"hakons ea is an impressive and sonically diverse outing which gains with every listen." - Frequency Magazine
"We arrive at the concert of two Englishmen just as it starts. The guitarist and the saxophonist start with a portion of rather swaggering, minimalist hooks. Half chords and small groans, subtle phrases swaying in the wind, whose gusts gently gain strength with time. Both well-connected, playing together for the thousandth time, seem to be rather lyrical this evening, far from the typical self-aggressiveness of their age. Instead of betting on dynamic action, they pay each other narrative compliments. Daniel delivers post-classical, dry sounds, Colin opts for longer utterances, which he saturates with a minimal dose of melodics.
After a short time, the musicians return to their initial pomp. One time, another time - this is our favorite call & response game. This is followed by a charming game of small fields - looking for little things, scraps of sound with which to impress your partner. Little kisses, little hugs, a few other affectionate coincidences. The musicians search for different stylistic tropes, for a moment they are quite close to free jazz emotions, but ... maybe not this time, because they sway again in a light wind. They breathe deeply, do not shy away from cloying, and wait for the next gust of wind from the ocean. After a short while, carried on its shoulders, they throw off a handful of fiery emotions, and then they end this part of the concert, but they don't go down for a break yet.
The opening of the next episode falls to the guitar, which impresses with its agile melodicism but also its dry, polished sound. A mellow alto follows a step behind her. Post-jazz weaves its arms here with post-classical, and there are some interesting situational games going on on stage. A handful of burrs, a few squiggles, a sequence of shouts of unrepressed expression - a real metabolic improvisation! After this extended introduction, the first solo section begins. Colin blows, the jets work, the mechanics of the instrument weave short, broken but compact phrases. On the lips of the saxophone, in time, there is singing. Daniel returns to the stage stepping on tiptoe. He draws a slow but systematic narrative stitch. The mola-like, very quiet duet exposition puts a premium on minimalism, self-restraint, and cooled emotions. The saxophone pulls towards post-jazz, the guitar sticks to a dramaturgically ordered improvisation. For the finale, the artists serve themselves a few hilarious sound imitations, which definitely exhausts the theme of the first set of the concert.
After an intermission, whose length we don't know, other musicians appear on stage. Someone more nervous, less patient, prone to incidental brawls, aiming at disturbing our evening relaxation. With their lyricism, which they flushed down the toilet along with the water in the club! Bravo! They're getting better by the second! Daniel scrubs the strings, Colin snorts and farts. Silent games in slow dance! The guitar is looking for its way to the top, the saxophone seems to be working with just its mouthpiece. Again, a solo episode - it's Colin demonstrating the hydraulic capabilities of his brass. It gets really beautiful, although we still remain in the face of dense silence. Drones appear, light as summer clouds in the blue sky. The jets tap, the tuba breathes deeply. The guitar returns in the middle of the set and sings post-classical repetitions. The saxophone begins to sing under its breath. Emotions and dynamics appear under the musicians' fingers as if by themselves. But our rascals still want to surprise us! There is no free jazz peak, there is another descent on low bended knees and a search for reverie. The nerves, however, do not leave the artists. The saxophone tuba is shaking with its whole body, cringing, looking for a hook. But again the guitarist comes as a surprise - he takes a solo walk! He slows down, coughs sounds through his teeth, looking for resonance between the dried strings. The return of the saxophone marks the second small spectacle of imitation this evening. But there are important things happening on the stage - a storm is definitely coming! Aggressive phrases, cutting riffs, swirling blasts of heavy gases. However, after a few turns the musicians lose their energy and look for the final relief. It's a pretence again - before the concert finally comes to an end, a little fireworks show awaits us! Daniel phrases like a stoned Bailey, Colin coughs with his whole body, blowing on pneumonia! Finally, a melancholic resonance comes over everyone and the concert can end peacefully. An astute round of applause awaits the musicians!" - Spontaneous Music Tribune
"Colin Webster loves breath effects and intervals zig-zagging or slaloming through complex harmonies and endlessly interwoven melodic patterns, while Daniel Thompson is in abrupt pursuit of the imperfect chord. Hakons ea is thus an album rich in sonic events and impromptu entanglements that traverse tensions and releases. It contains superb constructions over time, developments stretched out in minute detail from a roll of the dice, a spell of the absurd married to elementary common sense. Here are two valiant improvisers whose adventures are a great pleasure to follow." - Orynx-Improv and Sounds
credits
released November 6, 2021
Daniel Thompson - acoustic guitar
Colin Webster - alto saxophone
CD and Download
EBR006
Recorded at Hundred Years Gallery on 27th September 2020
Recorded by Graham MacKeachan
Mixed by Dirk Serries
Mastered by Martin Clarke
All music by Daniel Thompson and Colin Webster
Artwork 'Beyond Land Below Land' by Beverley Waller
Design and Production by Daniel Thompson for Empty Birdcage Records
