SPONTANEOUS MUSIC ENSEMBLE — Withdrawal 1966-7 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Sometimes, unearthed documents can leave you cold, even though the intellect appreciates the historical gap being filled. With Withdrawal, history doesn't matter and the "archival document" ends up superseding the legit material by the Spontaneous Music Ensemble. This is gold -- pure artistic beauty. The year is 1966. John Stevens' group records the soundtrack for a movie (now lost) by George Paul Solomos. The continuous performance is edited into two parts for a total of 30 minutes of music. A slow piece dominated by a glockenspiel leitmotif, "Withdrawal Soundtrack" features beautiful trumpet work by a Kenny Wheeler who was just beginning to play free music. Other players are Stevens (drums), Paul Rutherford (trombone), Trevor Watts (saxophone, oboe), Barry Guy (bass, limited to sustained drones), and a very young and discreet Evan Parker (saxophone). A few months later, in early 1967, the same lineup, plus Derek Bailey on amplified guitar, recorded a reworked version of the soundtrack in three sequences, plus a suite called "Seeing Sounds & Hearing Colours," both intended for an LP release that never materialized. Watts plays some beautiful flute on "Withdrawal Sequence 2." Actually, the whole CD contains fantastic free music, almost completely detached from jazz -- very atmospheric, delicate, and highly organic with a strong sense of discovery. These are the earliest available recordings by Barry Guy and Evan Parker (even though the latter doesn't play much), and one of Bailey's earliest sessions playing free music (even though he is buried in the mix). Historical significance notwithstanding, Withdrawal is simply a great album, still very relevant and "new" today. François Couture    Tracklist :
Credits :
Double Bass, Piano – Barry Guy
Drums, Cymbal [Cymbals], Percussion, Composed By – John Stevens
Guitar [Amplified] – Derek Bailey (tracks: 5 to 11)
Oboe, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Voice, Percussion – Trevor Watts
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion – Evan Parker
Trombone, Percussion – Paul Rutherford
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion – Kenny Wheeler

SPONTANEOUS MUSIC ENSEMBLE – Quintessence 1 (1973-4) (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In 1986, the British free improv label Emanem released a complete concert by the Spontaneous Music Ensemble over two LPs. For the CD reissues, each LP was given its own CD with over 20 minutes of extra material added. On Quintessence 1, we first have "Forty Minutes," a long improv performed in February 1974 at the ICA Theatre by an ad hoc quintet version of the ensemble: leader and drummer John Stevens, saxophonists Evan Parker and Trevor Watts, guitarist Derek Bailey, and bassist Kent Carter (heard here on cello). (The same lineup is featured on Quintessence 2 for the second half of this concert.) The 40-minute centerpiece of Quintessence 1 stands high on top of anything available by the SME: The true quintessence of Stevens' vision can be heard as the musicians give the best of themselves, remaining very personal in their playing (just compare Parker and Watts all the way through), while constantly keeping the focus on the group and the music happening here and now. Beautiful. In comparison, the three excerpts from an October 1973 trio session involving Stevens, Watts, and Carter lack the same qualities. "Rambunctious 1" and "Rambunctious 2" are different attempts at performing one of Stevens' loose compositions. Except for the drummer's shouts, it packs little excitement. On "Daa-Oom," he makes African-like vocal sounds echoed by Watts' wailing saxophone; once again interesting, but no match for the main course, a monument in itself. François Couture  
Tracklist :
1    Forty Minutes 40:11
Cello [Right] – Kent Carter
Guitar [Amplified, Left] – Derek Bailey
Percussion, Cornet – John Stevens
Soprano Saxophone [Left] – Evan Parker
Soprano Saxophone [Right] – Trevor Watts
2    Rambunctious 1    18:36
3    Rambunctious 2    4:47
4    Daa-Oom (Trio Version)    5:05
Credits :
Double Bass – Kent Carter (pistas: 2 to 4)
Music By – Derek Bailey (pistas: 1), Evan Parker (pistas: 1), John Stevens, Kent Carter (pistas: 1 to 3), Trevor Watts (pistas: 1 to 3)
Percussion, Voice – John Stevens (pistas: 2 to 4)
Soprano Saxophone – Trevor Watts (pistas: 2 to 4)

SPONTANEOUS MUSIC ENSEMBLE - Quintessence 2 1973-4 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Part two of an early 1974 concert performed by an ad hoc lineup of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Quintessence 2 was first released as an LP separate from Quintessence 1. The CD reissue contains both pieces performed during the second part of the concert, plus two pieces from a previous concert when the group was comprised of John Stevens and Trevor Watts performing as a duo. The quintet pieces also feature Evan Parker, Kent Carter, and Derek Bailey. The level of abstract bliss reached on "Forty Minutes" (the first half of the performance, included on the Quintessence 1 CD) is not matched here, but "Thirty-Five Minutes" and "Ten Minutes" are still suitable complements: Knowing that these five musicians had never played as a group before, the two improvisations impress by their level of listening and synergy. Bailey trades his amplified guitar for his 19-string acoustic guitar at one point, and it completely changes the sound palette. On "Corsop," the first duet, Stevens plays his cornet, something that might unnerve a few listeners. "Daa-Oom," a strange tribute to African singers and Albert Ayler (!), has him vocalizing while occasionally hitting a drum. This version is more satisfactory than the trio take on Quintessence 1. François Couture  
Tracklist :
1    Thirty-Five Minutes    34:39
2    Ten Minutes    10:06
3    Corsop    11:08
4    Daa-Oom (Duo Version)    10:18
Credits :
Cello [Right], Double Bass [Right] – Kent Carter (pistas: 1, 2)
Cornet, Voice, Percussion – John Stevens (2) (pistas: 3, 4)
Guitar [Amplified, Left], Guitar [Left] – Derek Bailey (pistas: 1, 2)
Music By – Derek Bailey (pistas: 1, 2), Evan Parker (pistas: 1, 2), John Stevens (2), Kent Carter (pistas: 1, 2), Trevor Watts (pistas: 1 to 3)
Percussion, Cornet – John Stevens (pistas: 1, 2)
Soprano Saxophone – Trevor Watts (pistas: 3, 4)
Soprano Saxophone [Left] – Evan Parker (pistas: 1, 2)
Soprano Saxophone [Right] – Trevor Watts (pistas: 1, 2)

EVAN PARKER | PAUL RUTHERFORD | BARRY GUY | JOHN STEVENS - 4, 4, 4, (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This was one of the stranger recordings issued by Konnex at the time, in that the band listed as playing 4,4,4 (in five parts) isn't the only band on the record. After the quartet's five selections are played through, a new band consisting of Stevens with violinist Nigel Coombes and guitarist Roger Smith improvises "Surfaces" for over 23 minutes! There is no information on the front cover to denote such a thing. Oh well, those Brits. As for the seasoned quartet on "4,4,4," strange, haunting, and beautiful are the words that describe the result of their latest collaboration. Rutherford and Parker have by now developed a language and syntax to speak to one another in every time they play together. Parker isn't forced into his conical ribbons of sound improvisational technique once here, as there is so much dialogue going on with Rutherford, who plays almost always at the same time or in alternating lines with Parker. They tonally challenge each other not to go further out, but further inside a particular timbral dimension, or tonal variant created by angular reed and bell mechanics. As for Guy and Stevens, they are more than support as a rhythm section -- they are the guys making stuff happen, with shifting accents staccato firebrands in the high registers, shimmering rim shots and electronic treatments that keep the horn players closed to one another. As for the S.M.E. piece, "Surfaces," that's what it is: a textural study of the interaction between two differing string tensions with percussion. Coming as it does after the wild, dynamic roar of "4,4,4," it accomplishes little in the way of excitement or even keeping a listener's interest.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1     1, 4, 4, 4:33
Barry Guy / Evan Parker
2     2,4,4, 11:05
Barry Guy / Evan Parker
3     3,4,4, 7:45
Barry Guy / Evan Parker
4     4, 4, 4, 18:25
Barry Guy / Evan Parker
5     5,4,4, 1:42
Barry Guy / Evan Parker
6     Surfaces 23:10
Acoustic Guitar – Roger Smith
Drums, Composed By – John Stevens
Recorded By – Richie Stevens
Violin – Nigel Coombes
Credits :
Bass, Electronics – Barry Guy (pistas: 1 to 5)
Percussion, Voice – John Stevens (pistas: 1 to 5)
Soprano Saxophone – Evan Parker (pistas: 1 to 5)
Trombone, Euphonium – Paul Rutherford (pistas: 1 to 5)