Evan Parker / Phil Wachsmann / Teppo Hauta-Aho - The Needles

Captain Hate · June-11th-2003, 09:24 PM

Many of you are familiar with this already; I noted it on the Best of 2002 thread initially. But I picked this up recently and have been playing this a LOT. Its hard not to use superlatives in discussing Evan Parker's work but the interaction among the participants in this 2 disc set is at an extremely high level. For those that aren't familiar with this; the first disc was recorded at a concert in Finland three years ago, the first performance by this trio. You would never know that from the performance; each performer meshes so seamlessly with the others that one might consider this a regrouping of a former working group. The only sour note on the first disc is the sound quality which starts off at a good level but then deteriorates to such a level that I found myself using headphones in order to adequately hear Wachsmann's violin and Hauta-Aho's bass. Parker's saxes (soprano except for tenor on the second cut of the live disc) are well-miked throughout, but there is some stunning duet work by the strings that requires listening assistance in order to be appreciated. As somebody who has often criticized the sonic shortcomings of CIMP, I should say that Leo does the listener no favors.

A review in Cadence mentions that the group begins to coalesce as the live performance goes on; I disagree in that I think the interaction is very sympatico right from the beginning. All three react very quickly and effectively to what the others are playing.

The second disc was recorded ten months later in a studio in London and, unlike the first disc, contains a solo perormance by each as well as two long pieces as a unit. The group performances are a good continuation of the earlier performances and the solo pieces are brief, to-the-point and rewarding in their own right.

There isn't much Evan Parker that I've heard that I haven't foamed at the mouth about, but this was, to me, a particularly enjoyable experience. Multiple plays have produced multiple pleasures with no end in sight.

walto · June-13th-2003, 07:42 AM

Me too. I made this one of my top ten for last year. It's a great collaboration, and I don't think it's "too long" or any of that.

Captain Hate · June-13th-2003, 09:12 AM

Walter, I was interested in the contrast that you made between this and After Appleby (which I liked more than you did) on the EP thread. While I don't totally agree with you, I see your point.

walto · June-13th-2003, 03:32 PM

I can't remember what I said or how I distinguished them. (Very likely I was full of crap.) But what I do still remember is getting kind of bored with "After Appelby" but enjoying "Needles" all the way through.

baksheesh · November-2nd-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walto

I can't remember what I said or how I distinguished them. (Very likely I was full of crap.) But what I do still remember is getting kind of bored with "After Appelby" but enjoying "Needles" all the way through.

Needles is a great one, but I do very much hope that you reconsidered your opinion of After Appleby - the second, live disc in particular is absolutely smoking! And as I've noted elsewhere Marilyn is perfect for this group, and I think she inspires Guy and Lytton to great invention, both melodic and rhythmic. If you based your judgement on the first, more sedate, studio disc your initial opinion is more understandable, but there is much to treasure there too, it's just more reflective and considered. Side two is absolutely slamming though, particularly the last quarter of an hour. Whoo smokies!