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)