''Live at Taktlos'' is a live album by pianist

Irène Schweizer Irène Schweizer (born 2 June 1941) is a Swiss jazz and free improvising pianist. She was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. She has performed and recorded numerous solo piano performances as well as performing as part of the Feminist Improvis ...

. It was recorded in February 1984 during a three-day improvisation meeting, and was released by

Intakt Records Intakt Records is an independent record label, based in Zürich. History The label was founded in 1986 by Patrik Landolt.Margasak, Peter (September 2013) "Intakt's Landolt Takes Long-Term Approach to Avant-Garde". ''Down Beat''. p. 16. In the ea ...

on LP in 1986, and on CD in 2005. On the album, Schweizer is joined by vocalist

Maggie Nicols Maggie Nicols (or Nichols, as she originally spelled her name as a performer) (born 24 February 1948), is a Scottish free-jazz and improvising vocalist, dancer, and performer. Early life and career Nicols was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, as Mar ...

, trombonist

George Lewis George Lewis may refer to: Entertainment and art * George B. W. Lewis (1818–1906), circus rider and theatre manager in Australia * George E. Lewis (born 1952), American composer and free jazz trombonist * George J. Lewis (1903–1995), Mexican ...

, pianist

Lindsay Cooper Lindsay Cooper (3 March 1951 – 18 September 2013) was an English bassoon and oboe player and composer. Best known for her work with the band Henry Cow, she was also a member of Comus, National Health, News from Babel and David Thomas and the ...

, bassist

Joëlle Léandre Joëlle Léandre (born 12 September 1951 in Aix-en-Provence, France) is a French double bassist, vocalist, and composer active in Contemporary classical music, new music and free improvisation. In the field of contemporary music, she has perfor ...

, and drummers

Paul Lovens Paul Lovens (born 6 June 1949) is a German musician. He plays drums, percussion, singing saw, and cymbals. He has performed with the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra and Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra. He was born in Aachen, Germany. In the early ...

and

Günter Sommer Günter "Baby" Sommer (born 25 August 1943) is a German jazz drummer. Career Sommer was born in Dresden on 25 August 1943. His first instrument was the trumpet, which he studied at school. He started playing the drums aged 15 or 16. He studie ...

. The album marks the first release by Intakt.

Reception

The authors of the ''

Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled by ...

'' awarded the album 4 stars, stating: "As an introduction to chweizer'swork, it is hard to beat," and commenting: "Schweizer works brilliantly with drummers... and with Sommer and Lovens... she is at her very best. The association with Maggie Nicols yields a rare mixture of fun and abstract interest and Léandre has also been a very important associate." Writing for

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

, Derek Taylor remarked: "Attaching a play-by-play to all the delirious, irreverent action and reaction ends up a pointless pursuit within mere minutes. A marker for various partnerships that have since made good on their promises tenfold, this music still packs an enjoyable jolt on par with its initial release." In an article for Paris Transatlantic Magazine, Dan Warburton wrote: "These days, now that the molten lava of free improv has cooled to form a number of well-charted islands, it's even more refreshing to rediscover a music that moves effortlessly between high octane free, Darmstadt pointillism, Cathy Berberian theatrics and even stride and boogie woogie. It's also a timely reminder of how awesome these performers were." Kurt Gottschalk, writing for Signal to Noise, commented: "Two decades later, it's easy to see this album as a statement of what was then a new form of creative improvising."

Track listing

# "First Meeting" - 26:10 # "Lungs And Legs Willing?" - 12:04 # "Trutznachtigall" - 20:30 # "Every Now And Then" - 1:21 * Recorded February 4 and 5, 1984 at the Taktlos-Festival,

Rote Fabrik Rote Fabrik (''Red Factory'') is a former factory in the Wollishofen neighbourhood of Zürich, Switzerland. It is now used as a music venue and cultural centre. It is so named because the buildings are made of red brick, but also because left- ...

, Zurich

Personnel

– piano (tracks 1–3) *

– vocals (tracks 2, 4) *

– trombone (track 1) *

– piano (track 4) *

– bass (track 3) *

– drums (track 3) *

– drums (track 2)

Production

* Peter Pfister – engineer

References

{{Reflist 1986 albums Intakt Records live albums Irène Schweizer live albums