Physis

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS496, Lisbon 2018

1. Suspensão XI - 32'56''

SUSPENSÃO

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola
Miguel Mira - Cello
Hernâni Faustino - Double Bass
André Hencleeday - Psaltery, Zither
Abdul Moimême - Prepared Electric Guitar
Rodrigo Pinheiro - Piano
Nuno Torres - Alto Saxophone
Eduardo Chagas - Trombone
Carlos Santos - Electronics

Nuno Morão - Percussion

Recorded November 2017, Lisbon

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/physis

Reviews

The third album on Creative Sources for this 10-piece ensemble with 5 string players, piano, sax, trombone, electronics and percussion, freely improvising in an extended work themed for the Greek theological, philosophical, and scientific term typically translated as nature or physics, in a rich tapestry of meticulous detail and profoundly subtle communication. (Squidco)

Synchronous Rotation

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS499, Lisbon 2018

1. Synchronous Rotation - 27'32''

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola 

Guilherme Rodrigues - Cello

Gianna de Toni - Double Bass

Vasco Trilla - Percussion

Recorded November 2017, Lisbon

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/synchronous-rotation

Reviews

"Synchronous Rotation" contains only one track of the same title, lasting 27 minutes. For me it is a crowning of the series. It is to some extend a more radical record, with the ensemble reduced to a quartet.
It was recorded live at O'Culto da Ajuda, in Lisbon during the CreativeFest#11. In a sense this is the same concept as the one used on "Blattwerk" and "Zweige", but distilled to a situation in which the sound of each instrument can be identi ed and heard individually. The music again is sileny and tranquila, yet full of emotions, sensitivity, and simply intrinsic beauty. The are more albums on the avantgarde scene combining strings with avantgarde free improvised music (such as several albums of Agustí Fernández), but the series of Vasco with the Rodrigues family clealry belong to the most interesting and artistically most challenging ones. It is very original in fact if it reminds me stylistically of anything, then of the spectral string music of Gérard Grisey and of the musique concrète instrumentale of Helmut Lachenmann. Unbelievably beautiful stuff!!! Maciej Lewenstein

Muzyka wstaje z ciszy, dobiega z głuchej przestrzeni. Słuchać szelest kroków, ktoś oddycha. Struny pełne bojaźni i drżenia, w egzystencjalnym zawieszeniu. Koncertowe królestwo, pełne skupienia i umiaru. Struny wchodzą w delikatne interakcje, ledwie muskane smykami, lekkimi jak ptasie pióra. Robaczki tańczą w ołowianych miseczkach (Trilla!). Kameralistyka owdowiałych przedmieść Lizbony. Odrobina klasycznych pasaży, konfrontowana przez bystre interakcje rzeczywistości ciągłej improwizacji. Być może jesteśmy bliżej bramy do filharmonii, ale kwaśny odczyn dźwięku determinuje nasz sceptycyzm wobec wejścia do środka. Jakby na potwierdzenie przypuszczeń recenzenta - 8 minuta i pierwsze próby sonorystycznych zadziorów na gryfach i krawędziach werbla i tomów. Wsparcie drummingowe, to nie jest zły pomysł. Niepokój rytmu pozorowanego. Smyki podśpiewują molowe pieśni. Niekoniecznie żałobne, może bardziej wielkopostne. Tuż potem zejście w głąb czarnej ziemi. Zdaje się, że to Ernesto ma w dłoniach pochodnię i oświetla drogę wędrowcom. Pięknie snuta opowieść, bez puenty, z pokładami lirycznych metafor na gryfie altówki. Reszta partnerów komentuje i wpada w drobną egzaltację. 14 minuta, dronowy czteroślad! Jakże uroczy pasaż! Jakże te instrumenty oddychają i szeleszczą. Drżą! Akustyczny meta byt! Głaskają się z ciszą! Po uszy w ciszy, tu gdzie każdy dźwięk stanowić może krwawą rewolucję (także ze strony widowni)! 20 minuta, Trilla bierze opowieść na swój warsztat – dzwoni i rezonuje. Obok drobne turbulencje na strunach. Wejście w kameralny barok, może nawet ckliwy romantyzm. Ale wszystko może liczyć na cięty kontrapunkt drummera! Narracja rośnie w siłę, a tempo przemian dyktuje Katalończyk. Rusza armia wibratorów! Strunowce z otwartymi ustami łapią głęboki oddech. Ostrzą sobie ząbki na finał! Szczypta klasycznej retoryki ze strony wiolonczeli, na pozostałych strunach szmer molowej zadumy. Jakże ciekawy dysonans akustyczny. Na ostatniej prostej wytryski pojedynczych dźwięków i dronowych zaśpiewów. Andrzej Nowak (Trybuna Muzyki Spontanicznej)

[...] From later in the year, and so following the Lisbon String Trio series & others, is Synchronous Rotation, recorded at CreativeFest in Lisbon in November 2017, by a quartet of Ernesto & Guilherme Rodrigues, Gianna de Toni (double bass) & (again) Vasco Trilla. I was not familiar with de Toni, but she appears on a prior album on Creative Sources, Trees (recorded in May 2013) by a quintet including both Rodrigueses. So Synchronous Rotation forms an alternate "Lisbon String Trio" around Ernesto, bolstered once again by Trilla's imaginative percussion. It also continues the recent history of geometric cover art on Creative Sources, particularly around the String Theory series (as does, more as a hybrid, the very sparse Spiric Sections, recorded the following day, also at CreativeFest 11), and the music suggests a corresponding technical quality: Synchronous Rotation consists of one modest length (under thirty minute) track, and opens strongly, with rich counterpoint around what I might describe as post-serial thematics. It's much more forceful in its first half, evoking various string associations, but seems to become more subdued following a long, quiet interlude. (One might say that after some equivocation, minimalism decisively asserts itself, although its reign does not remain untroubled. There's even something of a spiritual, Scelsian vibe to the drone & rattle combination that arises toward the end, as distinct from the presumptively geometric evocations.) Trilla does seem more animated at times, so perhaps this is the start of him putting more of his personal vigor into these projects with Rodrigues. And perhaps the more "ethereal" results are generated as a consequence of the "rotation" (to which the title refers) — I'm not sure — but the album does fade to a close. I can't claim that either album truly distinguishes itself in the midst of Rodrigues's massive outpouring of recordings featuring himself with various other string players, but both Zweige & Synchronous Rotation present independent points of interest, documenting the ongoing development of Rodrigues's "string theory" more generally. (And the latter also includes a nice two-panel, full color photograph of the quartet in concert.) There is clearly more to explore here: I'd be keen on hearing some of the early, high energy passages of Synchronous Rotation elaborated in different directions, say. Given the pace of these releases, perhaps that's already in the works. 13 March 2018. Todd McComb's Jazz Thoughts

A live recording at O'Culto da Ajuda, Lisbon, during the 2017 CreativeFest #11 from the quartet of Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello, Gianna de Toni on double bass, and Vasco Trilla on percussion, a sinuous, curving extended improvisation of subtle shades, with certain rotations more forceful, but always gravitating to quietude. (Squidco)

Zweige

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS497, Lisbon 2018

1. Zweige I - 20'05''
2. Zweige II - 18'40''

Harald Kimmig - Violin

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola 

Miguel Mira - Cello

Guilherme Rodrigues - Cello

Alvaro Rosso - Double Bass

Vasco Trilla - Percussion

Recorded February 2017, Lisbon

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/zweige

Reviews

O disco “Zweige” junta um improvável sexteto, onde um quinteto de cordas conta com a companhia da percussão. Participam aqui Harald Kimmig (violino), Ernesto Rodrigues (viola), Miguel Mira (do Motion Trio, violoncelo), Guilherme Rodrigues (violoncelo), Alvaro Rosso (contrabaixo) e Vasco Trilla (percussão). Apesar da configuração presumir uma vertente de música de câmara, raras vezes o grupo evoca momentos de puro classicismo. Ao longo de dois temas o sexteto improvisa livremente tentando procurar caminhos comuns, a partir de pontas soltas, ideias que vão surgindo, comunicação e conflito, respostas e desafios. Numa mescla de sons diversos das cordas, entre as cordas graves e agudas, entre os sons prolongados com o arco e o pizzicato, vai crescendo uma massa sonora comum, complementada com os apontamentos subtis da percussão. Nuno Catarino (Bodyspace.net)

Turning to some other recent releases from Creative Sources, specifically ensembles featuring bowed strings, Zweige presents a natural successor to Blattwerk, as discussed here in June. Indeed, Zweige was recorded (in Lisbon, last February) the day after Blattwerk, and augments the quintet of the latter (Harald Kimmig, Ernesto & Guilherme Rodrigues, Miguel Mira & Vasco Trilla) with Alvaro Rosso on bass, making for a string quintet (with two cellos) plus percussion. It even, likewise, features two similar length tracks. (Zweige also predates the Lisbon String Trio series, at least as documented so far, in which Ernesto Rodrigues & Mira are joined by Rosso, by a couple of weeks.) These combinations continue to fascinate, and not only does Zweige augment the quintet on Blattwerk, but it's mixed (by Carlos Santos) to have rather more presence: High end to low end to various quiet scrapings & subtle percussive rattles, it's all easier to hear. Describing Zweige as a "natural successor" was not merely a turn of phrase either, as naturalistic themes maintain — thus appearing to retain continuity with Kimmig's album Raw (on Leo, discussed here January 2017) — including those sometimes frustrating interrogations of audibility. (And I do further wish that these various words deriving from "nature" weren't already so fraught with other meanings, from nudism to anti-immigrant politics. That makes it difficult to be succinct, but the reference here is generally to biology & ecology.) Various origins & inspirations for sound blend, but continue to suggest trees & forests & their inhabitants, living & otherwise. (And I feel sheepish for not having understood the title on Blattwerk as an explicit reference in this regard. This is not the first time I've approached a compound German word via its two parts, rather than realizing that it was already a well-known term: I've come to anticipate neologisms, I guess, including, as in this case, inappropriately.) As a sequel from the next day, it's hard to say that Zweige breaks new ground, but I do find it easier to hear, and therefore appreciate — hence furthering exploration of these string-based ensembles: Some of the background creaking might even present as some sort of wind instrument, for instance, as all manner of subtle sounds are coaxed from the strings & rubbed percussion. (The notion of a flat tapestry, varying in waves, also continues to apply here, as the interaction never becomes terribly layered despite its shifts.) [...] 13 March 2018. Todd McComb's Jazz Thoughts

Continuing the estaethics of the wonderful "Blattwerk", Vasco recorded two more percussion plus strings albums owth the Guilherme and Ernesto Rodrigues et consortes. "Zweige" in fact are recorded with a nearly the same personnel, except that the double bass is added.
The album contains two tracks: "Zweige I" and "Zweige II". "Zweige I" combines a lot of pizzicato work with bowing, but is also very varying in moods. After ten minutes bowing over helms the tune, keeping, however, the very meditative and peaceful climates. Vasco himself "bows", but around the 15th minute starts to employ genuine drumming. This is actually the most interesting part of the track for me quiet, minimalist and tranquil, but extremely tense and beautiful. "Zwiege II" have more bowing, but also more drumming. The mood, however, is similar, very meditative and silent. On the whole record the interactions of the violin, viola and two cellos are actually amazing. the result has nothing to do with a tranditional, or even traditional contamporary string quartet. After the tenth minute of "Zweige II" an explosion of sounds take place, nishing with the return to the land of ultraslow meditation. The role of Vasco and Alvaro, although discrete, is here absolutely crucial. Maciej Lewenstein

Zweige I. Struny poddawane procesowi intensywnego ostrzenia. Rezonans na talerzach. Krok za krokiem, czar urywanych fraz, pomruki kontrabasu, dzwonki. Aż gęsto od dźwięków. Odrobina uzasadnionego drummingu Trilli. Narracja jest delikatna akustycznie, ale pełna emocji i niezbędnej dynamiki. Struny pozostają w permanentnym dialogu. Swobodnie improwizowana kameralistyka z pewną dozą abstrakcyjnej psychodelii. Już w 5 minucie szóstka muzyków udaje się w szumiące szuwary, z ciszą u progu, w atmosferze mięsistej polerki. Akcenty rytmoidalne na suchym werblu. Molekularny taniec ze szczyptą intrygującej sonorystyki (zwłaszcza ze strony mniejszych strunowców). Akustycznie urocze, dramaturgicznie błyskotliwe! – notuje recenzent w pierwszej fazie ekstazy. Od 8 minuty improwizacja zdaje się systematycznie narastać (kierunek eskalacja?), ale pośród instrumentalistów nie ma na to pełnej zgody. Wybór zejścia do krypty, wydaje się dalece słusznym rozwiązaniem. Cisza na gryfach, półmrok, ktoś uderza w struny i raczej nie jest to Vasco. Ten ostatni bowiem drży i szeleści. Zapasy z dramaturgicznym zaniechaniem, zawieszaniem narracji. Piękna muzyka (13-14 min.)! Rezonanse i mezalianse! Doom dark micro sonore! Focus on one sound! Pięć strunowców i ten szósty też jakby strunowiec – nierozpoznawalne źródła pojedynczych dźwięków! Wspaniale! Wybrzmiewanie w kolektywnym rezonansie!


Zweige II. Muzycy pozostają w krypcie. Szum wiatru pomiędzy strunami i w arsenale Trilli. Cięciwy łuków napinają się. W oddali stuprocentowo akustyczny dark ambient. Jakby kolejny stopień muzycznego wtajemniczenia. Mroczne dźwięki dronizują się. To zapewne okrwawiony smyczek na gryfie kontrabasu. Vasco stawia zasieki, wiolonczele pętlą się, brną w kierunku skowytu. Altówka i skrzypce czynią podobnie. Cały sekstet pląsa po zroszonej ciepłym napalmem wiosennej łące. Dzwonki zapraszają na celebrację chwili. Improwizacyjne wyniesienie?! Choć na studyjnej scenie raczej … tłumienie emocji. Niektóre struny drżą, inne rezonują i budują separatywne drony. 10 minuta, to wzrost aktywności, więcej dynamiki, narracja robi się gęsta, jak na początku płyty. Muzycy popadają wręcz w galop! More than one drum! I jakże błyskotliwy stop! Dzwonki, echa potu na strunach. Doom ambient! Pięknie! Znów umiar wygrywa z nadmiarem, czyniąc całą płytę naprawdę wyjątkową. Słychać, jak struny oddychają, a przestrzeń wokół nich pulsuje ciszą. Andrzej Nowak (Trybuna Muzyki Spontanicznej)

The Creative Sources core string improvisers of violist Ernesto Rodrigues, cellist Guilherme Rodrigues, cellist Miguel Mira, and double bassist Alvaro Rosso, with frequent collaborator percussionist Vasco Trilla, are joined by German violinist Harald Kimmig (Trio Kimmig) for a dynamic album that fluctuates from acoustic lowercase to rapid pointillistic improv. (Squidco)

Trilla joins on Zweige (branches in German) a free-improvised, chamber session with German violinist Harald Kimmig, and fellow Portuguese comrades viola player Ernesto Rodrigues, cellists Miguel Mira and Guilherme Rodrigues with Uruguayan double bass player Alvaro Rosso. The album was recorded at Namouche Studio, Lisbon, in February 2017.


Obviously, the two “Zweige” pieces explore many aspects of extended bowing techniques, including by Trilla himself who bows the cymbals, careful, investigative timbral search and delicate, nuanced interplay. The role of Trilla is crucial in holding together and anchoring these strings-based textures. On the first piece he acts like a shaman that adds subtle, ritualistic bells and other percussive and bowing sounds, contrasting the restless and tensed but minimalist interplay of the strings instruments. The second piece is more energetic, but keeps a minimalist atmosphere. The role of Trilla is more crucial. He now acts as a sorcerer that mirrors with with his delicate, rattling percussive sounds the multilayered, resonant gestures of the strings instruments, keeping these nervous bowed sounds linked together, and channel the stringed commotion into a meditative coda. Eyal Hareuveni (The Free Jazz Collective)

Spiric Sections

CD – Creative Sources Recordings – CS498, Lisbon 2018

1. Spiric Sections - 41'06''

Ernesto Rodrigues - Viola

Guilherme Rodrigues - Cello 

Eduardo Chagas - Trombone

Andre Hencleeday - Piano, Gong & Megaphone

Carlos Santos - Electronics

Recorded November 2017, Lisbon

Cover design Carlos Santos

https://ernestorodrigues.bandcamp.com/album/spiric-sections

Reviews

The affect of Carlos Santos' electronics and recordings are the foundation of this Portuguese quintet's improvisations, creating an environment over which Ernesto & Guilherme Rodrigues on viola & cello, Eduardo Chagas on trombone, and Andre Hencleeday add subtle gestures of unusual approaches to their instruments, in a mysterious album of lowercase improv. (Squidco)