released May 7, 2016

Reviews


01/08/2016 Ken Cheetham
Although George Haslam had devoted himself to the saxophone and tárogató since 1955, here he records live on clarinet and tárogató, a Hungarian/Romanian instrument, originally double-reeded with no keys. Redesigned in the 1890s, it uses a single reed, has keys and a conical bore like the saxophone, and is made of black, granadilla wood, like a clarinet. The commonly employed version is soprano in B?, about 74cm long.

George Haslam is not the first jazz musician to deploy this somewhat, sometimes raucous instrument; Joe Lovano used it comprehensively (Mostly Coltrane), Charles Lloyd occasionally, and Peter Brötzmann expansively in Free Jazz and Free Improv.

The two musicians met more or less by chance in Portugal and the result is a very stimulating, free encounter, the schawm-like sounds which Haslam’s tárogató generates stimulating Rua to give free rein to his rhythms. All of this music is impulsive and unstructured and carries a certain bleakness, but is exquisitely inspiring and completely honest.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham www.jazzviews.net/george-haslam--maacuterio-rua---maresia.html



20/07/2016 George Harris
George Haslam plays both the “regular” clarinet as well as the Hungarian/Romanian cousin tarogato as he teams up with drummer Mario Rua for a pair of 2014 gigs in Lisbon, Portugal. There are only four tunes, so you get a lot of improvisation and fiery free forms. The sharper tarogato is declaratory as he arm wrestles with the dramatic and extroverted drums on “Cabo Espichel” while on clarinet he pleads on the hard driving and flailing Rua on “Alfama.” Long tones form a folk melody over the muscular thrashing sticks on “Arrabida” while the team plods together for the closing “Fleetwood.”
George Harris
www.jazzweekly.com/2016/07/body-slams-six-in-one-subjects-and-structures-pegasys-pegasys-george-haslam-mario-rua-maresia/



11/07/2016 R. D. Rusch
GEORGE HASLAM [tarogato/clt] and MARIO RUA [drm] play duos on 4 extended
improvs [55:28] on MARESIA [Slam cd 331] recorded 3/13&14/14. The Drummer is a chef
previously unknown to Haslam. They were introduced on short notice and a concert/recording was arranged.
The results are on this recording. The tarogato is an engaging reed instrument sounding a bit like a
gutty cross between a bagpipe and oboe. Haslam’s approach to these improvs reminds me a bit of Joe McPhee
in that one senses the improvs are very immediate in its direction occasionally falling into familiar
themes. The level of intensity stays high for most of this which can get tiring on ones senses but other than that
endemic fact of some music this is a fine adventure.
R. D. Rusch Papatamus July 2016



01/07/2016 Bruce Lee Gallanter
GEORGE HASLAM / MARTIN RUA - Maresia (Slam 331; UK) Featuring George Haslam
on tarogato & clarinet and Mario Rua on drums. Recorded live in Portugal in
March of 2014. UK-reeds player, George Haslam, has consistently sought out
and made connections with musicians from around the world, most often in
Italy and South America. For Mr. Haslam’s third trip to Lisbon, he played a
duo with a Portuguese drummer named Martin Rua, a fine musician with whom I
didn’t know before this disc arrived. On the majority of discs that Mr.
Haslam has released of his own music on Slam, Mr. Haslam plays bari sax as
well as tarogato. For a change we get to hear Mr. Haslam concentrate on
clarinets throughout this entire disc. The tarogato is a rarely-used large
clarinet-like looking instrument which played by a diverse list of players:
Peter Brotzmann and Esther Lamneck.
There are four long pieces on this spirited duet disc, each one from 9
to 17 minutes long. “Cabo Espichel” is the first and longest track. While
sounds as if he is playing some somber soprano sax while Mr. Rua plays in
spacious support with his lovely mallet-work. The is a long, dialogue or
exchange between two men who sounds like friends. The music here is both
contained yet expressive. The dialogue gets more heated as time goes on so
be patient as things evolve through different scenes in the ongoing story.
- Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG 16/06/2016



27/05/2016 Vittorio Lo Conte
Il sassofonista inglese George Haslam è stato diverse volte a Lisbona e nella capitale portoghese ogni volta si è trovato a registrare nell’arco di due giorni. Per questa occasione però le cose sono andate meglio: ha registrato nella Taberna do Vilarinho insieme al batterista Mario Rua, che lavora nello stesso locale. I presenti hanno avuto modo di ascoltare un paio di interessanti concerti, i cui momenti migliori sono stati messi su CD. Haslam è al tarogato (strumento della tradizione balcanica) ed al clarinetto, Rua lo accompagna alla batteria percependo la dimensione del duo. Sul lungo Cabo espichel il duo di tarogato e batteria funziona, la voce acidula dello strumento può farlo assomigliare ad un sax soprano mentre Haslam si diverte ad inventare sequenze di note su cui la batteria si scatena con i suoi ritmi. Alfama comincia con un lungo assolo della batteria, poi dopo alcuni minuti arriva il tarogato ad incantare gli ascoltatori. È una musica spontanea, ricca di pathos, in cui i due musicisti trovano la dimensione giusta per esprimersi. Su Arrabida Haslam passa al clarinetto con un suono che gli insegnanti di musica classica defineranno come orribile. Eppure in queste improvvisazioni viene fuori qualcosa di speciale, al di là delle tecniche usate. Siamo in un ambito “free” molto interessante, con i musicisti che si fanno portare dalla loro ispirazione, non importa dove, l’importante è che il momento magico fra i due prosegui. Si ritorna al tarogato suFleetwood, questa volta con ritmi ed atmosfere più tranquille. La registrazione nella taverna portoghese, accompagnata sicuramente da vino e cibo del luogo, coglie un momento di ispirazione fra i musicisti, senza porsi troppe domande su forma o suono pulito degli strumenti. Funziona, se si vuole una risposta, in fondo dalla musica ci si aspetta sincerità ed ispirazione, due cose che qui certo non mancano
Vittorio lo Conte www.musiczoom.it?p=25601#.Vyh53PkrK1t

Google Translate:
The British saxophonist George Haslam has been several times in Lisbon and in the Portuguese capital whenever it is found to record over two days. For this occasion, however, things got better: recorded in Taberna do Vilarinho with drummer Mario Rua, who works in the same room. Participants had the opportunity to hear a couple of interesting concerts, whose best moments were put on CD. Haslam is tarogato (the Balkan tradition instrument) and the clarinet, Rua accompanies the battery sensing the size of the duo. In the long Cabo Espichel the tarogato and drums duo works, the sour voice of the instrument can make it look like a soprano sax while Haslam likes to invent sequences of notes on which the battery is unleashed with its rhythms. Alfama begins with a long solo battery, then a few minutes later comes the tarogato to enchant the listeners. It is a spontaneous music, full of pathos, in which the two musicians find the right size to express themselves. Of Arrabida Haslam goes on clarinet with a sound that classical music teachers define much as horrible. Yet in these improvisations it comes out something special, beyond the techniques used. We are in a "free" area very attractive, with musicians who do bring their inspiration, no matter where, the important thing is that the magic moment between the two continue. It returns to tarogato of Fleetwood, this time with rhythms and quieter atmosphere. Registration in the Portuguese taverna, definitely accompanied by wine and food of the place, captures a moment of inspiration among the musicians, without asking too many questions about the form or clean sound of the instruments. It works, if you want an answer, after all the music you expect sincerity and inspiration, two things here are not lacking