EVAN PARKER | BARRY GUY | PAUL LYTTON ft. JOE McPHEE — The Redwood Session (1996) Spirit Room Series – Vol.1 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This live set was the initial release by the mostly avant-garde CIMP label. Evan Parker (on soprano and tenor) interacts with bassist Barry Guy and drummer Paul Lytton on four lengthy, free sound explorations. Parker generally dominates, achieving a wide variety of sounds out of his horns. The closing "Then Paul Saw the Snake" is the actual high point because trumpeter Joe McPhee sits in, making the trio a dynamic quartet and the music a little more accessible. Those listeners with very open ears should find this set of interest. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Not Yet 12:47
Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Evan Parker
2     The Masks 10:47
Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Evan Parker
3     Craig's Story 14:10
Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Evan Parker
4     Pedal (For Warren) 9:22
Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Evan Parker
5     Then Paul Saw the Snake (For Susan) 11:59
Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Evan Parker
Credits :
Bass – Barry Guy
Drums, Percussion – Paul Lytton
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Trumpet – Joe McPhee (faixas: 5)

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Ten Compositions (Quartet) 2000 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The highly resourceful Anthony Braxton once again contributes an important recording in this original tribute to the compositions of unsung pianist Andrew Hill, who wrote most of the pieces on the album. The saxophonist uses an unusual combination of alto sax, guitar, bass, and drums to deliver the goods. While the piano is clearly missed, Kevin O'Neil proves himself a strong voice on guitar in what appears to be his recording debut, able to handle the quirky melodies and tough chord progressions with ease, and producing fluidly complex solos that are gracefully integrated. Braxton's surprisingly yet attractively thin voice on alto often sounds like a soprano sax, while his angular improvisations bring out the peculiarities in Hill's charts even more so than when the pianist performed them himself. Braxton seems a tad uncomfortable with some of the difficult melodies and sequences, but the upshot is solos almost completely devoid of cliché. Norton is a solid timekeeper, whatever the tempo; he knows how to stay out of the way and also when to kick and complement a line. Steve Loewy
Tracklist :
1    Virgo    12:07
2    New Arrival    8:22
3    McNeil Island    2:53
4    Black Monday    5:45
5    C-Bop    10:56
6    Pumpkin - Take 2    5:43
7    Alfred - Take 2    4:32
8    Griots    2:58
9    No Doubt - Take 2    3:13
10    Lo Joe - Take 3    7:13
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Anthony Braxton
Bass – Andy Eulau
Cover [Cover Art - Ten Pieces] – Kara D. Rusch
Drums – Kevin Norton
Guitar – Kevin O'Neil

ANTHONY BRAXTON 5 - Eight Compositions (Quintet) 2001 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Anthony Braxton has recorded in a variety of formats, from massive orchestras to solo alto saxophone. This CIMP session positions him with three percussionists and a highly complementary reedman. The session offers a clear view of Braxton's compositional process with the horns blowing in tandem. Richard A. McGhee III has a tone that matches Braxton in its dry vocalization. When Braxton and McGhee solo, they clearly connect their lines to the compositional motifs. The percussionists play carefully considered figures, often delicate and always firmly grounded, even flat-footed at times. The percussionists and horn players reflect each other's activities, but remain on parallel planes. The soundstage, set up with usual CIMP care, emphasizes this with the horns sandwiching the three percussionists. On "293" one can hear the way this works as the percussion rises and falls and the horns crescendo. The group also displays great delicacy, as on "296," with the contrabass clarinet and flute textures summoning images of a noh play. David Dupont
Tracklist :
1    Composition No.295    9:32
2    Composition No.300    10:19
3    Composition No.299    3:43
4    Composition No.294    7:42
5    Composition No.297    5:56
6    Composition No.293    10:14
7    Composition No.298    4:40
8    Composition No.296    8:41
9    Composition No.300 (Tk.2)    8:15
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Clarinet, Clarinet [B-flat], Contrabass Clarinet, Flute, Composed By, Arranged By, Liner Notes – Anthony Braxton
Flute – Richard A. McGhee III (pistas: 3, 7)
Percussion – Alvin Benjamin Carter, Jr. (Babafemi), Alvin Benjamin Carter, Sr. (Abubakar), Sipho Robert Bellinger
Soprano Saxophone – Richard A. McGhee III (pistas: 2, 4, 6, 9)
Tenor Saxophone – Richard A. McGhee III (pistas: 3, 7)