"Subtitled, Ten Improvisations, the music by pianist Richard Bliwas on Compose Yourself is a series of solo , duet, and trio excursions, into an exploratory area where song forms and a semblance of structure glean through the improvisations. With reed player Michael Blake and bassist Ben Allison, Bliwas transforms intricate phrases into seamless music that has flow to go along with the freedom he exhibits in his playing . Using changing tempo and a penchant for flair, Bliwas creates music with an intriguing hint of mystery and a touch of melancholy. He probes deeply into the pieces, getting into dense territory characterized by emphasis on the lower register that is lightened by his pensive right-hand wanderings. He is just as likely to lapse into a Garner-ish mode or even a disguised ragtime bit during the heavier moments to recast the direction before diving again into the murky waters. It is an eclectic approach to free improvisation."
"Blake joins Bliwas on four selections, playing either clarinet or tenor. His playing fits into the groundrules established by Bliwas, wherby he freely exercises his rights while the framework of the piano sequences wraps around him. His extended duet with Bliwas on " Sight Red" crosses several genre lines while he spirals his clarinet message above and below the meandering piano notes. It is an excellent example of freeform interaction and joint communication. Allison is a brooding type of bass player whose highly resonant tone and searching soul fuel the fires on one duet and three trio cuts. He stays outside the lines most of the time to add considerable depth to the program. Bliwas has produced an engrossing album where freedom coexists with a touch of nostalgia. It is a creative effort by all three musicians." Cadence Magazine (Oct.2001)
RICHARD BLIWAS - Compose Yourself / ten improvisations (Rising Rose) Featuring on Richard Bliwas on piano, Ben Allison on acoustic bass and Michael Blake on clarinet & sax. This is also from 2001 and is an all-instrumental solo/duo/trio work. Half the pieces are solo piano pieces, which are mostly eloquent and softly haunting. Richard writes quaint little vignettes, which sound just right with soft clarinet and minimal bass. Although Richard calls these tunes "improvisations" each one does a good job of evoking a mood, often somber and reflective. Richard never plays too many notes, using a minimal amount in just the right way, nothing superfluous. The entire CD sounds like a suite of connected pieces, solo/trio/solo/trio/solo/duo/solo/duo/solo/trio, yet it flows together. Michael Blake's bluesy, bluster on tenor sax is well-placed on "Six Eyes", as is his clarinet on a couple of other sections. There are two long pieces here which I dig the best, "Remote Lack of Control" is a playful solo piano work, that blends elements of ragtime, free bits, the blues and seems to tell a little tale as it unfolds. Also, the lengthy "Sight Red" for piano and clarinet tells a sad story about the loss of innocence.
Compose Yourself 蠳ottotitolato 'Ten Improvisations' e vede Bliwas in compagnia di Ben Allison e di Michael Blake. L'album, a differenza del precedente, 蠣ompletamente strumentale, una libera escursione improvvisata che sa farsi sperimentale senza dimenticare gli echi romantici che sono evidentemente parte del DNA del leader. Il percorso 蠤ecisamente impegnativo e la felice scelta dei compagni di strada 蠩ndubbiamente la chiave di volta per la buona riuscita del tentativo. I brani sono pi?atati e le idee vengono elaborate molto pi?ungo, cercando ogni sfumatura ed ogni angolo di visuale. A volte emergono frammenti di hard bop o addirittura squarci di pianismo quasi-vaudeville, ma il clima generale 蠤ecisamente moderno, abbarbicato a cicli di tensione e rilassamento, tipici del free-floating che queste piccole formazioni sanno interpretare a meraviglia. L'assenza della batteria rende ancora pi?zioso il contributo di Ben Allison e anche la componente ritmica del gioco pianistico 蠭aggiormente in evidenza. Blake e Allison sono presenti in quattro brani a testa, in tre dei quali contemporaneamente. Il saxofonista, eccellente maestro di camouflage, sa soffiare nel clarinetto e nel saxofono con perfetta padronanza delle varie stratificazioni temporali che caratterizzano il suo suono. La sua capacitࠤi evocare i grandi maestri degli anni quaranta si sposa alla perfezione con la sua curiosit࠰rogettuale di taglio avanguardistico, fornendo spunti e territori da esplorare assieme ai compagni di strada.
Nella metࠤei brani il leader 蠩n perfetta solitudine e la sua vena rapsodica macina i materiali e li amalgama in un vorace stream of consciousness che incorpora e ingloba, decanta, analizza, riprende e rilascia. L'ultimo brano col clarinetto spiritato ma sereno di Blake evoca perfettamente quel clima di fantasmi non inquietanti, ma addirittura familiari, che permeava il racconto di cui si diceva all'inizio. Il cerchio si chiude, le favole si fanno racconti di vita, l'esperienza e la maturit࠳i fondono con le fantasie e le pulsioni giovanili. Aspettiamo il seguito.
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