, Julian Arguelles, John Hebert, and Gerald Cleaver has marked an indelible presence with their earlier work. And there's no messing around with them this time either.
The members of Basement Research have honed empathy to a fine skill. Surprise is the hallmark of their cross-pollination of genres. The band dons and doffs styles in seamless motion, playing in sweet consonance at one moment and taking off at tangents the next. An intimate conversation warps into disparate strain. And with the wit and sly humor they inject, this CD turns out to be quite the excellent entertainer.
“Don't Touch the Music” is a fine showcase for their creativity. Ullmann brings in the tenor saxophone and blows a myriad of blustery notes. Swell and Argulles lay down calmer lines in tandem leaving Ullmann to his own devices. The melodic theme wisps in and out, the band romps into swing, the horns honk and bop, while the rhythm section lays down a steady beat.
The spirit of New Orleans permeates “Kleine Figuren No. 2” with the sounds of Mardi Gras and a funeral march saturating the melody before they turn on the switch and move into a Latin snap, the samba and uppity swing with the meter and tempo making for infectious bedfellows.
Every track is tantalizing. No matter which way the ear is cocked, the music has vitality, panache, and verve.
(Jerry D'Souza, AllAboutJazz)
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