It is a huge honour to publish Peter Brotzmann’s final concerts on OTOROKU. When we invited Peter to do a residency at Cafe OTO back in February 2023 we had no idea these would be his last ever shows and he played with such power it would have been hard for anyone present to believe he would never play publicly again.

Recorded over two nights this grouping of Jason Adasiewicz on vibraphone, John Edwards on bass and Steve Noble on drums feels especially resonant and personal to Cafe OTO. The first time Peter performed at the venue back in 2010 it was in a trio with John and Steve, (released as The Worse The Better kick starting our in-house record label) so it feels fitting that the last shows he ever played here should also have that trio at its core.

The quartet last played together at OTO back in 2013, (released as Mental Shake on OTOROKU), and Brotzmann humbly opened the return of the group saying, "it's a pleasure to be back” before launching straight into a long blast on the alto sax, swiftly met by the relentless energy and engagement of Adasiewicz, Edwards and Noble.

There are moments of tenderness to Brotzmann’s playing that feels specific to this small group - one that cuts across three generations - and in a space that’s come to feel like home. Of course, there is dizzying, forceful, singleminded playing, but even amongst a relentless chorus of cymbal splashes and busy vibraphone clusters the lyrical, spacious moments are savoured and held onto. As he remarked after at the end of the group's first visit to OTO, “the Quartet is, for us, a great adventure.”

Peter clearly wanted to play to the end. Did he know these might be his last shows? We will never know. What is clear is he wanted to go out in style and on his terms. For anyone in the room at the time or listening to these recordings it’s clear he achieved that.

It was Peter’s wish that these recordings should be made public and he was due to finalise the cover design on the week he passed away. We would like to thank Peter’s family for working with us to fulfil Peter’s wishes to release this material but more than anything we would like to thank Peter for all the extraordinary memories, his generosity and all he has given the music. On a personal level for us, like so many, he meant a huge amount and we miss him deeply.

---

Peter Brotzmann / reeds 
John Edwards / double bass 
Steve Noble / drums 
Jason Adasiewicz / vibraphone 

---

ROKU033 - Peter Brotzmann / Jason Adasiewicz / Steve Noble / John Edwards - The Quartet [sample]

Intermedia composition for flute, french horn and multi-channel sound and light environment. 

Featuring Doris Nicoletti (flute), Christoph Walder (french horn), Bernhard Gál (electroacoustics) et al. 

Premiere: Festival MUSIC AFTER NATURE @ SOHO STUDIOS, Vienna, June 2024.

Over the Fields and Far Away (excerpt 1) | 2024

Intermedia composition for flute, french horn and multi-channel sound and light environment.

Featuring Doris Nicoletti (flute), Christoph Walder (french horn), Bernhard Gál (electroacoustics) et al.

Premiere: Festival MUSIC AFTER NATURE @ SOHO STUDIOS, Vienna, June 2024.

Over the Fields and Far Away (excerpt 2) | 2024

Spes

Multi-channel sound architecture / electroacoustic composition, ~50' 

Premiere in conjunction with the Festival SLOVO GORČINA. Radimlja Necropolis, Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, July 2024.

Spes (excerpt, 2024)

Bleu De Travail, Maria Blondeel 1992
  Duur 10 minuten, stereo 
Remastering: 92BDT_mb25
Audiocassette 1994: M.B. produktie - Audiovisueel 
Sonificatie: Maria Blondeel 
Geluidstechniek: Guy De Bièvre , Maria Blondeel
Digitalisatie: Maria Blondeel

Geluidsopname van de installatie Bleu de Travail die bestuurd wordt door een eenvoudig overvloeisysteem voor diaprojectoren met handmatig geplaatste pulsen op een audiocassette. De maat van de pulsen verloopt sneller dan de projectoren mechanisch aankunnen. Dit zorgt voor onregelmatigheden die de normale volgorde verstoren. De ruis van de ventilator en het transportmechanisme van de diaprojectoren krijgen de bovenhand. De dia’s wisselen sneller dan het beeld kan worden weergegeven, er ontstaat een aleatorische compositie. De lichtintensiteiten worden omgezet in geluidsgolven. Bleu de travail werd in 1994 geremastered voor een computergestuurde diaprojectie. 

Photo: Didier Verriest, coloured by Maria Blondeel

Bleu De Travail

ROKU043 - Evan Parker & Bill Nace "Branches" [sample]

City ambiances with mixed carillon sounds; starting in the centre of the Dutch city Delft mixed with bell sounds from Amersfoort and Hilversum (electronically filtered), Berlin and ending in the Amsterdam canals. Dutch Multi Culture City Carillon, 1, Ricardo Huisman, 2016 was presented at Resonance and Remembrance:  Interdisciplinary Campanology Symposium University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2017


Bleu De Travail

maria blondeel

Related tracks