EVAN PARKER | ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC ENSEMBLE - The Eleventh Hour (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Eleventh Hour is the fourth offering by Evan Parker's Electro-Acoustic Ensemble on ECM. The ensemble here numbers 11 members, six of whom are electronic sound sculptors and sound processors, with the remainder -- including Philipp Wachsmann and Paul Lytton -- are free jazz and new music improvisers. The title piece, in five parts, was commissioned by the Contemporary Arts Center in Glasgow, where the album was recorded. The first track, "Shadow Play," is a separate entity employing the same strategies of music being played live, then fed through a number of sampling keyboards as live electronics are added and processed as yet other sounds and other music is being played atop it all, beginning the cycle over again. The sheer sparseness and ghostliness of "Shadow Play" is a hook in and of itself. There is a lot going on as violin, soprano saxophone, percussion, and piano all fall together, but as the sounds are treated and added to electronically, they have an air of space and separation that creates an immense space for the listener. On "Eleventh Hour," free improv of a more intense variety kicks off the first section with live acoustic instrumentation in the foreground and sonics are slipped forward and backward through the dialogue. As the piece develops, silence, ambience, and repetition play more and more of a role, as new modes and routes are proposed and integrated through the sections as each "real" instrument is allowed its own free play, and then dialogue, in duet and trio engagements with others. The final five minutes of this work is one of the most ominous and tense dronescapes, punctuated by high-pitched industrial sounds and offering a mood of pure foreboding, and even dread. It's dynamic, dramatic, and utterly unsettling, leaving the listener spellbound once the recording has drifted into silence.
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Tracklist :
1    Shadow Play 17:29
Composed By – Parker / Ryan / Casserley / Prati
The Eleventh Hour
Composed By – Evan Parker
2    Part 1    12:52
3    Part 2    9:33
4    Part 3    12:02
5    Part 4    15:32
6    Part 5    5:28
Credits :
Double Bass – Adam Linson
Effects [Computer Processing] – Walter Prati
Effects [Sample And Signal Processing] – Joel Ryan
Effects [Sound Projection] – Marco Vecchi
EInstruments [Signal Processing Instrument], Percussion, Voice – Lawrence Casserley
Keyboards [Sampling Keyboard], Electronics [Live Electronics] – Paul Obermayer, Richard Barrett
Percussion, Electronics [Live Electronics] – Paul Lytton
Piano, Piano [Prepared Piano] – Agustí Fernandez
Soprano Saxophone, Voice – Evan Parker
Violin, Electronics [Live Electronics] – Philipp Wachsmann

EVAN PARKER OCTET - Crossing the River (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded at Gateway Studios on May 2, 2005, this session features a generous cross section of Evan Parker's recent musical partners, delightfully recorded as always by engineer Steve Lowe. The lineup consists of Parker (on tenor sax only); regulars Philipp Wachsmann, Marcio Mattos, John Edwards, and John Russell; lesser-known figures pianist Agustí Fernández and clarinetist John Rangecroft; and the too rarely documented Neil Metcalfe on flute. This octet is featured in three pieces, two of them in the 20-minute range. The other half of the album consists of smaller groupings. This is collective free improvisation at its finest, with telepathic turns, instantly choreographed exchanges, and a tight yet detailed group sound, especially in "Octet I," in which Parker himself remains conspicuously discreet. After this intense ensemble piece, the group breaks down into gradually smaller formations for a number of shorter pieces, starting with a strong string quintet (violin, cello, bass, guitar, and piano). Rangecroft displays a lot of uncanny elegance in "Trio III," but the highlight of these small-scale numbers is the "Duo" between Metcalfe and Fernández, oddly romantic in its own way. "Octet 2" gets back to a denser sound and epic interaction, peaking with a frantic episode between strings and saxophone. As a whole, Crossing the River is more subdued or tempered than the average Parker release. It leaves room to breathe, which might offer fans of quieter improv a good occasion to get back in touch with Parker's work. François Couture  
Tracklist :
1    Octet 1    23:41
2    Quintet    10:25
3    Trio 1    3:00
4    Trio 2    5:45
5    Trio 3    6:40
6    Duo    7:05
7    Octet 2    19:18
8    Octet 3    0:40
Credits :
Bass – John Edwards
Cello – Marcio Mattos
Clarinet – John Rangecroft
Flute – Neil Metcalfe
Guitar – John Russell
Piano – Agustí Fernández
Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Violin – Philipp Wachsmann

PAOLO ANGELI | EVAN PARKER | NET ROTHENBERG - Free Zone Appleby 2007 (2009) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Shield (Blue) Duo 1    13:02
2    Shield (Blue) Duo 2    10:55
3    Shield (Blue) Trio 1    2:50
4    Shield (Blue) Trio 2    4:52
5    Shield (Blue) Trio 3    7:34
6    Shield (Blue) Trio 4    7:07
7    Shield (Blue) Trio 5    3:34
8    Shield (Blue) Trio 6    7:33
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Ned Rothenberg
Guitar [Sardinian], Electronics – Paolo Angeli (pistas: 1, 3 to 8)
Painting – Phil Morsman
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker (pistas: 2 to 8)

ALVIN CURRAN | EVAN PARKER | ANDREA CENTAZZO - In Real Time (2006) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Any time you invite Evan Parker to perform in a small group, you can expect the unexpected, particularly considering the unusual instrumentation of this talented trio, which includes soprano and tenor saxes, percussion, synthesizer, and piano, among others. At this point in his career, Parker's technique was still imbued with shock value, and there is an exuberance to his playing and even a certain roughness that have dissipated somewhat with time as his playing has matured. The emphasis here is on sound, with the pieces freely improvised and melody nonexistent. Andrea Centazzo serves a supporting role, his presence sometimes negligible. At his best, Centazzo drums powerfully and passionately, proving himself a worthy member of the team. Alvin Curran has always expressed his radical electronics in a subtle manner, and his contribution here is no exception, though his electronic manipulations will often be barely noticeable to the casual listener. There is an atmospheric ambience to much of the music, although with these players it is never quite so simple. At first the tempos tend to the slow side, and the volume is rarely very loud, but there is nonetheless an intensity fueled by Parker's extended techniques, particularly on the fourth, fifth, and sixth tracks where the temperature picks up considerably. While devotees of Parker should be satisfied with his performance, what distinguishes this from his other work are the performances of Curran and Centazzo, with whom Parker interacts passionately. Curran's piano on the last track is a special pleasure, too, as he performs with little restraint and considerable technique. While definitely not an indispensable part of the discographies of any of the players, there are enough exciting and innovative moments to satisfy the demanding listener. Steve Loewy
Tracklist :
1    In Real Time #1    6:45
2    In Real Time #2    13:59
3    In Real Time #3    8:08
4    In Real Time #4    6:37
5    In Real Time #5    17:19
6    In Real Time #6    6:19
Credits :
Percussion – Andrea Centazzo
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Synthesizer, Piano, Trumpet – Alvin Curran
Written-By – Alvin Curran, Andrea Centazzo, Evan Parker

EVAN PARKER - Evan Parker With Birds (2004) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Untitled    11:00
2    Untitled    8:30
3    Untitled    4:58
4    Untitled    15:07
Credits :
Composed By – Wales, Parker, Coxon
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Sounds [Soundscapes] – Ashley Wales, John Coxon
Notas.
A tribute to the late Steve Lacy.
Field Recordings by Ashley Wales made in Liskeard, Cornwall & St. Marys, Isle of Scilly