EVAN PARKER with PAUL LYTTON, PAUL RUTHERFORD & HANS SCHNEIDER — Waterloo 1985 (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Evan Parker is a household name -- that is, if your household is occupied by aficionados of the British improvised music scene. Otherwise, you might not have heard of him. But no matter. If freely improvised music is your bag, this disc is for you: it documents a 1985 concert by Parker (soprano and tenor saxophones) and trombonist Paul Rutherford, bassist Hans Schneider and percussionist Paul Lytton. As is often the case with this sort of thing, the instrumentation will mislead the unwary: not only is this not jazz, unless you listen closely you might not even believe that the instruments listed are the ones being used. That's because Schneider and Parker, in particular, employ extended techniques that produce lots of sounds not normally associated with their instruments -- whistling overtones from the bass, grunts and mutters from the sax, random skitterings from the percussion. The program consists of one hour-long track (titled "Dark Interior," for what that's worth), but its texture varies significantly as players drop in and out or turn temporarily to more lyrical approaches before returning to the skronky mayhem that prevails at the beginning and end. No, it's not for everyone. But then, lots of great music isn't for everyone. Take a chance. Rick Anderson
Tracklist :
1    Dark Interior    1:00:50
Credits :
Double Bass – Hans Schneider
Illustration – Kris Vanderstraeten
Music By – Evan Parker, Hans Schneider, Paul Lytton, Paul Rutherford
Percussion, Electronics [Live] – Paul Lytton
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Trombone – Paul Rutherford