The last few years have seen a number of very early Eugene Chadbourne finds make their way to market. Many of these, of course, have appeared on Chadbourne's own House of Chadula CD-R label, but Italian percussionist Andrea Centazzo has been digging through his own vaults, coming with a small slew of surprising releases, including The German Horse, a double disc set of duos culled from concerts in Italy in 1978.
The first disc of the new set is in line with many of the late '70s and early '80s recordings being released, falling closer to European-styled free-improv than the songs and mayhem Chadbourne would later become known for: two long, open pieces that ramble and roll, hitting and missing marks with the honesty of an unedited session. With only a drummer behind him, Chadbourne is free to switch gears as often as he likes, quoting jazz standards and traipsing into noise and quietude. The six shorter pieces (two- to ten-minutes, give or take) on the second disc are more focused, and with brief Beatles and Duke Ellington referencing hint more strongly at what was to come for Chadbourne. Throughout, Centazzo is quick and deft, switching lanes as quickly as Chadbourne can hit the turn signal.
But where some of the recently-heard early recordings show Chadbourne in a more "serious improv" mode, here his personality comes through strongly. While still a bit sparse and segmented, his unique presence is strongly felt. While his willingness (a la his hero Frank Zappa) to allow humor into music put him at odds at times while he was establishing his turf, Centazzo - like Han Bennink, with whom Chadbourne would go on to forge a decades-long partnership - is ready to meet him every step of the way on this historic bit of fun.
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Kurt Gottschalk 2007-10-21
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