George Gruntz - Monster Sticksland Meeting Two (2017) [Hi-Res]

In 1974, some seven years after the first Basel ‘Sticksland’ meeting, a 36-man percussion extravaganza took place that once again featured a top-flight jazz ensemble together with the Basel drum and fife corps of Alfred Sacher and Georges Mathys. Now add a Scottish drum and fife corps with the former and reigning Scottish drumming champions Jimmy Catherwood and Joe Noble, kilts and all, as well as some 300 fifers hidden in the audience of a theater packed to overflowing. The results: a Carnival Happening! Once again Gruntz masterfully ‘mediates’ the affair with his arrangements and conducting; on the jazz side, drummer Daniel Humair returns, joined by the British percussion free spirit Tony Oxley, master saxophonists Charlie Mariano and John Tchicai, and bassist JF Jenny-Clark. Intercourse II finds the jazz sextet in collaboration with the Basel tambour drummers, with Mariano and Tchicai supplying the fiery dialogue on sopranos, while Drum Fanfare highlights the masterful precision of Scottish drumming. Scottish bagpipes and Basel fifes march together on Whisky on the Rocks, as the jazz sextet steps along with the Scottish drummers on Tribute to Jimmy. The Scottish and Basel drummers battle it out on Düse Strasphey, and on Gruntz’s haunting High, Higher, Highlands the sextet blends with the Scottish pipes. The Basel fifes march in concert with the jazz rhythm section on Fudiweggli, whereas Antipodes is a masterclass in drum styles, with Catherwood (Scott.), Humair (jazz), Sacher(Scott.), Oxley(Jazz), and Noble (Basel tambour) the inspiring instructors. The traditional General-Arabi tops off the concert with everyone, including hundreds of fifers among the audience, joining in on the grand finale. A brilliant meld of diverse rhythmic traditions makes for a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience!

John Tchicai, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Charlie Mariano, Soprano Saxophone
George Gruntz, Piano
Jean Francois Jenny-Clark, Bass
Daniel Humair, Drums
Tony Oxley, Electronic Percussion
The British Caledonian Airways Renfrew Pipe Band
Basel Drum Corps
Basel Fife Corps

Digitally remastered