Roger Turner - drums, percussion
Urs Leimgruber/Axel Dörner - tenor & soprano saxophones/trumpet
Ribo Flesh/Ra Ra da Boff - electric organs, little instruments

01 (28’25)
02 (23’18)

Après l’écoute qui commence dans l’interrogation curieuse,
on se trouve agréablement surpris, satisfait et envieux de se replonger dans cet univers
somme toute délicat et singulier où la musique
naît de riens pour incarner sens et intentions sans défaut.
Jean-Michel van Schouwburg, Orynx

Nach der brisanten Gewürzdosis, welche Axel Dörner und Roger Turner 2013 im legendären Südvorstädter Hort naTo zum Orgeldrone von Ra Ra da Boff beisteuerten, versammelt sich zwei Jahre später das Orgelduo als Ribo Flesh: im NuR gibt Urs Leimgruber seine feurige Klinke Turner in die Hand. Der Leipziger Osten wartet mit einer denkwürdig intimen, unsagbar abgründigen Soundscape auf.

Format: 12-cm-CD
Price: 17,99 €
ISBN: 978-3-944301-52-5
Ordering: oliverschwerdt@euphorium.de
Digital download: https://drner-turner-daboffturner-leimgruberflesh.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-london-leipzig-luzern

Reviews:

With a lineup comprising some of the leading figures in free improvisation, fans of the genre will surely want to give Untitled (London Leipzig Luzern) a close listen. Trumpeter Axel Dorner, saxophonist Urs Leimgruber and percussionist Roger Turner have made their mark on hundreds of recordings featuring all of the household names: Evan Parker, Sam Rivers, John Butcher, Joëlle Léandre, and many others. Indeed, all three musicians arguably belong in the pantheon themselves, and there's something to be said for their indefatigable, uncompromising commitment to such a challenging and typically unremunerative artform. What makes this release somewhat unusual is its reliance on organ as a crucial interlocutor, lending a distinctive aspect to the sound the musicians create.
There are two organists credited on the album: "Ribo Flesh" and "Ra Ra da Boff," although both appear to be pseudonyms for Oliver Schwerdt, a younger-generation keyboardist with a knack for forging partnerships with veteran luminaries of free jazz. His prior album on his own Euphorium label, One For My Baby and One More for the Bass (2020), featured bassist Barry Guy and drummer Günter 'Baby' Sommer. That release offered an abundance of invigorating music, with lots of rhythmic intensity and exuberance. Untitled, by contrast, is a more subdued affair, moving at an exceedingly slow pace, with Schwerdt typically limited to providing an undercurrent of menace in support of the cautious dialogues generated by his partners.
The first track comes in at 28 minutes, with Dörner teasing out a wide variety of sounds and textures over a steady foundation of muted organ, and Turner interjecting from time to time with his own range of contributions. It requires a lot of the listener, as each gesture or action proceeds deliberately—maybe too deliberately—but the collective effect of the organ's ominous broodings with Dörner's abstract bursts and Turner's creative panoply of sounds does exert a certain mysterious pull. The organ's churning intensity does build on the second half of the track, leading Dörner and Turner temporarily into a more assertive mode, but that's a relatively brief departure from the track's ponderous temperament.
The second track is a bit shorter at 23 minutes, this time with Leimgruber replacing Dörner. But the character of the track is very similar to the first, with languid explorations that unfold murkily. Leimgruber plays with a bit more fervor than Dörner, which generates comparatively more energy from Turner as well, although the organ is once again utilized mostly to provide a hazy blanket of sound rather than direct interrogations of the other musicians.
This isn't a recording for everyone, to be sure. Even many fans of free improvisation may find the music too remote and austere. But in its use of unusual textures and a unique instrumental configuration, it's worth a listen or two, and some listeners will find its willful abstraction a welcome departure from the over-stimulated world we inhabit.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ, Troy Dostert (https://www.allaboutjazz.com/untitled-london-leipzig-luzern-axel-dorner-roger-turner-urs-leimgruber-and-ribo-flesh-euphorium [20220317]).

Publication originale (c’est le moins qu’on puisse dire) du label Euphorium de Leipzig, dirigé par le pianiste Oliver Schwerdt de Leipzig. Oliver est connu pour avoir travaillé et enregistré (sur le même label) avec Gunther Sommer, les bassistes Daniel Landfermann et John Edwards, le batteur Christian Lillinger en compagnie de qui il a travaillé et enregistré aux côtés d’Ernst Ludwig Petrowsky et de Peter Brötzmann. Plusieurs albums en trio ou quintet sont parus documentant ces collaborations. Comme je ne peux pas ratisser large vu les limites de mes finances, je vous ai dégotté quelques curieux témoignages de ce label Euphorium. Une espèce de quadriptique composé de deux minis CD solos et de deux improvisations réunies sur un vrai CD, London Leipzig Luzern, réunissant deux trios où alternativement le trompettiste Axel Dörner et le saxophoniste Urs Leimgruber sont confrontés aux paysages sonores de Rada Da Boff ou de Ribo Flesh et de la percussion raréfiée de Roger Turner. Rada Da Boff = Ribo Flesh = Oliver Schwerdt, vous l’avez compris. Les deux mini CD’s contiennent des solos « absolus » : Untitled (Berlin) de Dörner et Untitled (Luzern)de Leimgruber et le tout fut enregistré en 2015 à Leipzig avec des durées respectives de 17’49’’ et 13’59’’. Mini , c’est vraiment mini. Afin de meubler l’intérêt, Euphorium m’a gratifié d’un autre CD de 2013, Leipzig Berlin London avec Dörner/ Schwerdt/ Turner. Dans ces deux CD’s format « normal » emballé dans un simple pochette de papier fort ornée de photos de fleurs sauvages, Oliver Schwerdt joue des orgues électriques et des petits instruments dans l’EUPH047. On y trouve Leimgruber et Dörner dans leur démarche radicale de « méta-souffleurs » et un Roger Turner appliqué et ultra-précis percutant légèrement (avec baguettes de riz chinoises ou aiguilles à tricoter ? ), gratouillant ou secouant légèrement ses instruments métalliques. Oliver Schwerdt a, lui, adopté une démarche zen – drone, laissant le champ au trompettiste ou au percussionniste d’y insérer un brin d’animation un instant ou l’autre. J’entends quand même un peu de piano dans le trio EUPH047… ? Bref, il s’agit d’une musique avec des intentions radicales et jouées avec une belle décontraction et un sens déraisonnable du minimalisme. Il y a une certaine spontanéité… Les bruissements nuageux ou brumeux et les suraigus compressés de Dörner à la trompette varient clairement entre chaque enregistrement (2013 et 2015) et le saxophone soprano de Leimgruber est poussé à la limite de ses possibilités acoustiques. Des fragments de dialogues impromptus surgissent entre Turner et les effets de timbre et de souffle de Dörner, lesquels suggèrent des mouvements plus amples. Roger Turner est un musicien incontournable et exemplaire au niveau de la percussion dans ce type de musique improvisée ouverte et détaillée à l'infini. Après l’écoute qui commence dans l’interrogation curieuse, on se trouve agréablement surpris, satisfait et envieux de se replonger dans cet univers somme toute délicat et singulier où la musique naît de riens pour incarner sens et intentions sans défaut. J’espère ne pas égarer les deux mini-disc en solo d’une contenance presqu’égale à une face de LP vinyle, assez pour servir de carte de visite sonore au cas où vous voudriez fous faire une idée de la démarche instrumentale individuelle peu commune de ces deux souffleurs essentiels de l’improvisation, explorateurs émérites des timbres secrets de leurs tuyaux d’air… Le jeu d’Urs Leimgruber dans Untitled fausse et dérègle la colonne d’air en contraignant les aigus comme s’il s’agissant d’une machine venue d’ailleurs. Souffle organique, singulier, âpre, volatile et terrien. Le côté joli et décoratif auquel nombre de souffleurs cantonnent cet instrument est complètement oblitéré, pour une espèce de diatribe de canard sauvage ou de cacatoès perdu en haute mer… merveilleux.
ORYNX, Jean-Michel van Schouwburg https://orynx-improvandsounds.blogspot.com/2022/02/alex-von-schlippenbach-sven-ake.html [20220219]).

The three volumes of Untitled offer four extended free improvisations with British, German and Swiss masters of the art of the moment, including two solo free improvisations of two of these masters – German trumpeter Axel Dörner and Swiss sax player Urs Leimgruber, all recorded on the same day at NuR in Leipzig, Germany, in December 2015.
The first Untitled improvisation features Dörner, English percussionist Roger Turner and electric organist Ra Ra da Boff (an alter ego for pianist-keyboardist-composer Oliver Schwerdt, the head of the Leipzig-based Euphorium Records, who produced these albums and designed the covers). This improvisation continues the meeting of these gifted improvisers on London Leipzig Berlin (Euphorium, 2015), recorded in Leipzig in December 2013. This improvisation relies on subtle employment of extended techniques and opts for slow-cooking, deep listening dynamics. It suggests a fragile, sparse and quite an impressionist drone texture, with Dörner’s abstract, muted breaths and blows at its center.
The second improvisation features Turner, Leimgruber and electric organist Ribo Flesh (another alias of Schwerdt), and it adapts similar, patient and quiet dynamics, again, relying on extended techniques. Leimgruber takes the lead and at the beginning of this improvisation, his reserved sax blows extend the eerie, organ sounds of the mysterious Ribo Flesh, while Turner ornaments this enigmatic, ethereal dialog with ritualist, resonant bells sounds. Later, Leimgruber’s delicate sax squeaks and breaths trigger loose and brief rhythmic patterns of Turner and distant, abstract drone sounds of Ribo Flesh.
Dörner’s mini-disc Untitled (Berlin) is an 18-minutes improvisation that offers an array of inventive, extended breathing techniques that employ the trumpet as an ethereal sonic generator, producing a series of weird sounds ranging from, abstract white noises to alien hissing voices and some fleeting, lyrical themes.
Leimgruber’s mini-disc Untitled (Luzern) is a 14-minute improvisation and it is a real gem. Leimgruber focuses on the soprano sax and offers the poetic manner in which he weaves sonic searches and experiments with playful and talkative cries and blows into a highly nuanced and layered texture.
SALT PEANUTS, Eyal Hareuveni https://salt-peanuts.eu/record/turner-leimgruber-flesh-axel-dorner-urs-leimgruber [20220216]).

Leimgruber Turner Flesh? London Leipzig Luzern? Was denn nun? Nur das wo und wann denn ist klar: Leipzig, 14.12.2015. Dazu ROGER TURNER als perkussive Konstante, aber offenbar doch auch AXEL DÖRNER an kläglich zirpender, verstopft fiepender, spuckig schnarrender, luftig bibbernder Trompete im ersten Set mit Ra Ra da Boff als dezent dröhnendem, siedendem E-Orgler-Paar aus O. Schwerdt & F. Kettlitz, das den zweiten Set mit nun URS LEIMGRUBERs Saxerei als Ribo Flesh bestreitet. Turner spielt, einigermaßen ungeschickt, Mikado, er fummelt im Nähkästchen, nadelt wie ein dürrer Christbaum, nestelt mit Blech, kramt mit Krims, rappelt im Karton, quietscht ungeölt. Dörner spielt undichte Ventile, ein wieherndes Seepferdchen, einen schlappschwänzigen Halteton oder, pianissimo, einen Lippenblütler. Boff einen sanften, gelegentlich leicht schillernden oder wummernd korgenden Bordunisten. Leimgruber tritt heimlich, still und leise an Dörners Stelle mit spitzen und allerspitzesten Spaltklängen zur Kirchenmaus- und Windorgel, zu Stricknadelklimbim und wie Turner da auf einem Puppenschrottplatz rum­turnert, zu Klappen- und Gießkannenlauten, die zuletzt berstend implodieren. Dörner wird mit Untitled (Berlin), Leimgruber mit Untitled (Luzern) dann jeweils nochmal extra unter die Lupe genommen. Das 3”-Format, das an sich schon zum Sammeln einlädt, könnte für Klänge, wie Dörner sie in die Nussschale presst, wie er sie da für den hohlen Zahn am Mundstück faucht, wischt, knört, züllt, furzt, schnaubt, trötend langzieht oder in Spucke köchelt, nicht maßgeschneiderter sein. Ebenso die Kostprobe von Leimgrubers diskant schädelbohrendem Sopranieren und blechrissigem Kläffen, Flattern und Quieken, das, metaphorisch, dem Effekt von Pharaos Rache nahe­kommt, der mit “aus 3 Meter ins Parfümfläschchen” treffend beschrieben wird.
BAD ALCHEMY, Rigobert Dittmann (Bad Alchemy Nr. 113, Februar 2022) (202202), S. 21.

Let's begin with the players on Untitled (London Leipzig Luzern). I had the chance to see saxophonist Urs Leimgruber play in a duo with keyboardist Jacques Demierre (who was playing an enhanced spinnet) and it was, even by the wide berth given experimental music, an unusual show. Leimgruber had extended passages in which he would either simply move his soprano sax around in the air above and around his head, or blow some almost unheard notes. Trumpeter Axel Dörner, works in both in 'jazz-like' settings as well as more exploratory ones where he extends his playing through both acoustic and electronic means creating immersive sound worlds. Similarly with percussionist Roger Turner who too stretches the boundaries of music through his expressive percussion work. These three musicians on Untitled (London Leipzig Luzern) are at their most experimental. Now, add Ra Ra da Boff, which is one of the many aliases of keyboardist and composer (credited here as playing electric organ) Oliver Schwerdt, and another electric organ player "Ribo Flesh", which I suspect is also a pseudonym... I mean, I tried googling "Ribo Flesh Organ" and the results did not turn up much that I could really use...
Ok, before I lose the thread... the music on this disc was culled from a performance in 2015 in Leipzig. The tracks are split into two electro-acoustic trios - Dörner, Turner, Ra Ra, and Leimgruber, Turner, Ribo - and they improvise long, uninterrupted tracks with approaches that range from a collection of disassociated sounds to a fog of menacing tones. The group often takes just a few notes and stretches them over expanses of time and space. Bursts of organ, scrape of drum, a rattle of sticks, and trumpet flare-ups are not uncommon, but they are unpredictable. During the first track, the organ contributes long drones while the others play seriously around it. Dörner leads the way, with a mix of fluttery breath through the horn and rough patches of sound, while Turner's percussion is sparse, but adding sharp contrasts.
Track two begins with scrapes from the percussion, along with overtones from the organ. A minute later Leimgruber can be heard lightly in the background, his saxophone skillfully hanging on a fine line between pushing air and making sound. The track hovers for a bit before he offers some fully-formed notes, clicking of keys, and jumping off into a register at the edge of humans hearing. As the music gains in intensity, Turner finds the right moments to accentuate the saxophonist's ideas and contributes textural fills. As with the track with Dörner, there is plenty of space. Around 11-minutes in, the organ teases a tonal cluster and the extra harmonic layer is nearly physically palpable. Towards the 18-minute mark, the pulse quickens and Leimgruber launches into a series of up-tempo runs. The swell of the organ and the intense clatter of percussion along with the intense chatter of the saxophone creates an otherworldly auditory experience.
The two tracks on Untitled (London Leipzig Luzern) are studies in patience, deep listening and minimalism. Small changes make big differences, and it is quiet music that requires close concentration. There are also two mini-CDs that contain solos from Dörner and Leimgruber recorded during the same session
THE FREE JAZZ COLLECTIVE, Paul Acquaro (https://www.freejazzblog.org/2022/01/leimgruber-turner-dorner-da-boff-flesh.html [20220128]).