Momentum 2: The Law of Refraction

In November 1998, pianist John Wolf Brennan, clarinetist Gene Coleman, and drummer Christian Wolfarth recorded a studio session released the next year under the title Momentum (Leo Records). A year later, they repeated the experience, this time adding cellist Alfred Zimmerlin. Momentum, Vol. 2: The Law of Refraction is more engaging than the previous effort, warmer. The basic artistic proposition remains the same: free improvisation with very little to do with jazz, focused on short musical events (staccatos) and making active use of silence and space. But while the first CD sounded abstract and cold, this second helping is more dense and playful. The track titles must be credited in part to that last aspect: they all refer to mechanical or electrical phenomena — physics. Their presence helps the listener focus attention on the way the pieces were improvised and, even though interpretations might differ widely (the titles do not really describe the music), they do enhance the listening experience. The interplay between Coleman and Wolfarth is often the center of attention, while Brennan delivers one of his best (as in well-balanced) performances. From the Tibetan-like meditative state of "Standing Wave" to the exuberance of "Simple Harmonic Motion," Momentum, Vol. 2: The Law of Refraction has much to offer to the contemplative listener. ~ François Couture, Rovi