''Tangens'' is a live album by saxophonist and flutist Sam Rivers and pianist

Alexander von Schlippenbach Alexander von Schlippenbach (born 7 April 1938) is a German jazz pianist and composer. He came to prominence in the 1960s playing free jazz in a trio with saxophonist Evan Parker and drummer Paul Lovens, and as a member of the Globe Unity Orch ...

. It was recorded on November 8, 1997, at the Total Music Meeting held at the Podewil in Berlin, and was released in 1998 by the FMP label. In 2015, it was reissued as a digital download by Rivers's RivBea Music.

Reception

In a review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

, Thom Jurek wrote: "This set transcends so much of what is currently on the scene and passes for improvisation: It expresses emotion, transfers it to listeners, and offers them places in the text -- of music -- to find themselves and consider their own, very necessary places in this communication. ''Tangens'' is tender, beautiful, and edifying music by two empathic giants." The authors of ''

The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled b ...

'' called the album "fascinating," and stated: "The five improvisations documented here are like nothing else from the time, and are completely riveting from start to finish." Len Bukowski of ''

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'' noted that the musicians engage in "a most fluent conversation," and commented: "Both musicians challenge each other in what could perhaps be called 'avant cutting contests'; the listener is the sure winner."

Track listing

Composed by Sam Rivers and Alexander von Schlippenbach. # "Tangens Alpha" – 6:26 # "Tangens Beta" – 31:47 # "Tangens Gamma" – 14:58 # "Tangens Delta" – 7:08 # "Tangens Epsilon" – 9:48

Personnel

* Sam Rivers – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute *

– piano

References

{{Authority control 1998 live albums Sam Rivers (jazz musician) live albums Alexander von Schlippenbach live albums FMP Records live albums