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Spontaneous Music Ensemble: Challenge (1966-7)
by John Eyles
These recordings are of historical importance. More importantly, they are a good listen.They are the earliest available recordings of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, dating from March 1966 and (one track, previously unissued) April 1967. They were issued briefly on LP in 1966. The recordings capture free improvisation at the point in time when it was diverging from free jazz but when the two were still close enough to be obviously related. Over the next two years, largely because ...
read moreSpontaneous Music Ensemble: Low Profile
by Robert Spencer
The Spontaneous Music Ensemble consisted of a shifting cast of characters centered around the late lamented percussionist John Stevens; here he's joined by violinist Nigel Coombes, cellist Colin Wood (on two tracks), and guitarist Roger Smith (on one track). Thus all of these tracks are interplays of strings of various textures with percussion. Most of this is quiet music, with sudden convergences and divergences, and little thematic continuity. Yet at the same time there is an inescapable cumulative effect and ...
read moreSpontaneous Music Ensemble: Low Profile 1977-1988
by Glenn Astarita
The late drummer John Stevens was charismatic, at times unpredictable yet played with conviction and enthusiasm through his now historic free jazz/improv band, “Spontaneous Music Ensemble”. The rendition of SME portrayed here, represents the version “that lasted the longest period, whilst probably performing and recording the least”, from the words of Emanem’s Martin Davidson. Here, Stevens performs alongside guitar virtuoso Roger Smith (See AAJ July’99 review), violinist Nigel Coombes and cellist Colin Wood. Low Profile features material recorded live between ...
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