Jazz Articles about John Butcher

John Butcher - Xavier Charles - Axel Dorner: The Contest of Pleasures

by Glenn Astarita
July 1, 2001

Recorded live at the “Jazz a’ Mulhouse Festival”, The Contest of Pleasures is a subtly dynamic improvising extravaganza brought to us by three forward thinking European horn men; saxophonist John Butcher, clarinetist Xavier Charles and trumpeter Axel Dorner. With this newly issued outing, the musicians’ explore abstruse regions of sound amid odd voicings, high-pitched harmonies, intricate three-way dialogue, and mechanistic tonalities.

Here, the artists’ project kaleidoscopic and at times, hypnotic motifs, awash with raspy trills, percussive statements and daintily executed ...

John Butcher: Fixations (14) - Solo Saxophone 1997-2000

by AAJ Staff
May 1, 2001

Though saxophonist John Butcher is not short on instrumental prowess, his primary assets lie in the realm of ideas. On Fixations, Butcher has rejected conventional jazz thinking (swing, melodicism, harmonic cycles) in favor of creating his own personal language of improvisation. As Butcher puts it in the liner notes, “...improvisation can only make sense when it is somehow connected to the hope of finding, spontaneously, some music you don't really know about beforehand."

So the pursuit of a new musical ...

John Butcher/Phil Durrant: Requests And Antisongs

by Glenn Astarita
November 1, 2000

Requests And Antisongs represents a series of pieces performed by two prominent masters of the British improv scene, saxophonist John Butcher and violinist, electronics expert Phil Durrant. Yet here, Durrant often counters or parallels Butcher’s fragmented themes and lines by solely utilizing – live electronics and modular feedback.

With the opener, “Sheet Bends”, the listener should notice an eerie or perhaps subversive sense of tranquillity as matters gravitate towards some sort of alien dialogue between the two artists. On this ...

John Butcher: Music on Seven Ocassions

by Derek Taylor
February 1, 2000

John Butcher is an established improviser in the European creative music milieu. His exceptional approach to reed playing has been chronicled on numerous recordings, but until recently the majority of these releases have been limited to European circulation or as expensively priced imports. His new disc on Meniscus offers a two-fold benefit for listeners unfamiliar with his music. First it delivers a generous helping of music at an extremely affordable price. Second, and more importantly, the disc places Butcher in ...

John Butcher/Phil Durrant/John Russell: The Scenic Route

by Robert Spencer
July 1, 1999

Three improvisers with long resumes and magnificent virtuosity. Themeless improvised music that highlights the abilities of each musician to interact with his fellows and create a seamless whole of spontaneous composition. That is The Scenic Route by John Butcher, Phil Durrant, and John Russell.

The title may be derived from the unhurried nature of these 1998 performances, which bear the marks of mature craftsmanship. Although saxophonist Butcher is unafraid to employ multiphonic effects, and displays a post-Evan Parker familiarity with ...

John Butcher-Phil Durrant-John Russell: The Scenic Route

by Glenn Astarita
June 1, 1999

Jon Butcher (saxophones), Phil Durrant (violin) and John Russell (guitar) are a free-jazz or improvisational power trio of sorts. The Scenic Route is the latest from this daring and adventurous group as tracks 1-4 were recorded live in France and track 5 recorded live in London.

The opener, “Heavy Merge” commences as if three scientists were meticulously crafting an intricate Swiss watch. On this piece the musicians enact clever and cunning dialogue in workmanlike fashion. The delicate transformation of unusual ...