Geschmacksarbeit by Joachim Zoepf: Album Review
Clarinettist and saxophonist Joachim Zoepf is a renowned figure in the German and European improvize scene. He has collaborated with top-tier improvisers and established himself as a pillar of one of the top recording labels. His 2018 album Geschmacksarbeit is a genius in eccentricity.
The album consists of 14 songs divided into two equal sections. There are seven songs by the name โKurzwellenโ which translates to โShortwaveโ featuring a soprano saxophone and seven songs named โLagwellenโ which means โLongwaveโ featuring his bass clarinet.
Productionwise, the album is unpolished and raw as it can get. But thereโs a method to this madness. As far as improvisation goes, overpolishing takes the soul out of the music. The abrupt and eclectic nature of the melodies carries and stirs emotions that only this kind of music can evoke. Disrupting the norms of jazz, this album treads in the realms of the avant-garde. Minimalist in nature, the songs also have some electronic elements made with a computer interface that add an extra layer of eccentricity. The sound might be deemed abrupt and uncanny to many listeners. This album is definitely of an acquired taste.
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Review by: Gabe Finch