★Emanem
Ah!
George Khan could be called a forgotten pioneer of the London free music scenes, except that anyone who has heard or seen or met him could surely never forget him. A superb saxophonist and flautist, as well as one of the nicest and most laid-back people - he is capable of outputting an apparently endless stream of what is generally called Fire Music. Meeting up with Terry Day in the mid-1960s, Khan became a member of the People Band, and since then has mostly combined his musical and theatr…
Earlier Outbreaks of Iconoclasm
Three early recordings by the long lasting duo of Milo Fine (clarinet, percussion and piano) and Steve Gnitka (electric guitar). The first two sessions, HAH! from 1976 and The Constant Extension of Inescapable Tradition from 1977, were issued on two hat Hut LPs (with two tracks missing). The third, When I was five years old, I predicted your whole life from 1978, was scheduled to appear on Horo, but that label went bust before it happened, so this material is now making a very belated first …
In Backward Times (1979-2007)
Unreleased material by Paul Rutherford, one of the greatest trombone improvisers in jazz – heard here on four very long tracks pulled from the vaults of Emanem Records! As label founder Martin Davidson says in the notes, the music of Rutherford was one of the reasons he created the company – and hearing him here, there's no doubt that even lesser-known work by the trombonist is still every bit as great as the rest of his legacy – and only serves to cement his reputation for one of the most creat…
Discoveries on Tracker Action Organs
After superb solo CDs on piano and luthéal piano, Veryan Weston makes an equally fine solo organ album. Touring England in search of tracker-action organs, Weston tried about 40 to see if both the instrument and the space were suitable for the planned trio tuning out tour. In several cases there wasn't the opportunity to try them extensively, but in others it was possible to get beyond the discoveries of the particular instrument, and make some magnificent music. This collection consists of seve…
Goodbye Red Rose
Chefa Alonso performed with numerous musicians during her 2004-8 stay in London. Perhaps the most profound and rewarding musical relationship was the duo with Tony Marsh. This is at least the fifth soprano saxophone and percussion duo on Emanem. While perhaps influenced by the other duos, the strengths of the two participants mean that it is a unique addition to the instrumentation. Besides their contribution to the last night at the Red Rose, there are also appearances at another London venue, …
Haste
"An improvising trio absent the traditional markers of a rhythm section (bass and/or drums), the musicians on HASTE explore longer forms with a balance of gestural, painterly swoops and pointillist detail. The trio works through three collective pieces totalling just shy of an hour. Weston is an incredibly resourceful keyboardist, but his penchant for poise and deep listening ensure that his glisses and clusters remain on axis. It’s important to note that both Weston and Laubrock are accomplishe…
Separately & Together
"Given the number of musicians involved listeners will be surprised at the coherence and delicacy of much of the music here. As is so often, the pieces mainly consist of 'conductions' wherein one musician directs the orchestra, giving an overall form and structure to each piece - at least, that is the intention. So, Philipp Wachsmann's On the point of influence closes with a long restrained duo for cello and bass, while Ashley Wales' Study for Oppy Wood is an atmospheric tone poem.
In addition t…
Avignon and after - Volume 2
In 2012, Emanem released Avignon and After Volume 1 which consisted of re-released and previously unreleased tracks from the late great soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy's first solo concerts, at Avignon in 1972, plus previously unreleased tracks recorded live in Berlin in 1974. It was an excellent and valuable addition to the Lacy discography. Teasingly, its sleeve notes hinted that there was still enough unreleased Lacy material for another volume. Now, to confirm that, here is that second vo…
Solos (1998-2010)
Marcio Mattos has been an important member of the free improvisation and free jazz scenes since moving to London in the early 1970s. This, however, is his first solo album. There are six short solos on cello, three of which also use electronics, and three brief double bass solos, followed by an extended concert performance on bass with electronic enhancement. An overdue chance to hear this consistently fine musician in the foreground. 59 minutes.From the linernotes "Marcio Mattos’s first instrum…
Avignon and after - Volume 1
The 1972 Avignon concerts were Steve Lacy’s very first solo concerts, although he did make an excellent overdubbed solo record for Saravah the year before. (For ‘solo’ read ‘alone’ or ‘unaccompanied’ rather than the usual music business meaning of ‘very accompanied’.) Thanks to an introduction by John Stevens, I first met Lacy when he visited London in 1973. He brought with him some of the Avignon tapes in order to try and interest a record producer to issue this music. However, record producers…
Tandem (remastered) (1979/82)
"All of two exceptional Worcester (Massachusetts) and Los Angeles concerts: clarinet and cornet duos and solos in improvisations on original compositions. Even those who know Carter and Bradford's work in larger groups will be astounded. The original CDs were the first (non-video) release of this duo performing unaccompanied, and the sound has been cleaned up considerably for this double CD set."-Emanem
Archiduc Concert : Dansaert Variations
Paul Hubweber, trombone. Philip Zoubek, prepared piano. The whole of a duo concert on trombone and prepared piano, recorded at L'Archiduc in Brussels - a bar whose art deco interior is featured on the cover. This is the second CD by this duo following on from the highly acclaimed Nobody's matter but our own on NurNichtNur. Both musicians are now amongst the freshest exponents of their respective instruments, and they interact with each other superbly.
Translations
The dialog of two improvising guitarists who, since 2004, have explored "timbres, interspersed with fragments of chords, rhythms and melodies, parallel plays in imitation or opposition". All the pieces that make up this CD are presented here in their entirety. They reflect our mutual explorations discussed in confidence, freedom and exigency since 2005. Dialogues of timbres, interspersed with fragments of chords, rhythms and melodies, parallel plays in imitation or opposition... Conversation…
Slipway to Galaxies (Solo Viola & Voice)
An intensely personal journey, Charlotte Hug uses extended vocal techniques and an unusual language on the viola, creating an exceptional and unique improvisatory sound world. Charlotte Hug's third solo (unaccompanied) CD is the first to feature her voice as well as her viola. The two are used together to create an even more complex instrument than before sometimes sounding like a duo performance. Recorded in her home town of Zürich after several visits to Cork in Ireland, she has subtly absorb…
Different Tessellations
Two very different versions of Weston's compositional framework based on a cycle of pentatonic scales. Tessellations I explores the possibilities of improvising with a pre-established form as a soloist and was conceived for acoustic piano. (The composer recorded a version in 2003 on a Luthéal piano in Brussels released as Emanem 4095). Only the first half of the 2010 version by the young concert and improvising pianist LEO SVIRSKY is included here because of CD durational limitations. His interp…
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.
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…
Number nine
Two Toronto musicians and a visitor from London formed this trio that has worked on both sides of the Atlantic. Group improvisations on acoustic guitar, alto saxophone and percussion that cover the whole gamut from dense high-energy to sparse interactions.
s/t
Highlights of the groups presented by Emanem: Steve Beresford (electronics), John Butcher (saxes), Lol Coxhill (sax), Paul Rutherford (trombone), Phil Minton (voice), John Russell (guitar), Roger Turner (percussion), Maggie Nicols (voice), Caroline Kraabel (sax), Charlotte Hug (viola), Ian Smith (trumpet), Gail Brand (trombon), Oren Marshall (tuba), Pat Thomas (piano), Veryan Weston (piano), John Edwards (bass) Mark Sanders (percussion), Tony Wren (bass), Mark Wastell (cello), Phil Durrant (viol…
