The inimitable Joaquin Joe Claussell turns his attention to Central Europe, this time focusing his eyes and ears on the underappreciated polymath Adelhard Roidinger. The Austrian double bassist, synth wizard, programmer, and graphic artist collaborated with a distinguished roster of greats—including Anthony Braxton, Karl Berger, and George Russell—all while releasing a steady stream of groundbreaking electro-acoustic fusion albums on labels such as ECM throughout the 1970s and ’80s. “Kontrabad,” a centerpiece from his 1984 *Computer & Jazz Project I*, could not be more representative of the album’s titular declaration, and provides ample material for Claussell’s ever-expanding remix practice. Peter Gröning’s percussive flurry is bolstered by added drum fills, while the jaw-dropping technique and timbre of Roidinger’s virtuosic bass playing are given room to stretch and breathe within the foregrounded ebb and flow of synth arpeggios. Also included on this 12" is the additional album track “Kreisform,” a similarly crafted piece featuring the Juno 106 and Roland SH 101 that further sheds light on Claussell’s inspiration for his deliberate modifications to the aforementioned “Kontrabad”; thematically, stylistically, and spiritually whole and cohesive, as only he can.
The inimitable Joaquin Joe Claussell turns his attention to Central Europe, this time focusing his eyes and ears on the underappreciated polymath Adelhard Roidinger. The Austrian double bassist, synth wizard, programmer, and graphic artist collaborated with a distinguished roster of greats—including Anthony Braxton, Karl Berger, and George Russell—all while releasing a steady stream of groundbreaking electro-acoustic fusion albums on labels such as ECM throughout the 1970s and ’80s. “Kontrabad,” a centerpiece from his 1984 *Computer & Jazz Project I*, could not be more representative of the album’s titular declaration, and provides ample material for Claussell’s ever-expanding remix practice. Peter Gröning’s percussive flurry is bolstered by added drum fills, while the jaw-dropping technique and timbre of Roidinger’s virtuosic bass playing are given room to stretch and breathe within the foregrounded ebb and flow of synth arpeggios. Also included on this 12" is the additional album track “Kreisform,” a similarly crafted piece featuring the Juno 106 and Roland SH 101 that further sheds light on Claussell’s inspiration for his deliberate modifications to the aforementioned “Kontrabad”; thematically, stylistically, and spiritually whole and cohesive, as only he can.