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Schlippenbach / Narvesen Duo: Liminal Field

by John Sharpe
Liminal Field is the alluring second album from the intergenerational duo of German pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach and Norwegian drummer Dag Magnus Narvesen, following on from the limited edition LP Interweaving (Not Two, 2018). A veteran of the European free movement, Schlippenbach is revered for leading the Globe Unity Orchestra, his long standing trio with Evan ...
Steve Swell / Robert Boston / Michael Vatcher: Brain In A Dish

by John Sharpe
It is hard to think of a more complete trombone player on the scene than Steve Swell. While a go-to sideman for the likes of William Parker, Ken Vandermark, Jason Kao Hwang and Tim Daisy, he has also amassed a significant body of work over the years in his own right. Although his output has featured ...
Liquid Quintet: Bouquet

by John Sharpe
After three albums by his Liquid Trio, Catalan pianist Agustí Fernández augments the regular line up of drummer Ramon Prats and saxophonist Albert Cirera with guests bassist Barry Guy and reedman Don Malfon. In the liner notes, Fernández traces the original threesome's lineage back to the Alexander von Schlippenbach Trio and, by implication, to their forebears, ...
Steve Lehman Trio + Craig Taborn: The People I Love

by John Sharpe
On The People I Love, alto saxophonist Steve Lehman, Janus-like looks back, while simultaneously looking forward. He recruits celebrated pianist Craig Taborn to bolster his longstanding trio of bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Damion Reid. It was once said that Taborn was fated to play better on other people's records than his own. Happily that is ...
Sam Rivers Quintet: Zenith

by John Sharpe
Concertgoers must have been forced back in their seats by the intensity of Sam Rivers opening foray at the 1977 Berlin Jazztage Festival. After an annunciatory tenor saxophone burst, he goes for the jugular with fierce vocalized overblowing atop a churning four piece rhythm section. But if that sounds forbidding, then like the audience, listeners to ...
Marcelo Dos Reis: Points

by John Sharpe
Points unites four partners in crime, who may be familiar from excellent albums such as Chamber 4 (FMR, 2015) and For Sale (Clean Feed, 2015). But though there are many interconnections between the Portuguese threesome of guitarist Marcelo dos Reis, drummer Marco Franco and trumpeter Luis Vicente, and French cellist Valentin Ceccaldi, this is their first ...
Luis Vicente - Vasco Trilla: A Brighter Side Of Darkness

by John Sharpe
The drone plays an important role in musics around the world, from south Indian classical to the pibroch piping of Scotland and the didgeridoo of Australia, to name just a few examples. Such minimalist leanings where small modulations in clusters of pure tone become the main feature also appear especially suited to experimental trumpeters such as ...
Mette Rasmussen/Chris Corsano: A View Of The Moon (From The Sun)

by John Sharpe
Both Danish saxophonist Mette Rasmussen and American drummer Chris Corsano thrive on exposed situations. No strangers to solo concerts and recordings, they are equally adept at duo experiences. A View Of The Moon (From The Sun) constitutes their second pairing after All The Ghosts At Once (Relative Pitch, 2015), and once again they share a predilection ...
Bruce Ackley / Fred Frith / Henry Kaiser / Aram Shelton: Unexpected Twins

by John Sharpe
Sometimes looking back can be a cause of regret, but it can sometimes inspire. Happily the latter is the case with Unexpected Twins by the doubled instrumentation of guitarists Henry Kaiser and Fred Frith and saxophonists Bruce Ackley and Aram Shelton. The original Twins emerged from the early free improvisation scene in North America in 1977, ...
John Sharpe's Best Releases Of 2019

by John Sharpe
There's sometimes a backlash against picking the year's best albums. Understandably so when it entails pitting one honest artistic endeavour against another. Best to view the selections as a chance to pick up on something that you might otherwise have missed. As a listener I always look forward to the annual year end lists for precisely ...