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Derek Bailey: Various Brits: Just Not Cricket!
ByThis marvelously produced four-LP box on 180g vinyl (with accompanying digital download) documents three days of concerts in Berlin from October 2011, features sixteen British improvisers in differing combinationsduos, trios, quartets, and quintets. The meticulous presentation includes two essays, one historical by Brian Morton and another contextual by Wolfgang Seidel. The elaborate booklet also contains plenty of photographs, artist bios, and a lengthy interview of the players with Stewart Lee.
There are many notable British musicians missing here,

Evan Parker
saxophone, sopranob.1944

John Butcher
saxophoneb.1954

Barry Guy
bass, acousticb.1947

Paul Rutherford
tromboneb.1940

Eddie Prevost
drumsb.1942

Lol Coxhill
saxophone, sopranob.1932

Phil Minton
vocalsb.1940

Trevor Watts
saxophoneb.1939

Tom Arthurs
trumpetb.1980

Shabaka Hutchings
woodwinds
Dominic Lash
bass, acousticb.1980
The unique characteristic of British free improvisation from the 1960s and '70s was its total rejection of any traditions (even free jazz). The music of

Derek Bailey
guitar1932 - 2005

Alex Ward
multi-instrumentalistb.1974
The nature of British free improvisational music is that it seems to be made of aether. That is, it is rarefied, highly elastic and instantaneous. The music is certainly non-formulaic, and, once experienced, maybe better a memory than a document.
The artists work here in differing combinations.

Steve Beresford
piano
John Edwards
bass, acoustic
Phil Minton
vocalsb.1940


Matthew Bourne
pianob.1977

Axel Dorner
trumpetb.1964

Peter Evans
trumpet
Orphy Robinson
vibraphoneb.1960
British improvised musicians need not force themselves into a self-imposed ghetto, as they may have felt was necessary during the 1960s and '70s due to a desire to differentiate themselves from American and European free jazz. They can be assured their contribution to this now international scene is noted and appreciated. This document, and an upcoming film charting the British scene, will memorialize a great tradition. ">
Track Listing
LP1: Duo Coxhill/Ward; Duo Coxhill/Prévost; Quartet Davies/Robinson/Sanders/Watts. LP2: Quintet Coxhill/Edwards/Minton/Prévost/Watts; Quintet Arthurs/Edwards/Hutchings/Sanders/Ward. LP3: Trio Davies/Hutchings/Lash; Quartet Beresford/Davies/Edwards/Minton; Quartet Arthurs/Beresford/Mnton/Prévost; Quartet Arthurs/Brand/Lash/Ward; Trio Beresford/Brand/Edwards. LP4: Quartet Bevan/Edwards/Hutchings/Sanders; Trio Bevan/Edwards/lash; Trio Arthurs/Beresford/Bourne; Trio Bourne/Sanders/Watts; Duo Brand/Sanders.
Personnel
Derek Bailey
guitarTom Arthurs: trumpet; Steve Beresford: piano, electronics; Tony Bevan: soprano saxophones, bass saxophones; Matthew Bourne: piano; Gail Brand: trombone; Lol Coxhill: soprano saxophone; Rhodri Davies: harp, electric harp; John Edwards: double bass; Shabaka Hutchings: clarinet, tenor saxophone; Dominic Lash: double bass; Phil Minton: voice; Eddie Prévost: drums, percussion; Orphy Robinson: vibraphone; Mark Sanders: drums; Alex Ward: clarinet, guitar; Trevor Watts: soprano saxophone, alto saxophones.
Album information
Title: Various Brits: Just Not Cricket! | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Ni Vu Ni Connu
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