Evan Parker, George Lewis

Originally issued on LP in 1980, From Saxophone & Trombone ought to offer fans of trombonist George Lewis and saxophonist Evan Parker quite a bit to get revved up about. No frills or hidden agendas to be found throughout these five improvisation based works. You name it—they cover it! The duo explores various harmonic twists and turns amid microtonal sounds and ethereal soundscapes. They dig deep from within while also displaying the utmost improvisational acumen, as most of us would come to expect. On the first track ("One"), the artists engage in circular movements and temperate exchanges, as Lewis' droning, muted lines anchors Parker's wide-ranging developments. The duo forsakes an austere approach on numerous occasions. They integrate wit and whimsy into a series of verbose exchanges while frequently veering off into angular dialogues complete with abnormal musical sounds. At times, they seemingly let the chips fall into some sort of randomized order. That's the beauty of it all. However, in lesser hands, these situations do not always pan out. It's all about artistry in motion and the duo's acute cognizance of dynamics and temperance. (Recommended).