Bruford/Borstlap - Every Step a Dance Every Word a Song

Bruford/Borstlap
Every Step a Dance Every Word a Song

Michiel Borstlap -piano, keyboards
Bill Bruford - drums, percussion, logdrum

2004 Summerfold Records

So this is not the first time Bruford has worked in a duo setting with a keyboardist. He made two albums in the mid 80s with Patrick Moraz, but neither is quite as satisfying as this. Much of this album shows how 2 people can really create a full sound, unadorned by overdubs or gimmickry.

Bearing a striking throwback to the muscularity of his U.K. sound with the adroit character of the early Earthwork's period, only no electronic drums are to be found anywhere. There is some wicked logdrum, and a lot of his trademarks; a cracking rimshot, dense cymbalwork and heaps of odd meter. Borstlap jumps between Weather Report style keyboard vamps and shifty piano runs. I have no familiarity with Borstlap prior to this, but I can say he is more than capable as a player. He has a commanding touch, which compliments Bruford.

The busy opener, The 16 Kingdoms of the 5 Barbarians, while sporting the dumbest title, is a pretty adventurous cut that features numerous thematic changes in its near 9 minutes, and some of the busiest drumming of Bruford's career.

The pair take one two covers, both of them Thelonius Monk tunes. The first, Bemsha Swing, stays pretty true to its source, with the piano melody from and center. Both Bemsha and 'Round Midnight are interpreted true to the spirit of Monk, which is about the best compliment you can give their attempts I suppose. This is probably due to the inherent orientation of the pair -- one of heavy improvisation. This gives the focus to spontenaity and taking risks, which Monk's music takes to well...if you know how to play (which these two do).

The overall vibe of this album really is adventurous, but sound-wise falls between the acoustic Earthwork's or recent past, and the more adventurous side of ECM label acts. The production is really grounded and pared down to essential elements without being lo-fi.

Parts of this album reflect the jazz-rock past of at least Bruford, but the result is something a bit more like his previous piano/drum duets in that it ends up like post-bop meets post-rock. You can hear this particularly on the melancholy tail end of Inhaling Shade and the drum solo to whacked pulse of One Big Vamp.

The album is put out on Bruford's Summerfold label (which releases all his new works), and it comes with a bonus cd sampler of his other label, Winterfold (which exists to reissue all his work from the 70s until the early 90s). This little surprise not only has 5 cuts from his seminal 70s fusion work, but a pair of cuts from his Moraz/Bruford days.