Welcome Back (Irène Schweizer and Han Bennink album)

Welcome Back is a collaborative album by Swiss pianist Irène Schweizer and Dutch drummer Han Bennink. The album documents a live performance by the duo and is considered a significant entry in both artists' discographies, as well as within the broader context of European free improvisation.

Recorded in 1978 and released on the German label ICP (Instant Composers Pool), Welcome Back showcases the spontaneous and energetic interplay between Schweizer and Bennink. The album is characterized by its dynamic range, shifting from delicate and introspective passages to bursts of aggressive, percussive intensity. Schweizer's improvisational piano playing is marked by her use of both traditional jazz vocabulary and avant-garde techniques, while Bennink's drumming employs a wide array of sounds and rhythms, often incorporating unconventional objects and percussive elements.

The music on Welcome Back is not structured around pre-composed themes but emerges directly from the immediate interaction between the two musicians. This makes for a highly unpredictable and engaging listening experience. The album is notable for its demonstration of the duo's deep musical connection and their ability to create coherent and compelling improvisations in real time.

While specific track titles might vary depending on the release, the overall aesthetic of Welcome Back is consistently aligned with the free jazz and free improvisation movements that flourished in Europe during the 1970s. It is regarded as a valuable document of Schweizer and Bennink's artistic synergy and a noteworthy example of collaborative improvisation in jazz and experimental music.