Recorded in 1984, a full 16 years after this quartet as individuals
began their investigation into free improvisation, the results are in.
Here are a group of four nearly peerless musicians who are standalone
comfortable in this medium, the one that creates something out of
nothing. Using the whatever elements are at their disposal, this group
of mates take the silence and fill it with noises, beautiful notes,
conical, breathless saxophone solos, electronic chaos, and thunderous,
rhythmic densities it would take God to undo. That this music, such as
it is as an unfolding process can happen in front of a live audience, as
it is with no agenda, is of particular credit to the British musicians
who flew in the face of the American free jazz of the late '60s. For one
thing, all of these cats can play their instruments well enough to
deconstruct them, and to discover new sounds in them -- check Evan
Parker's soprano about ten or 11 minutes into this, or Barry Guy's
bassing which brings in high-pitched electronic sounds to counter his
own pizzicato in key. This is music that doesn't mess around, but goes
straight for the heart of the beast: unquestioning conformity, academic
avant-gardism, and soulless tunes called art. Now, in the 21st century,
this music sounds as fresh as it did the day it was made. That is art.
This is the way, so step inside.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1 Supersession 36:55
Barry Guy / Evan Parker / Eddie Prévost / Keith Rowe
Double Bass, Electronics – Barry Guy
Guitar, Electronics, Design – Keith Rowe
Percussion, Liner Notes, Design – Eddie Prévost
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
22.2.23
EVAN PARKER | KEITH ROWE | BARRY GUY | EDDIE PRÉVOST - Supersession (New Edition) (1984-2015) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
12.2.23
EVAN PARKER | KEITH ROWE - Dark Rags (2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless
This is not the first time Evan Parker and Keith Rowe have recorded together, but what makes these two lengthy live improvisations so compelling is the seamless and almost uncanny way in which the musicians meld their creative concepts. Rowe is a surprisingly effective partner for the more aggressive Parker, as the former lays down alternatively minimalist and complex layers of electronic fabric that the saxophonist integrates in his blowing. There is always a sense of equal pairing, of smorgasbords of ambient clouds rising up in swirls of interlocking embraces. Curiously, neither of the tracks ever grows tedious, even though both hover at the 40-minute mark, and there is a certain static quality throughout. This is utterly fascinating fare, with Rowe's low-key electronics occasionally adding humor, and Parker adjusting his sometimes frenetic style by lowering the volume and bouncing delicately off the manipulated noises. Somehow, Rowe brings out qualities in the saxophonist's playing that are not usually heard; the results are often thrilling. Steve Loewy
Tracklist :
1 Dark Rags # 1 37:22
2 Dark Rags # 2 40:25
Credits :
Guitar, Electronics, Music By – Keith Rowe
Tenor Saxophone, Music By – Evan Parker
+ last month
JOACHIM KÜHN — Europeana : Jazzphony No. 1 (Michael Gibbs) (1995) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Europeana won the Annual German Record Critics' Award upon its initial CD release in 1995. ACT Tracklist : 1 Castle In Heaven 4:16 Fr...