While
Christian Prommer is as fascinated with Detroit techno as he was on DrumLesson, Vol. 1, he’s allowed other aspects of his musical personality -- from influences to genres -- to infiltrate Zwei, the second chapter of his DrumLesson project. The content is more electro-acoustic this time out, with a more unusual approach than straight jazz interpretations of techno tracks. While he keeps his Detroit connection at the front of his attack here with covers of
Carl Craig (“Sandstorms”) and
Aril Brikha (“Groove La Chord”), he also covers tunes by
Jean Michel-Jarre (“Oxygene, Pt. IV”) and
Laurent Garnier (“Acid Eiffel”), and adds some originals to the mix.
Prommer was more directly involved on this set as a player. He and
Peter Kruder played everything here with other studio musicians lending a hand.
Prommer's drumming is one of the more pronounced aspects of his own tracks in both parts of “Jaguar.” There’s more prog rock and bent, Conny Plank-inspired Krautrock influence in the execution of these cuts as well -- check the
Rastakraut Pasta feel on “Groove La Chord” in the extra drum layers, as well as the Gregg Rolie-esque organ swells. “Jaguar, Pt. 2” is almost French prog in the way its dynamic angles and rhythmic patterns crosshatch with one another. One can hear the influence of
Christian Vander’s
Magma at work. The cover of Richard Dorfmeister's “High Noon” is the most “jazzy” cut here, though it’s undercut with a live, dubby bassline. “Sandcastles,” by
Dennis Ferrer, is wildly reworked and becomes an extension of the latter-day work by
Can. Ultimately, this is a darker, more mysterious, and much more satisfying animal than Vol. 1. The diverse musics, textures, and dynamics at work here reveal not only
Prommer’s vast imagination and that his taste is exquisite, it reveals what a committed, deeply creative and disciplined musician he is, as well. ~ Thom Jurek