★Emanem
Frameworks
Three different groups in performances utilising frameworks devised by John Stevens sending the music into unexpected areas. From mid-1968 there is the unusual line-up of JOHN STEVENS (percussion), NORMA WINSTONE (voice), KENNY WHEELER (fluegelhorn), PAUL RUTHERFORD (trombone) and TREVOR WATTS (bass clarinet) in a wide-ranging half-hour sequence. Another half-hour sequence features the superb 1971 quartet of STEVENS (percussion & voice), JULIE TIPPETT (voice & guitar), WATTS (soprano sax) and RO…
A new distance
Two of the last performances by the SME which then comprised John Stevens (percussion & pocket trumpet), Roger Smith (guitar) and John Butcher (soprano & tenor saxophones). A new direction for the music that was sadly terminated later that year (1994) by Stevens' untimely death. Added to this reissue are two short pieces from the previous year, when Neil Metcalfe (flute) was also in the group, and some perceptive comments by Stevens. Reissue of Acta CD 8 with extra material. 63 minutes. Reissue …
Low Profile
The 1977 Derby concert performance by the SME quartet with John Stevens (percussion, cornet, voice), Nigel Coombes (violin), Colin Wood (cello) & Roger Smith (guitar) features an extended (!) tribute to Anton Webern. The CD also contains also 1984 and 1988 London concert recordings by the trio without Wood." (Emanem)
Hot & cold heroes
"The longest lasting and most controversial edition of the SME was that featuring John Stevens (percussion, cornet, voice) with two vastly under-rated acoustic musicians: Nigel Coombes (violin) & Roger Smith (guitar). This selection has an extended home performance from 1980, and three concerts from 1991, one of which has Neil Metcalfe (flute) and John Rangecroft (clarinet) added to the trio. 76 minutes - previously unissued." (Emanem)
Summer 1967
All previously unissued recordings, mainly made up of the duo of John Stevens (percussion) and Evan Parker (ss, ts), with Peter Kowald (b) on about a third of it. This marks the earliest to date recordings of Parker and is a tremendous snapshot of some ancient history. "Parker and Stevens seemed to break through to a deeper level of hearing, where a sound was not set against other sounds but rather against the silence around it, so that one gained heightened awareness of its growth and decay, it…
Blown bone
Previously only available on a very rare 1979 Japanese LP, these two jazz sessions feature Rudd as a fine composer/arranger and organiser of unlikely-looking line-ups, as well as an exceptional trombonist. The CD opens with Rudd, ENRICO RAVA (trumpet), STEVE LACY (soprano sax), WILBUR LITTLE (bass) and PAUL MOTIAN (drums) all showing themselves to be in good form. Then SHEILA JORDAN (voice) joins them for some timely environmental protest. The other session (from the previous day) has KENNY DAVE…
Secret sandhills and satellites
Pieces for ruined pianos and pianos on the edge of ruin. For several years now, Ross Bolleter has been scouring around Western Australia and beyond looking for ruined pianos. He has found the right music for each instrument, and performed and recorded it. This collection contains some recent choice items recorded around Perth and Alice Springs. The main work, inspired by an Aborigine painting, is the 28-minute 'Secret Sandhills,' a generally slow-moving work spliced together from performances on…
Caesura
This second CD is looser and veers more towards Free Improvisation than the first SHAKEN. Once again, trumpeter Ramanan (who doubles on wooden flutes) is with MARCIO MATTOS (cello & electronics), SIMON H FELL (double bass) and MARK SANDERS (percussion). One of the eight tracks is a bass solo, and another a string duet. 62 minutes.
Shaken
Trumpeter Ramanan (who doubles on wooden flutes) has been quietly enriching the London scene for some 15 years now. For the first CD under his leadership, he presents his imaginative current quartet which spans the ground between Free Improvisation and Free Jazz. With Marcio Mattos (cello & electronics), Simon H. Fell (double bass) and Mark Sanders (percussion). 72 minutes -- previously unissued.
The butterfly and the bee
Following the success of their very first performance together at the 2004 FREEDOM OF THE CITY festival (heard on Emanem 4215), Roger Smith and Louis Moholo-Moholo went into the studio to record some more. Their second meeting went so well that they recorded enough duo improvisations for a complete CD. The resulting music is heard complete, with Smith on Spanish guitar and Moholo on augmented drum set.
Angel gate
Superb acoustic string quartet improvisations recorded in the studio and in concert by TONY WREN (double bass), PHIL DURRANT (violin), CHARLOTTE HUG (viola) & MARK WASTELL. Also contains three short bass solos. 78 minutes.
Slur
"Phil Minton is virtually alone in blazing a trail for the male vocalist in freely improvised music and this is one of his very infrequent outings as a group leader. In his notes for the accompanying booklet he refers to having toyed with the idea of singing words on this disc. The fact that he could apparently see no point in doing so might just be the thing that makes this music so successful, as the intrusion of words might only have rendered earthbound music that occupies a far more nebulous…
A doughnut in both hands
Solo singing. The variety of sounds that this man can make with his voice and mouth is totally unbelievable. Reissue of Rift 3 with extra material from the same and slightly later sessions. 56 minutes.
1968
An expanded reissue of the only published recording by one of the pioneering free improvisation groups, The People Band's self-titled album, originally released in 1970. Containing musicians that also worked with Pete Brown, Mike Westbrook, Ian Dury, Soft Machine, and others, this musical collective coalesced in London in 1968, and soon came to the attention of jazz aficionado Charlie Watts, who financed and oversaw a recording session that October. Improvised, anarchic, and utterly original, …
Gheim
"In 1983, Paul Rutherford was performing with a trio that was very different in style from the highly abstract Iskra 1903, the trombonist's main trio vehicle for a long time. This group, billed simply as the Paul Rutherford Trio, is busier, wilder, more energy driven and free jazz-oriented. Joining him are two players that were new to the free improve scene at the time. Bassist Paul Rogers was a young cat, although this recording doesn't let it show. He already displays an impressive musical voc…
Rogues
Paul Rutherford (b. 1940; d. 2007) and Paul Rogers (b. 1956) are two of the finest improvisers around, both as soloists and as group members. They are also two of the finest exponents of their respective instruments. Putting two excellent musicians together does not always make an excellent duo. In this case, it certainly did.
All the magnificent music performed one evening in Birmingham is included on this CD in the order it was performed - except that, sadly, a couple of minutes had to be ch…
Sequences 72 & 73
Paul Rutherford (1940 - 2007) was best known as an improvising trombonist - the improvising trombonist according to many listeners - the one responsible for the definitive solo trombone record, THE GENTLE HARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE, now available on Emanem 4019. He was also well known as the founder and co-ordinator of the improvising trio Iskra 1903, which originally included Derek Bailey and Barry Guy - after the mid 1970s, Philipp Wachsmann replaced Bailey.
What is not well known, because it ha…
Neuph (1978-80)
Compositions for Euphonium and Trombone, recorded 1978-80. To make his third solo album, Rutherford went into a studio with both trombone and euphonium and used over-dubbing techniques to create unique pieces involving up to four brass instruments. The only completely solo performance features the euphonium. A couple of short tracks feature the trombone played back at double speed -- one of them accompanied by a howling dog (the only other performer involved). This CD also includes two superb so…
The gentle harm of the bourgeoisie
Reissue of the definitive solo trombone album, from 1974, with additional material from the same sessions. His first album of this sort, it has been described by Derek Bailey (rather famously) as still the best record of solo free improvising you are likely to find. Maybe it's the only one... if you're thinking of buying a record of solo improvisation you should try and get this one. It's the genuine article.
