TS034

Rencounters
Stephen Altoft & Gilbert Isbin

purchase on BANDCAMP

STEPHEN ALTOFT / GILBERT ISBIN - RENCOUNTERS
Music for Trumpet/Flugelhorn and guitar/electronics

Rencounter 1 - 1:41
Rencounter 2 - 2:02
Rencounter 3 - 3:02
Rencounter 4 - 1:58
Rencounter 5 - 2:18
Rencounter 6 - 1:37
Rencounter 7 - 3:07
Rencounter 8 - 2:52
Rencounter 9 - 2:50
Rencounter 10 - 2:22
Rencounter 11 - 1:11
Rencounter 12 - 3:02
Rencounter 13 - 2:29
Rencounter 14 - 1:28
Rencounter 15 - 4:08
Rencounter 16 - 4:03
Rencounter 17 - 2:03
Rencounter 18 - 6:08
Rencounter 19 - 2:13
Rencounter 20 - 2:50

All 'comprovisations' by Gilbert Isbin/Stephen Altoft
Cover art by Marie-Anne Ver Eecke

Stephen Altoft, trumpet/flugelhorn
Gilbert Isbin guitar/lute (Tracks 10, 12 & 20)/electronics

© Marie-Anne Ver Eecke

Gilbert Isbin is Belgium's leading modern composer for classical guitar, early music intruments, bass, ukulele, small ensembles… and also a wonderful guitarist and lute player.

His music blends European improvisation and jazz styles with modern classical techniques to create a unique soundworld. Melodic and avant garde tendencies are balanced to capture the listener immediately and yield rich rewards from repeated listening.

His written music is performed worldwide and published by Mel Bay, GuitarbyMasters, Modern Guitar Harmony, Uk Lute Society, Edizioni Curci, Hal Leonard, ...

https://gilbertisbin.com/

© Donald Bousted

Stephen Altoft, a former student of Markus Stockhausen, is dedicated to the creation of new repertoire for the trumpet and flugelhorn.

As a solo artist, and with percussionist Lee Ferguson as duo Contour, he has given concerts throughout Asia, Europe, the United States and Canada. He's particularly working on microtonal trumpets and microtonal flugelhorn.

Stephen has recorded for radio and televison (SWR, WDR, Deutschlandfunk Köln, Deutschland Radio in Germany, BBC Radio 3 in the UK, France 3 and Bulgarian National Television) and for the Budapest Music Center (Peter Eötvös), Microtonal Projects, Edition Wandelweiser, Wergo and Another Timbre labels.

Stephen is Artistic Director of Microtonal Projects, and manages the EUROMicroFest.

https://www.stephenaltoft.com/

REVIEWS

"This is the second duo recording by Stephen Altoft and Gilbert Isbin. Their 2024 release “Soundscapes” was an immersive album of kaleidoscopic colour, coupling Altoft's extended techniques on trumpet and flugelhorn with guitar synth orchestrations from Isbin. “Rencounters” has a more intimate atmosphere, most tracks combining just trumpet and classical guitar or lute, with rather less electronics and post-production. To my ears the two albums complement each other, and there's no lack of sonic colour on the new release.

Here we have 20 fairly brief tracks, varying in length from 1 minute 11 seconds to just over 6 minutes. Each one stays within one mood and pace, and mostly one sound combination. For example, “Rencounter 2” is trumpet and drums; lots of expressive smears on trumpet and a free time drum track reminiscent of Frank Zappa's “wild track” percussion. Rencounter 7 has muted trumpet with “prepared” guitar, exploring trills and ornaments with an atmosphere of gangsterish Flamenco. “Rencounter 9” has bending water-gong sounds alongside Harmon mute trumpet. 

It's not at all obvious how much of the material is composed and how much improvised – in fact the publicity material describes the process as “comprovisation”. Both players are thoughtful composers and it feels as if every phrase is carefully considered, albeit in real time. Most tracks give the impression of being recorded live.

The exceptions are those pieces with more than two instruments; “Rencounter 11” features a vivid marimba sound, pizzicato guitar and bluesy wah trumpet. “Rencounter 4” has ringing temple bowls, guiro and vocalisations on trumpet, anchored by a steady guitar riff. Track 19 combines electronic percussion, staccato trumpet and vibes. All the electronic sounds are of very high quality, with evolving textures and convincing “CGI” versions of bell and gong sounds.

Musically most pieces have a free and spontaneous feel – often rhythmic but never metronomic. The harmonies and melodies range from lyrical to very tense; quite often two instruments play in different modes which rub up against each other. “Rencounter 1” has reverberant trumpet and classical guitar playing counterpoint recalling the compositions of Toru Takemitsu. “Rencounter 12” has the same instruments in pentatonic mood, conjuring a Spaghetti Western theme.

Isbin and Altoft cover a huge sonic territory with their extended instrument techniques. They create percussion, vocalisations, microtones, rattles and buzzes on guitar, lute, trumpet and flugelhorn, further seasoned by electronics and effects. This is a very fine album, with an ambition and subtlety which will reward repeated listens."

© Stephen Godsall, Jazz'halo 2025



"Après Soundscapes sorti en 2024 sur Jazz’Halo, le duo composé du guitariste belge Gilbert Isbin et du trompettiste allemand Stephen Altoft propose sur le même label un second album qui poursuit l’exploration de paysages sonores inédits mêlant électronique, guitare ou luth, et trompette ou bugle.

Déclinée comme une longue suite, en 20 parties quasiment ininterrompues, qui serpente à travers diverses ambiances, la musique est avant-gardiste (Rencounter 2, 7…) ou vaporeuse (Rencounter 1, 3…), mélodique (Rencounter 6, 15…) ou atonale (Rencounter 5, 17…), suggérant plus qu’elle ne raconte de courtes scénettes mystérieuses que chacun interprétera comme il veut.

Mais dans tous les cas, cette exposition de sons inédits suscite chez nous une émotion, apportant même au fil de l’écoute une profonde plénitude. Minimaliste, cette fresque musicale rappelle aussi plus d’une fois les expériences « ambient » de Brian Eno et Jon Hassell et, plus encore, le jazz new-age d’Arve Henriksen et ses improvisations subtiles.

S’il fallait comparer cette musique à l’œuvre d’un peintre, je choisirais les tableaux suggestifs de William Turner mettant en scène des navires fantômes surgissant de nulle part à travers des brouillards de lumière. Quand la forme se dissout dans le son, c’est bien l’immense pouvoir de l’abstraction lyrique qui pointe le bout de son nez."

© Pierre DULIEU, https://dragonjazz.com