liner notes by art lange (june '94) the proof, if any is still needed, that jazz is an international language exists on this disk, in this multifaceted music. gebhard ullmann, who brings with him from germany an armful of reed instruments and a fistful of compositions, has joined forces with a fluent, self-contained trio from brooklyn and discovered there is no gap in communication, no differences in dialect. despite geographical distances and cultural dissimilarities, the musical attitudes they share cover a common ground. ullmann and tenor saxophonist ellery eskelin are a particularly interesting combination, as they seem to have arrived at a point of conceptual agreement from contrasting philosophical backgrounds. both, for example, have previously recorded "solo" projects, but a brief look at these would suggest they'd have little in common. eskelin's premonition (on a prime source cd) offers three spontaneously improvised pieces and three standards; with the exception of drum machine on "besame mucho" there is no overdubbing or added instruments. the music reinforces eskelin's position in the tenor sax tradition, especially "body and soul" (every tenorman's test piece since coleman hawkins' classic 1939 masterpiece) and "off minor" (which, coincidentally, hawkins also recorded, with monk, in 1957). the purity of his linear approach frees him to creatively distort the melodic line with sudden dynamic drops, mid phase tonal peculiarities (from a coo to a rasp), and a grasp of chromaticism in the webster/gonsalves/shepp continuum - which also seems to magnify the swing, rather than bop, of his understated rhythms. ullmann, on the other hand, took the solo challenge as license for personal expression in a compositional vein. his tá lam (99 records) is a sequence of brief vignettes and longer pieces that suggest windblown landscapes and organic shapes in nature, rock formations and foliage sculpted by the elements. methodical overdubbing (up to 16 different woodwinds) and even an accomplice on accordion allow him to create layers of activity and impressionistic voicings; yet when the texture thins to a single bass clarinet or tenor sax line he too seeks to stimulate the phrasing by avoiding well worn intervals. up to this point they seemed to stay in character regardless of setting. eskelin's work in his longstanding trio (significantly with drummer phil haynes and bassist drew gress) and the cooperative quartet joint venture (adding trumpeter paul smoker) stresses his improvisatory powers, and his own 1993 soul note session, figure of speech, an unlikely trio of tenor, tuba, and hand percussion, has a loose, limber feel. ullmann's music, whether the scored ensembles of his sextet or octet named tá lam, or his varied collaborative efforts with guitarist andreas willers, focuses on issues of color and construction - even when improvised, his material strives for an arranged ambiance. which is why their compatibility in this quartet is such a pleasant surprise. neither a blowing session nor a strict charted program. basement research is a sympathetic combination of tonalities and attitudes - with an edge to it. given their nearly telepathic relationship, one might expect the music to be controlled by the trio of eskelin, gress, and haynes, adding ullmann as a peripheral solo voice, but that's not the case. there's no imbalance of emphasis or style; on the contrary, what emerges is an ingenious reconsideration of the quartet rhythmic format. haynes and gress deserve special credit for their roles in outlining a flexible approach to the music's movement and mood. gress' may be the most difficult, requiring him to remain fluid and expressive while keeping the tonality - explicit or only implied - a vivid point of reference. haynes, meanwhile, is able to take advantage of different rhythmic strategies for different tunes. for example, he shadows the melodic line on n.b. eleven, creates a layer of propulsion contrary to that of the horns on think tank , sustains the shifting swing feel of new no ness , and provides unconventional percussion helping to establish the mood of basement research. by riding against the grain of the horns and, often, the bass, haynes keeps the music remarkably fresh and still cohesive. ullman and eskelin, too, look for ways to invigorate the front line. on café toronto the tenors intertwine convincingly, on farbiges lied soprano and tenor dart and parry before taking the theme in unison. the floating rhythms and rubato of the varied compositions give them space to breathe, or ornament each other's line. when they approach freedom, they do so with caution and concern for its effect on the music's equanimity. eskelin's temperature is frequently hotter; ullmann burns with cooler flame. but throughout they're able to make a personal statement without disrupting the flow, or undermining the ensemble unity. the presence of gebhard ullmann in this otherwise self-sufficient trio is enough to alter the group dynamics significantly. his tunes take unusual tacts, allude to new possibilities, create tangible relationships. but what's most impressive about basement research is that it is the product of four individuals who have made creative choices, and combined in a mature, distinctive music. those are qualities that are understood in any language.

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