Tracklist :
1 American Landscapes 1 43:39
Credits :
Baritone Saxophone, Saxophone [Slide] – Mats Gustafsson
Bass – Kent Kessler
Cello – Fred Lonberg-Holm
Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Ken Vandermark
Clarinet, Tárogató, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Music By, Painting [Cover] – P. Brötzmann
Drums – Michael Zerang, Paal Nilssen-Love
Trombone – Hannes Bauer
Trumpet, Alto Saxophone – Joe McPhee
Tuba – Per Åke Holmlander
Recorded in a Chicago studio and feeling as if it were a live concert, despite his many solo saxophone recordings, the Chicago Solo by Evan Parker is very special. For one thing, this is a completely tenor saxophone set; the trademark soprano is nowhere in evidence. For another, Parker seems very interested in the extended tones of the horn rather than in the fiery creation of microtonal knots of sound. On "Chicago Solo 3," he pulls his tone right from the bell, rolling out notes along the physical properties of the horn itself, exploring each vibration and sub-tone as a color and of its own territory, worthy of exploration and he follows them into the bell and back. His "No. 7" solo he dedicates to Lee Konitz (one of four here, the others are for Chris MacGregor, "Mr." Braxton, and George Lewis), and he utilizes a pair of phrases from Konitz's own solo disc "Motion," and turns them into a wonderland of tonal and harmonic equations that remain unresolved -- perhaps awaiting Konitz to respond? The lower register explorations of "No. 14" are remarkable for their tenacity of embouchure. Parker turns his own lines into bent, mirrored images of themselves, keeps the arpeggio range close to the vest and claims a melody from them that stands in counterpoint to the original phrase. This is a fascinating and very listening disc of solo improvisations, one that is likely never to find a wide enough audience for its brilliant accomplishment on tenor saxophone.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1 Chicago Solo [12] 1:44
2 Chicago Solo [3] 4:40
3 Chicago Solo [4] For Chris McGregor 3:18
4 Chicago Solo [5] 6:56
5 Chicago Solo [6] 3:20
6 Chicago Solo [7] 5:13
7 Chicago Solo [8] For Lee Konitz 2:57
8 Chicago Solo [9] 2:15
9 Chicago Solo [10] 4:46
10 Chicago Solo [11] For Mr. Braxton 1:44
11 Chicago Solo [13] 4:04
12 Chicago Solo [14] 5:26
13 Chicago Solo [15] 4:23
14 Chicago Solo [16] For George Lewis 8:34
Credits :
Tenor Saxophone, Composed By, Producer – Evan Parker
Unity Variations is a live duo concert by British saxophonist Evan Parker and German pianist Georg Graewe that captures their excited activity in the outer regions of European jazz improvisation. Recorded at Chicago's Unity Temple during the Empty Bottle's 1998 Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music, this excellent performance showcases the very complementary interaction of the duo, the sort of interaction that often becomes a feat of close listening even while playing without pause. The opening number, "Unity Variation 1," is a lengthy (over 20 minutes) and seamless musical flow from Graewe and Parker. Although it is more notes than space, this improvisation refrains from becoming simply a barrage of notes, with its steady and slightly relaxed pace. The overall effect is that of a fluid tumbling of blocks in a lighthearted avalanche. Varying degrees of chunkiness (imagine a thin string with thick knots spaced out along it) are heard during the next piece, "Unity Variation 2," a 15-minute improvisation which is opened rather quietly by Graewe (Parker joins in a few minutes later). The closing track, "Unity Variation 4," is almost pastoral, with high and delicate runs, as well as impressive circular breathing from Parker. Joslyn Layne
Tracklist :
1 Unity Variations 1 24:33
2 Unity Variations 2 15:42
3 Unity Variations 3 10:37
4 Unity Variations 4 3:54
Credits :
Composed By – Evan Parker, Georg Gräwe
Painting [Cover Painting] – Albert Oehlen
Piano – Georg Gräwe
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Tracklist :
1 Duet 2 4:47
2 Duet 3 4:44
3 Duet 4 5:12
4 Duet 5 10:51
5 Duet 6 3:07
6 Duet 7 2:33
7 Duet 9 6:46
8 Duet 8 10:52
9 Duet 11 10:40
10 Duet 12 5:24
11 Duet 13 3:10
Credits :
Tenor Saxophone, Composed By – Evan Parker, Joe McPhee 
Duo (Amsterdam) 1991 is a live recording of Braxton with the German pianist Georg Grawe, a musician of prodigious technique whose style is rooted more in the contemporary classical tradition than jazz. The three pieces are improvisations and the two players, who hadn't previously worked together, compliment each other wonderfully, their paths intertwining telepathically. Grawe plays with great fluidity, often serving as a near mirror image (though decidedly flavored with his own musical nature) to Braxton's typically liquid and flowing flights of creativity. The second piece especially, along the lines of some of Braxton's prior heartbreakingly plaintive songs, is marvelous, ranging from sighs to moans, all supported with imagination and depth by Grawe. Improvised duets for a good size portion of Braxton's recorded output; this disc, a fascinating conversation between new friends, is one of the better examples. Brian Olewnick
Tracklist :
1 Duet I 25:12
2 Duet II 16:00
3 Duet III 4:43
Anthony Braxton
Credits :
Composed By – Anthony Braxton, Georg Gräwe
Piano – Georg Gräwe
Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
An exploration of the traces left by Celtic music on its journey from European music into jazz. In "Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic," ...
