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Evan Parker
by John Eyles
In his biography of Robert Wyatt, Different Every Time (Serpent's Tail, 2015), author Marcus O'Dair describes Evan Parker as “perhaps the finest British free-jazz saxophonist of his generation." The only words in that phrase that seasoned Parker followers might take issue with are “perhaps," “British" and “free-jazz," preferring just to describe him as the finest improvising ...
Derek Bailey
by John Eyles
Guitarist Derek Bailey was one of the more prominent and influential musicians from the “first generation of free improvisation" that developed in London in the mid-sixties and gradually promoted the music around the world. Although several members of that generation were leaders, Bailey often seemed the de facto leader of the group. Partly, this was a ...
The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever!
by John Kelman
In a time when album sales are a challenge being mitigated, at least to some extent, by the release of deluxe editions and box sets, it's still more necessary than ever to grab potential listeners with imagery and words; the title of a box set can have, especially for those less than intimately familiar with the ...
Live From Old York: Laura Jurd, Annie Whitehead, Brooks Williams & Koshka
by Martin Longley
Laura Jurd's Dinosaur National Centre For Early Music November 11, 2016 Dinosaur are one of the UK's fastest rising new bands, although their recent re-naming hides a few years of history as the Laura Jurd Quartet. The London foursome still look even younger than their actual ages, thus qualifying as ...
Emanem Tidies Up
by John Eyles
As well as releasing contemporary recordings of improv, Martin Davidson's Emanem label has played a vital role in documenting the history of the music by releasing, re-releasing or re-curating recordings that are decades old. In the process, Davidson has sometimes worked tirelessly to improve the sound quality of recordings that were never intended for release, and ...
Bobby Bradford, Frode Gjerstad Quartet: The Delaware River
by Vincenzo Roggero
Sono più di trent'anni che le strade di Bobby Bradford e Frode Gjerstad si incrociano continuamente, dall'esordio nei Details di John Stevens per arrivare alla manciata di ottimi CD incisi in trio o in quartetto. Risulta così del tutto normale l'alto grado di intesa che si percepisce tra i due lungo i quaranta minuti scarsi di ...
Barry Guy: A Prophet is Not without Honour (Part 2)
by Duncan Heining
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Barry Guy has been the artistic director and main composer of the London Jazz Composers' Orchestra throughout its now forty-five year history. Recordings and performances since Ode in 1972 have been sporadic but those forty-five years have resulted in eleven albums (including one with Anthony Braxton) ...
Barry Guy: Ploughs into Swordshares, Part 1-3
by Duncan Heining
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Edgar Varèse's defiant statement in the face of public and critical indifference -"The present day composer refuses to die"—could so easily apply to composer-bassist Barry Guy. He has earned over the years a deep and lasting respect from certain fans and critics, though more so in ...
Howard Riley: Reinventing the Jazz Piano Trio
by Duncan Heining
Even allowing for journalistic hyperbole, the phrase “reinventing the jazz piano trio" was a doozy. It all seemed a bit “Emperor's new clothes" or, as my late mother used to put it, “new coat and no knickers." For a time in the noughties, British critics variously applied the phrase to Esbjorn Svensson, Brad Mehldau, The Necks, ...
Bobby Bradford / Frode Gjerstad Quartet: The Delaware River
by John Sharpe
This live date from Philadelphia in 2014 forms the seventh in a string of releases by the Bobby Bradford and Frode Gjerstad quartet. Their association dates back to 1986 when cornetist Bradford first encountered Norwegian reedman Gjerstad as part of co-operative group Detail, convened by drummer John Stevens. All of that experience shows in the relaxed ...
