Schwarzwaldfahrt by Brötzmann / Bennink
Tracklist
| 1. | Aufen Nr. 1 | 6:01 |
| 2. | Aufen Nr. 2 | 2:30 |
| 3. | Aufen Nr. 3 | 6:19 |
| 4. | Aufen Nr. 4 | 6:25 |
| 5. | Aufen Nr. 5 | 0:38 |
| 6. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 6 | 2:49 |
| 7. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 7 | 8:22 |
| 8. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 8 | 1:44 |
| 9. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 9 | 3:56 |
| 10. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 10 | 4:47 |
| 11. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 11 | 7:36 |
| 12. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 12 | 1:22 |
| 13. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 13 | 5:43 |
| 14. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 14 | 12:19 |
| 15. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 15 | 5:19 |
| 16. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 16 | 1:35 |
| 17. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 17 | 2:08 |
| 18. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 18 | 6:56 |
| 19. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 19 | 8:29 |
| 20. | Schwarzenbachtalsperre Nr. 20 | 2:43 |
Credits
released February 7, 2025
REVIEWS
“Culled from numerous field recordings, the pair plays branches, stones, and brooks in addition to clarinets, saxophones and cymbals. Certainly there’s the sheer joy of making music unencumbered outside. There’s also the power of recording what could be akin to the first human music. And there’s Bennink drumming on a log as Brötzmann in full wide-vibrato mode walks away from the mike and then gradually returns, all within the framework of an orchestra of fauna and flora. The fact that one can visualize and share in the experience of making it, is what makes Schwarzwaldfahrt such a unique document in the history of creative music.”
- All About Jazz
“In the hands of lesser free players, a project such as this could end up sounding extremely pretentious, but it is to their credit that Brötzmann and Bennink pull it off. The quote from Sentimental Journey on the opening piece sums up this successful meeting of “natural” free music and nature.”
- Jazz Forum
“The twosome are into something primal, going beyond process and concept to the origins of music itself, a powerful aesthetic force. There's an eight-minute exploration of saxophone duets in a babbling brook, which is absolutely insane and a total gas to listen to. In its primal and very human way, Schwarzwaldfahrt is the highest form of conversation: conversation between two men, and man and nature.”
- ParisTransatlantic
“There is a delightful organic vibe here, a contemplative playfulness of wandering around the forest and improvising with nature. There is a joyous bond of adventure that holds these two musicians and friends together. It becomes more apparent as you listen to each disc.”
- Downtown Music Gallery
“Originally released on FMP as a single LP, the album culled from the travels still stands a unique and instantly endearing entry in the oeuvre of each player. The Unheard Music edition adds over an hour of unissued material by way of a second disc.”
- Bagatellen
“On “Nr. 10” the two are heard splashing in the water. When I played this track, my 20 month old son suddenly came running into the living room, said “rain”, went over to a speaker, looked behind it, and then sat down a foot in front of it, transfixed, laughing with delight. He loved it.”
- Cadence Magazine
All compositions by Peter Brötzmann and Han Bennink.
Peter Brötzmann & Han Bennink: e-flat clarinet, b-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, birdcalls, viola, banjo, cymbals, wood, trees, sand, land, water, air
Recorded open air on a Stellavox recorder by Peter Brötzmann and Han Bennink from May 9th to 11th, 1977, in the Black Forest near Aufen and at the Schwarzenbach Talsperre.
Produced by Peter Brötzmann and Jost Gebers.
Cover design and photographs by Peter Brötzmann and Han Bennink.
The musicians thank very much the Südwestfunk Baden-Baden for making this Schwarzwaldfahrt possible. Many thanks also to Mr. Joachim Ernst Berendt and Mr. Achim Hebgen for supporting our work.
Tracks 1-10 make up the original LP. Tracks 11-20 were recorded on the same May days in 1977 as the first ten, and initially released in 2005 on a double CD, via Atavistic's Unheard Music Series.
REVIEWS
“Culled from numerous field recordings, the pair plays branches, stones, and brooks in addition to clarinets, saxophones and cymbals. Certainly there’s the sheer joy of making music unencumbered outside. There’s also the power of recording what could be akin to the first human music. And there’s Bennink drumming on a log as Brötzmann in full wide-vibrato mode walks away from the mike and then gradually returns, all within the framework of an orchestra of fauna and flora. The fact that one can visualize and share in the experience of making it, is what makes Schwarzwaldfahrt such a unique document in the history of creative music.”
- All About Jazz
“In the hands of lesser free players, a project such as this could end up sounding extremely pretentious, but it is to their credit that Brötzmann and Bennink pull it off. The quote from Sentimental Journey on the opening piece sums up this successful meeting of “natural” free music and nature.”
- Jazz Forum
“The twosome are into something primal, going beyond process and concept to the origins of music itself, a powerful aesthetic force. There's an eight-minute exploration of saxophone duets in a babbling brook, which is absolutely insane and a total gas to listen to. In its primal and very human way, Schwarzwaldfahrt is the highest form of conversation: conversation between two men, and man and nature.”
- ParisTransatlantic
“There is a delightful organic vibe here, a contemplative playfulness of wandering around the forest and improvising with nature. There is a joyous bond of adventure that holds these two musicians and friends together. It becomes more apparent as you listen to each disc.”
- Downtown Music Gallery
“Originally released on FMP as a single LP, the album culled from the travels still stands a unique and instantly endearing entry in the oeuvre of each player. The Unheard Music edition adds over an hour of unissued material by way of a second disc.”
- Bagatellen
“On “Nr. 10” the two are heard splashing in the water. When I played this track, my 20 month old son suddenly came running into the living room, said “rain”, went over to a speaker, looked behind it, and then sat down a foot in front of it, transfixed, laughing with delight. He loved it.”
- Cadence Magazine
All compositions by Peter Brötzmann and Han Bennink.
Peter Brötzmann & Han Bennink: e-flat clarinet, b-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, birdcalls, viola, banjo, cymbals, wood, trees, sand, land, water, air
Recorded open air on a Stellavox recorder by Peter Brötzmann and Han Bennink from May 9th to 11th, 1977, in the Black Forest near Aufen and at the Schwarzenbach Talsperre.
Produced by Peter Brötzmann and Jost Gebers.
Cover design and photographs by Peter Brötzmann and Han Bennink.
The musicians thank very much the Südwestfunk Baden-Baden for making this Schwarzwaldfahrt possible. Many thanks also to Mr. Joachim Ernst Berendt and Mr. Achim Hebgen for supporting our work.
Tracks 1-10 make up the original LP. Tracks 11-20 were recorded on the same May days in 1977 as the first ten, and initially released in 2005 on a double CD, via Atavistic's Unheard Music Series.
