Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Evan Parker / Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Peter Evans: Sce...

240

Evan Parker / Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Peter Evans: Scenes In The House Of Music

By

Sign in to view read count
Evan Parker / Barry Guy / Paul Lytton / Peter Evans: Scenes In The House Of Music
Saxophonist Evan Parker, bassist Barry Guy and drummer Paul Lytton have playing together in one form or another since 1972. Their longtime association has created improvised magic, and their appearances are legendary. In 2009, the trio shared the stage with trumpet phenom Peter Evans at Casa da Música, and this impressive recording is the result.

The Parker/Guy/Lytton trio was first documented on Tracks (Incus, 1983). Since then, they have released multiple discs, the last being Nightwork (Marge, 2010). They have also, from time to time, collaborated with other artists such as pianists Marilyn Crispell and Alexander von Schlippenbach, and saxophonist Peter Brötzmann.

What is significant about Evans' introduction into this trio performance is how he fits with such consistency and compatibility. He cannot be considered a guest, he sounds too much like a core member. Evans burst onto the improv music scene through his playing with Moppa Elliott's Mostly Other People Do The Killing, and his own quartet and solo trumpet music, which displayed jaw-dropping technique. He has released two solo discs on Evan Parker's Psi label: More Is More (2005) and Nature/Culture (2009).

The now-signature sound of Parker/Guy/Lytton's energy jazz is heard on "Scene 1," its rumbling connectivity feeling like an M.C.Escher drawing, full of perceptual quirks and geometric distortions that all fit and flow together. Evans extends that illustration without disturbing its logic. "Scene 2" opens with the trumpeter's ruminating horn, sung/vocal notes resonating in the auditorium before his hosts enter slowly, Guy pulling his bow across strings and Lytton tapping random beats. This more introspective piece highlights the give-and-take of the trio plus one, listening and responding to each others' sounds.

Parker breaks out his circular breathing on "Scene 4," and the intensity is turned up. Way up. The music turns forceful and vigorous, with Guy sawing notes and Lytton crashing cymbals. The old lions display a bit of roar, and the young Evans howls along. Midway into the piece, Lytton and Guy sit out, as Parker and Evans square off, exchanging a menagerie of blurps, yowls, and clucks to the delight of the audience. By the time the Lytton and Guy have come back in, the balance of the affair has returned, to great effect.

Track Listing

Scene 1; Scene 2; Scene 3; Scene 4; Scene 5.

Personnel

Evan Parker
saxophone, soprano

Barry Guy: bass; Evan Parker: tenor saxophone; Paul Lytton: drums; Peter Evans: trumpet.

Album information

Title: Scenes In The House Of Music | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Clean Feed Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.