CHRISTOPH IRNIGER PILGRIM - HUMAN INTELLIGENCE (Live) (Intakt CD) (2025)

Swiss label Intakt is regularly releasing some intriguing jazz music and “Human Intelligence” is yet another example. The line-up is Christoph Irniger: Tenor Saxophone; Stefan Aeby: Piano; Dave Gisler: Guitar; Raffaele Bossard: Bass, and Michael Stulz: Drums. Pilgrim has been touring extensively for over a decade, led by its composer Christoph Irniger, and this particular recording was made in the Red Horn District Club in Bad Meinberg, Germany.

The title of opening track (‘Hendrix’) is a little bit of a giveaway as it builds slowly to a frenzied climax, as Gilser steps early into the spotlight. ‘Calling the Spirits’ is a more conventional brand of modern jazz, focusing on piano and sax until Gilser unleashes some more mazy runs, with some tight ensemble playing prior to a more abstract, playful ending. ‘Secret Level’ makes extensive use of African percussion to gently explorative sax. The lengthy ‘Seven Down, Eight Up’ is a marvellous example of the inventive sonic exchanges between the instruments, at the edges of free jazz, with a tentative but subtle mid-section, before the piano ‘riff’ emerges again (I thought of a Fripp led guitar improvisation at its denouement but sax has the last word, or should I say parp?).

The title track is lyrically led by ruminative sax, escalating towards some fine soloing by Irniger. ‘Emergency Exit’ typifies the approach: a slow, explorative build-up with piano taking up the gauntlet as expectation grows; then we’re off again as the spaceship takes off with some serious blowing and intricate moves, a fluid sax break with hollers of appreciation attached, guitar returning to deliver a jazzed-up Hendrix break of its own as the sax pushes its way back in: complicated it is, but it features some of the most exhilarating moments of a concert that is a mixed bag, but also an intriguing one.