Search - Evan Parker, Paul Loven, Lytton :: 2x3=5

Double Trio = Powerhouse

Alan E. Kayser | Florida, United States | 09/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The credentials of the members of this double trio read like a history of British & European improvised music. Pianist Alex von Schlippenbach, soprano and tenor saxist Evan Parker, and percussionist Paul Lovens have performed together as the Schlippenbach Trio (and sometimes Quartet with Alan Silva or Peter Kowald on bass)since 1972. Add to this the long standing trio of Evan Parker,bassist Barry Guy, and percussionist Paul Lytton and what you have is one powerful quintet. It's rather surprising that this hasn't happened earlier, since there's quite a bit of "incest" among these five. Lovens and Lytton share the Po Torch record label, and have since the early 70s. All of them have played with either the Globe Unity Orchestra, London Jazz Composers Orchestra or both. The links are numerous. So, is this the Schlippenbach Trio with guests, or the Parker group with guests? No matter, it is a high energy outing where all 5 get a chance to shine. If you are familar with the work of these virtuosos, then you will not be disappointed. Special mention should be made here of the work of Barry Guy. Guy goes way back to the first explorations of Brit jazzers into improvised music, and the recent release of the 3CD Emanem ISKRA with Paul Rutherford and Derek Bailey proves that his technique was there very early. His LJCO nailed down his position as an organizer, composer, and arranger. Here, he is the BASS. His arco and bowing stand out as the glue around which the others fly. These 70 plus minutes start off at Grand Central Station, roll down the tracks, pick up momentum, and by the time it's over you'll want to buy another ticket. There's much going on here, but suffice to say my hat's off to Leo for getting this out. Add this to the Leo 2CD release of the Evan Parker's 50th Birthday Concert and you've got Desert Island discs...improvised music division. Nothing else needed."

Titanic conflagration of improvisation!

R. Hutchinson | a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds | 11/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Most people would probably run screaming from music like this. If you are one of the few that actually LOVES intense free improvisation, then I need not say more. Take the Evan Parker/Barry Guy/Paul Lytton trio of sax/bass/percussion, add the Schlippenbach Trio (Alexander von Schlippenbach/Evan Parker/Paul Lovens), of piano/sax/percussion, that's 2 X 3 = 5 -- it sounds every bit as exciting as you would expect. Parker sticks to tenor for a change, that's one unique feature of this concert. I admit that I can't tell the difference between Lytton and Lovens when they play together. The Schlippenbach/Guy combination is more fiery than Crispell and Guy on two recent recordings of the P/G/L trio. Of course throughout this 77 minute improvisation there are points where some of the players drop out, and hearing the solos and duos and trios emerging and dissolving out of the turmoil is part of what makes it dynamic -- it's not just 5 players going at it full tilt the whole time. Parker has played with the Schlippenbach Trio since the early/mid 70s, and with Lytton and Guy in the P/G/L Trio since the early 80s -- hearing them mix it up together is a long-awaited treat!"