Tinderbox by Fuhler - Bennink - De Joode

****
There is no way to pin down Cor Fuhler. This pianist seems to reinvent himself with every project he plays in -- if not every tune. This trio with drummer Han Bennink and bassist Wilbert de Joode covers a lot of ground between straight-ahead bop and noisy free improvisation. Strongly anchored in jazz, it hides a surprise around every corner. In the quietest, jazziest moments Fuhler's playing flourishes into beautiful dreamy ruminations. But things are rarely what they seem to be. "Close Match" sticks to the bop ballad format for most of its duration, with only Bennink stepping out for his trademark punches out of nowhere. "Polykhameskero" starts in a pretty straightforward way too, once again Fuhler developing a delicate theme, but halfway through Hell breaks loose. Bennink starts rummaging, De Joode shifts from notes to grainy textures and Fuhler trades the piano for the screechy keyolin (a keyboard-violin Frankenstein-esque hybrid) before turning to the celesta for the finale. In the opener "Kirkology," he goes back and forth between the high range of the piano where he plays trickling variations on a theme and the low end where objects on the strings make them sound plinky-plonky -- all to great effect. The jazz tunes are genuine and the way they get expanded and launched into free improv space is exciting and honest, not a comedy shtick at all. Throughout this album (culled from two live sets at the BIMhuis in June 2002), De Joode gracefully assumes the anchoring role. Bennink is in great shape, playful, naughty and entertaining. So in the end Tinderbox offers a comfortable listen, even for the newcomer to avant-garde jazz, but never lets you down. It takes you to different places without you being aware of travelling. Recommended.
François Couture, All Music Guide

Tracklist

1.	Kirkology	6:04

2.	Jag 1	1:26

3.	Tschon	5:27

4.	Galactic dust curves	3:27

5.	Butterfly Pilot	5:54

6.	Jag 2	0:39

7.	Bewitched cherry pits	5:11

8.	Jag 3	2:23

9.	Glasso chor	3:22

10.	Jag 4	2:08

11.	Polykhameskero	5:23

12.	Close match	7:57

13.	Pyromoon	6:55

14.	Elf in een dozijn	2:51

15.	Battery surf	4:03

Credits

released September 13, 2013

Cor Fuhler - piano, melodica, celesta, keyolin
Han Bennink - drums
Wilbert de Joode - double bass

All compositions by Cor Fuhler, Han Bennink and Wilbert de Joode
except track 14 by Cor Fuhler

Recorded direct to two track at BIMhuis Amsterdam by Dick Lucas, June 4 + 5 , 2002

Coverdesign: Han Bennink

License