Tanja Feichtmair, Mara Kolibri, Stefan Krist, Josef Novotny, Fredi Pröll, Julius Winter and Uli Winter – Adschi (Creative Sources, 2024) *****

By Fotis Nikolakopoulos

This is a five star recording, one with a crucial presence of women improvisers, something which, unfortunately, is not a given in the male dominant world of improvising. Recorded in 2023 and released early in 2024 it presents the seven musicians in top form, playing, discussing, experimenting and interacting not just with their instruments. But with themselves and the other musicians as well. The overlooked instrument called the human voice plays an important role throughout all the five tracks of the album. Apart from the voice you will listen to an alto saxophone, a trombone, percussion and various other objects, an electric guitar, a cello and some electronics. In some moments you feel like you are listening to a hilarious funny story.

But can you figure out what is what? Sometimes yes, other times no. Does it matter? No, because what you and I, the listeners, absorb is the feeling of unity and interaction, of love for the playful moments that music can provide. Of freedom in self expression.

You will not get a lot of information on the label’s bandcamp page, but the music speaks for itself. Divided in five parts, this, I guess, long form improvisation unfolds not in a linear way, but keeps a lot of surprises for the listeners. Unexpected turns, sound that are not quite revealed, playful chatter, some screams, metal and no metal objects keep the polyrhythmic nature of every track moving. Yes, this music is an entity that needs and wants to speak for itself, as long as you can listen. Open form probably impromptu improvisations that combine the energy of free jazz with the lack of egos and the playfulness of the best moments in improvising music. One of the best of 2024.