Two for Two

by Aki Takase, Han Bennink

Overview

In early May 2011, pianist Aki Takase's penchant for collaborative duo improvisation manifested itself as Two for Two, a 16-track album shared with master percussionist Han Bennink. Most of the pieces are based upon their original ideas; additional compositional credits cite Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk, and the team of Louis Alter and Eddie DeLange, who are represented here by their most famous hit tune, "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" Takase's discography is peppered with precedents for this creative tete-a-tete. As the 20th century drew to a close, she paired up with Gunther Klatt (1990), Alex von Schlippenbach (1993-1994), and David Murray (1995). Later developments involved Silke Eberhard, Louis Sclavis, Lauren Newton, and Rudi Mahall. A master drummer and multi-instrumentalist who also plays found objects, Bennink is a beloved hero to listeners all over the world who cherish the liberating effects of freely improvised music. He came up working with people like Dolphy, Don Cherry, and Marion Brown. Subsequent adventures involved over-the-top collaborations with Willem Breuker, Misha Mengelberg, and Peter Broetzmann. Takase's approach to musicality is refreshingly broad and inclusive of the entire century-long bundle of traditions called jazz. While clearly devoted to Thelonious Monk and capable of muscling the keyboard like Errol Parker, Cecil Taylor, or Marilyn Crispell, she is also well-versed in the early strata from Jelly Roll Morton and W.C. Handy through Fats Waller and Duke Ellington. Takase's artistry combines the spirits of these musical ancestors with the modern influences of Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, and John Coltrane. Taking all of this into account, a one-on-one Takase/Bennink collaboration appears to have been almost inevitable. The predictably unpredictable results are sure to gratify seasoned modern jazz lovers and dazzle impressionable listeners unfamiliar with this kind of creative exchange. ~ arwulf arwulf

Product Details

Release Date:	10/29/2013
Label:	INTAKT RECORDS
UPC:	7640120191931

Tracks

1. Two For Two
2. My Tokyo
3. Locomotive
4. Zankapfel
5. Knut
6. Baumkuchen
7. Monochrome
8. Raise Four
9. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?
10. A Chotto Matte
11. Hat and Beard
12. Ohana Han
13. Rolled Up
14. Hell Und Dunkel
15. Hommage to Thelonious Monk (Motive of Pannonica and Ask Me Now)
16. Two for Two

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Aki Takase   Primary Artist,Piano
Han Bennink   Primary Artist,Drums

Technical Credits

Anne-Kristin Soelter   Cut,Assistant
Peter Schladenbach   Engineer
Kulturradio Rbb   Engineer
Tobias Sommer   Photography
Eddie DeLange   Composer
Ulf Drechsel   Producer
Thelonious Monk   Composer
Aki Takase   Composer
Han Bennink   Cover Art
Eric Dolphy   Composer
Louis Alter   Composer
Wolfgang Hoff   Sound Supervision
Kevin Whitehead   Liner Notes
Patrik Landolt   Producer
Monika Steffens   Mastering,Digital Cutting
Jonas Schoder   Cover Art,Graphic Design