Johannes Luebbers Dectet - Divide and Conquer / 10x10x10 / Vol.2

Divide and Conquer is the fourth album by Melbourne based composer Johannes Luebbers’ Dectet (JLD). The album marks the end of an ambitious 10 x 10 x 10 project, spanning 10 works in 10 years for 10 players. The album is the second and final installment of the project, featuring five wildly original tracks and some of Luebbers’ best work. The group showcases some of Australia’s most exciting soloists including pianist Andrea Keller, trumpeter Paul Williamson and saxophonist Angela Davis.

Divide and Conquer follows the release of Other Worlds in 2019 and features the second five compositions of the suite, each dedicated to a different soloist within the group. “The 10 x 10 x 10 project resulted from a longstanding interest in collaboration,” says Luebbers. “I wanted to explore how compositions can be seeded from my perception of a performer, rather than developed from my own ideas. Each piece used a starting point based upon the listening habits, musical loves and technical interests of the featured soloist. I then built a compositional world around this. As a result, the music was infused with a wider variety of reference points - more than just my own. Even if the resulting music was at times unexpected, I hope each performer saw a little piece of themselves in the work's soul.”

The title track Divide and Conquer, featuring tenor saxophonist Michael Wallace, leaps around the horn in a playful Balkan inspired melody. Stepping Stones, featuring alto saxophonist Angela Davis, creates a deft sense of inevitability as it gently weaves through unexpected harmonies. In contrast, Jack O’Lantern, featuring trumpeter Paul Williamson, plays with expansions and contractions of time, developing a theme that emphasises the textural possibilities of Williamson’s horn and provides ample space for the kind of ensemble interaction he thrives on.

Hosh Posh stands out among JLD’s repertoire, departing from Luebbers’ typically controlled notation and instead embracing a loose sense of freedom in which featured bassist Hiroki Hoshino shines. The album rounds things out with Contrarian, a feature for pianist Andrea Keller that takes inspiration from her love of Arvo Pärt, in turn provoking an inspired solo from Keller and some of the most magical moments on the album.