In Vienna, Berlin and Tokyo musicians are working on stillness, reduction, non-expressivity and micro-differentiation. In Cologne, London, New York, Chicago, Paris, Warsaw, this music is performed and written about. But up to now the most exciting of this scene has been happening outside these large cities. For example, in Boston. That this city possesses a young and rather large improv scene including labels and venues is well known. There are even a few ”superstars” like the saxophonist Bhob Rainey and the trumpeter Greg Kelley, two musicians who have easily liberated themselves from established improvisation patterns.
What has been missing till now is a recording that clearly exemplifies the Sound of Boston. Such a thing can hardly be forced, it always seems to happen casually, e.g. when one listens to a concert recording again and again and then suddenly discovers how definitive it is!
Such a stroke of luck has arrived with The BSC – Good. The BSC is a chamber orchestra from Boston led by Bhob Rainey. Joining him are Greg Kelley (of course), James Coleman (theremin), Howard Stelzer (tapes), Liz Tonne (voice), Vic Rawlings (cello, electronics), Mike Bullock (bass), and Chris Cooper (prepared guitar), with guests Axel Dörner (trumpet) and Andrea Neumann (inside piano).
Good is a 37-minute, improvisation process recorded live, which creatively draws on the resources from the reduced parameters of this new improvised music. Despite all the stillness, the music is also surprisingly dense and tightly woven together. The music captivates via a noisiness radical maintained throughout the whole piece, and in spite of this (or because of it?), it is lyrical and surreal. The melody of metallic shimmering tonal colors can be heard from the very beginning.

Bhob Rainey

Mike Bullok

James Coleman

Chris Cooper

Axel Dörner (also on GROB426)

Greg Kelley

Andrea Neumann

Vic Ralings

Howard Stelzer

Liz Tonne

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GROB544 Hautzinger/ Winter - Brospa