Daniel Studer

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20 years of Kontrabassduo Studer-Frey: Zeit

Peter K Frey b
Daniel Studer b, electr.
Jürg Frey cl, bcl
Alfred Zimmerlin vcl

All works by Peter K Frey and Daniel Studer (SUISA)

home recordings by Studer-Frey, 2018; recorded live at "Rote Fabrik" Zurich, 2004;
recorded at Studio 2, Radio SRF2 Kultur Zurich, by Ron Kurz, 2004; recorded at Tramwerkstatt Zurich by Studer-Frey, 2007.
sound engineer: Ron Kurz
liner notes: Giancarlo Schiaffini
Translation by Judith Blumenthal
Produced by Studer-Frey & Leo Feigin
grafic design/ art work: Lora Denis
label: Leo Records, LR 837, 2019

music:
praeludium, 2018, 2:53
pars prima (with Jürg Frey and Alfred Zimmerlin), 2004, 4:17

order: info@studer-frey.ch

liner notes:

…20 years of working together is an important anniversary; it almost seems to allude to marriage. In this case, however, it is not referring to a life in matrimony but to a creative teamwork that has continuously developed and grown over time. The Kontrabassduo Studer–Frey has been active for practically a generation and (gladly) does not seem to want to step back and retire. The opposite is true; it continues to produce and project new musical situations.
The CD is practically a “suite” of music, with alternating pieces for duo and for quartet. The planning of the musical sequence has been very accurate so that the CD, as a whole, comes over as one composition without any problem.
…its expression is remarkably dense and reveals a strong interaction between the two performers. Interaction is one of the characteristics that is always present…
I will now come to a close – with a rather untechnical, but heartfelt comment which came spontaneously (and was later reconfirmed) when I first listened to the music: “È un CD MOLTO BELLO E INTERESSANTE!”

Giancarlo Schiaffini

cd reviews:

Double bassists Peter K Frey and Daniel Studer has spent the better part of the 21stcentury performing as a duo, but they don’t seem to have felt pressured to rush out a recording documenting their music. This CD includes selections from 2004, 2007, and 2018 that were made at home, in concert, and in the studio. But despite the variety of sources and occasions, this album feels quite cohesive, which is a testament to integrity of their partnership. They rarely play similarly at any given moment, but their contrasting techniques and frequency ranges evince a balance makes even the tracks with contributions by clarinetist Jürg Frey and cellist Alfred Zimmerlin feel like the work of one massive, multi-bodied bass.
Bill Meyer, Dusted Magazin, 2020

…It nevertheless pursues the same goal: excavating and mapping a small piece of the immense musical ground that has opened between the first improvisations of early jazz and the contemporary world of composition. It is a goal, of course, that can only ever be achieved in fragments. These albums show, however, the pursuit is nevertheless well worth the effort.
Nick Ostrum, free jazz blog, 2019

…nettement oriente dans la recherche contemporaine. … Or, celles-ci ont la particularite de les presenter, en concert, dans quatre espaces separes et isoles, sans que chacun puisse entendre les trois autres. Ce qui donne un resultat totalement aleatoire mais fort interessant: que donne l'ecoute interieure?
Jean Buzelin, Culturejazz, 2019

“Zeit” is based on different combos and styles. Contrabass duos of Daniel Studer and Peter K. Frey have an exclusive and modern sound. Interesting and organic combo, inspiring sound and inventive musical decisions are also made in compositions for a quartet – here the musical pattern is colorfully illustrated by clarinet and cello. The duos and quartets are highly contrasting with each other. All compositions have an exceptional and modern musical language …… A huge stylistic variety is detected – the basics of experimental jazz, impressive spontaneous free improvisations, avant-garde and modern jazz styles, contemporary academical music and academic avant-garde are joined together in organic and remarkable way. Contrabass duos have an expressive and original sound.…
Avant Scena, 2019

…Interaktionen und Reaktionen sind minuziös präzise, zugleich locker wie selbstverständlich. Subtil oder klar. Ihre Instrumente können wie eines tönen oder kontrastreich klanglich gegeneinander abgesetzt werden.…Kein Wunder, gelingt es den beiden Bassisten doch, mit offenen Ohren anzuschließen an einst Gespieltes, die, so könnte man es hören, als indirekte Spielanweisung gedient haben könnten. Intensität gelingt hier nicht über größtmögliche Dichte und hohe Dynamik, sondern über Präsenz, weiter gedachte Töne und Klänge, auch wenn diese kurz gespielt werden, übe rein stetes, auch imaginäres Mitdenken…
Nina Polaschegg, freiStil 2019

À l’écoute, on a l’impression d’une évolution organique, d’une suite enchaînée avec une forme à la fois logique et poétique. … L’auditeur est plus qu’entraîné dans un rêve éveillé ou une sieste méditative, il est invité à se retourner, à ouvrir l’œil et à interrompre le rythme de sa promenade tout en maintenant la continuité d’une écoute active.
Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg, 2019 (orynx-improvandsounds.blogspot.com)

… Notwithstanding the apparent lack of any pattern or the seeming unpredictability within each piece, there is a complete notation leading the musicians, who might in fact be organised in such a way as to prohibit each of them from listening to any of the others! The entire album does need solicitously mindful listening, but that is no hardship as I found it to be a calming experience whilst remaining inspiring."
Ken Cheetham, jazzviews, 2019

… Zeit mette in mostra la notevole caratura delle tecniche esposte, un nastro trasportatore verso situazioni emotive del tutto speciali …
Ettore Garzia, Percorsi Musicali, 2019

“On their pieces as a duo on this release, here is a comfortable, confident and assured musical relationship that allows them to speak as though with one voice, charting avantgarde jazz moods and tones ranging from leisurely to tense with the greatest of ease.
…Alternated with these home recordings is something rather different- numbered excerpts from a concert in Zurich in 2004 where Studer and Frey are joined by Jurg Frey on clarinet and Alfred Zimmerlin on violoncello.
…These two theoretically disparate sets of pieces are tightly segued into each other to form one near-continuous 51-minute work that oozes character- a fascinating explanation of working with acoustic double basses in truly experimental fashion to form an outlier on the most extreme outskirts of jazz.”

Stuart Bruce, Chain D.L.K., 2019

© Daniel Studer 2013. All rights reserved.