How many improvisers on church organ can you name? Add Gary Verkade to the microscopic list. Better known for his interpretations of the contemporary repertoire (including some music that leaves a lot of freedom to the improviser), Verkade is here featured in a series of completely improvised duets with saxophonist Steve Nelson-Raney. He performs on the three-manual and pedal Casavant of the Siebert Chapel at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. Nelson-Raney plays soprano and sopranino saxophones. Neither of them approaches their instruments in a conventional way. The result is challenging, perplexing, and in the end satisfactory free improv. One needs to get used to the pipe organ in this context. No matter how it is played, its sound immediately bring forth images of varying intensity (depending on one's past and present relationship with churches). It also proves to be somewhat rigid and clumsy. It imposes and threatens to bury any other instrument engaged in a conversation with it. Nelson-Raney understands that and tricks the behemoth. Using Evan Parker's circular breathing technique establishes a voice the organ cannot emulate; when such a situation occurs in Six, Verkade resorts to outbursts of notes in the low register to great effect. In other places the saxophonist uses the highest range of the sopranino to blend with the high notes of the organ, literally losing himself in them. It is this kind of intelligent interplay, more than the unusual instrumentation, that makes Improvisations for Organ and Saxophone a good if somewhat a bit hermetic album. Released by Penumbra in a limited edition of 300 copies. ~ François Couture, Rovi

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