Record Reviews

WATTS / WESTON / BLUNT / MARSHALL ~ DIALOGUES WITH STRINGS FSR 2017/09 (Barcode: 5905279364226) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is a live album by the British duo comprising of saxophonist Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist and pianist Veryan WestonFind albums by this artist, expanded to a quartet with the addition of violinist Alison BluntFind albums by this artist and cellist Hannah MarshallFind albums by this artist. Recorded at London´s Café Oto, which has become the Mecca of Improvised Music in the UK Capital, the music includes three extended improvisations by the quartet, two of which are well over twenty minutes in duration and one almost ten minutes long. The compositions, as always in such cases, are credited to all four quartet members. The Watts / Weston duo already released an album in Poland in 2015 on the For TuneFind albums on this label label and this release is also on a Polish label (FSRFind albums on this label), which proves that Poland is a fertile ground for contemporary Improvised Music, both for the local musicians and guests from the world over, with several active record labels dedicated entirely to or seriously involved in Improvised Music. These performances prove that music knows no gender or age barriers and the quartet sounds as organic as humanly possible. The presence of the string instruments obviously calls for a gentler sound of the saxophone and piano, which clearly benefits the music. The double dialogue, or quadrilogue, achieved by the four participants is highly conversational and coherent, with the four individual voices working in tandem in order to achieve a result greater than just a sum of its parts. There is a heartwarming mutual respect and sympathy within the music, which amalgamates the ingredients into a powerful statement. Obviously this is a very demanding music, not to be treated lightly or casually. The listener needs to concentrate and literally open up to the flow of the notes, in order to let them take over his consciousness and tickle the pleasure buds inside the brain. But the overall effect is pretty overwhelming and should make all Improvised Music connoisseurs entirely happy. It is always a pleasure to see Trevor Watts blooming and vital as he always was since I´ve first met him well over fifty years ago. I wish for many more years of him being as productive and artistically challenging, as he still is today. British Jazz would have never be what it is today without his contribution. Respect!

Updated: 19/01/2018Posted: 19/01/2018

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