PETER BRÖTZMANN — Nipples (review)

PETER BRÖTZMANN — Nipples album cover Album · 1969 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
Peter Brotzmann's "Nipples" for years if not for decades was a cult rarity of early European avant-garde jazz. Re-released on CD, it became much more accessible, and in part it destroyed the legendary album's image.

Just two compositions, one on each vinyl LP side (CD re-release contains one bonus track). Title song almost 18 minutes long is played by sextet - with second tenor sax by Evan Parker, Derek Bailey on guitar,pianist and rhythm section. Angular,fast,explosive it demonstrates excellent level of communication between all musicians and are great illustration of collective musicianship,truly European avant-garde jazz classic (having a lot in common with American avant-garde of its time, it still sounds quite differently - far from smokey NY lofts,more cold,calculated,kind of Germanic modernist music for stylish cafes with polished aluminium and bright plastic furniture - I still visit one such place time to time when in Wien).

Unfortunately Side B played by quartet of Brotzmann, pianist Fred Van Hove and rhythm section (Han Bennink and relatively unknown bassist Buschi Niebergall)is quite a different thing. Only slightly shorter (15 and half minutes) this composition concentrates on personal soloing of each musician,but as a result very soon becomes bulky,unfocused and openly boring at the end.

With all respect to time when this album was released and its cult status, this release could be recommended only in part,Brotzmann has really stronger works in his huge discography.Side A is still an excellent evidence of its time's atmosphere.
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