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Schick, H?ker Flaten, Steidle: The Cliffhanger Session

By Mark Corroto
October 17, 2024
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Schick, Håker Flaten, Steidle: The Cliffhanger Session

For listeners who enjoy when an artist or group zig when we expect them to zag, I give you The Cliffhanger Session. The abrupt change of direction for

Ignaz Schick

turntable
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Ignaz Schick,

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten

bass
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Ingebrigt H?ker Flaten and

" data-original-title="" title="">Oliver Steidle is the switch from electro-acoustic energy noise to an all-acoustic performance. The German-born musicians, Schick and Steidle, created ILOG, an all-out turntable, percussion, and sampling onslaught of improvised mayhem. Their loops and samples are the equivalent of a schizophrenic DJ tuned to an alien frequency. Likewise, Shick and Norwegian bassist H?ker-Flaten have toured an electric duo, which has yet to release a recording.

This disc and the accompanying digital-only The Cliffhanger Session Vol. 2 (Zarek, 2024) are a return to each musician's roots. Before Schick was a turntablist and a sound and visual artist, he studied the saxophone. Likewise, H?ker Flaten began on acoustic bass, gaining recognition in the super-groups Atomic and The Thing. Steidle's fame comes from his ensemble SoKo Steidle, Der Rote Bereich and the jazz-rock of Oli Steidle & The Killing Popes.

Here, each musician unplugs for an old-school free jazz throwdown. Schick trades his turntables for an alto and a baritone saxophone, H?ker Flaten pulls deep resonating notes from his double bass and Steidle sits at a full drum kit. This April 2023 session yields two lengthy 20-minute tracks, each self-confident and blustering, as timidity is likely not an attribute their free jazz listeners would value. Listeners may reference the sounds of

Charles Gayle

saxophone
1939 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Gayle,

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker and

Rashied Ali

drums
1935 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Rashied Ali. The Cliffhanger trio, though, have their own sound. Sometimes it is full-gas energy music, other times they shift into exploratory sound with alternating arco and pizzicato bass, bells and percussion, plus Shick's Socratic, searching alto saxophone and deep, bluesy resonating baritone saxophone.

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Track Listing

The Cliffhanger #1, The Cliffhanger #2.

Personnel

Ignaz Schick

turntable

Oliver Steidle

drums

Ingebrigt H?ker Flaten

bass

Additional Instrumentation

Ignaz Schick: alto saxophone, baritone saxophone; Oliver Steidle: percussion.

Album information

Title: The Cliffhanger Session | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Zarek

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