Live In Bremen by HPHiby JBauer MMattos MBlume – A Free Jazz Blast from '95
Alright, let’s talk about this wild ride of an album, Live In Bremen. Released back in 1995 on Aufruhr Records (a German label for those keeping score), it’s one of those free jazz gems that doesn’t hold your hand. Nope. It just grabs you by the collar and drags you into its chaotic, beautiful world. The band? Hans-Peter Hiby killing it on tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, Johannes Bauer blowing minds with his trombone, Marcio Mattos holding down the bass like a boss, and Martin Blume smashing percussion like he’s got something to prove. Together, they’re a powerhouse of raw energy.
Now, I gotta say, this isn’t background music you put on while folding laundry or whatever. This is “sit down, shut up, and listen” kind of stuff. Two tracks really stuck with me: Bronze Glow and Stone Rain. Let me break ‘em down real quick.
Bronze Glow kicks things off with this eerie vibe—like walking through fog at dawn but also kinda excited because you don’t know what’s ahead. Hiby’s sax work here is nuts; he switches between smooth lines and these jagged bursts that feel like someone flipping channels on an old TV. And then there’s Bauer’s trombone—it growls, it whispers, it does things I didn’t even think were possible. By the time Mattos and Blume lock into their groove halfway through, you’re either hooked or completely lost. Honestly, both are valid reactions.
Then there’s Stone Rain, which hits like… well, stone rain, I guess? It starts with this slow build-up, almost like the band’s feeling each other out before all hell breaks loose. When it does, man, it’s glorious chaos. Blume’s drumming is relentless, like he’s trying to summon a storm, and Hiby goes full beast mode on the tenor sax. There’s this moment near the end where everything drops out except for Mattos’s bass solo, and it feels like the whole room takes a deep breath. That pause? Pure magic.
The third track, Steel Wind, is solid too, but I’ll be honest—I was still recovering from the first two when it came on. Maybe next time I’ll give it more love.
So yeah, Live In Bremen isn’t for everyone. If you’re into polished melodies and predictable structures, this might not be your jam. But if you dig music that challenges you, that makes you sit up and go “whoa,” then this album’s worth checking out. Plus, it’s cool knowing it came from Germany in the mid-’90s—a reminder that free jazz wasn’t just a U.S. thing.
Oh, and here’s a random thought: listening to this album feels like watching a group of friends argue passionately about something they care deeply about. Sure, it gets messy, but damn if it isn’t fascinating.
