Live at Cafe Oto - Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble

[Captain Hate]

Wow it seems like just yesterday I was bitching there was nothing new worth listening to.....

To carry on a theme from the last review, the Bliv came up with that one to lift me out of relative despondency and then Nate Dorward suggested this gem. I've gotta admit that Alan Wilkinson has been a bit of a hard nut for me to crack; although I've gotten some great recs in the past on him (Foom Foom, The Horrors of Darmstadt plus maybe some ones I'm forgetting) plus I have him on some Eddie Prevost discs & boots, I've never completely warmed up to him the way that I think I should. Don't get me wrong; the guy blows extremely hard on the baritone particularly but also the alto (on the topic of blowing hard on saxes: Last weekend I baptized a guy with the most awesome hand-built speakers I've ever experienced by playing "The Fat is Gone" w/Brotz/Mats & Nilssen-Love in what was the most visceral plasma blasts of sound I've ever experienced; I don't think he'll ever be the same) but it just hasn't grabbed me the way that I think it should. Well, after banging through this three times in the last 24 hours (including taking an unlistened disc of Tom Verlaine off my car stereo; Tom Fucking Verlaine) I think it's time for me to revisit everything I have with Mr Wilkinson on because this might be the disc of the year.

Unlike most 70+ minute discs that leave you thinking that maybe some of the stuff included should've not made the cut, this sucker weighs in at the lp rate of less than 40 minutes and leaves you craving for more, as the enthusiastic audience at the club makes it known. There are only two cuts, one very long one and a relatively short reprise, and I strongly suspect that they're both improvised; but this isn't formless by any means because John Edwards and Steve Noble have some real rhythmic chemistry going on plus Wilkinson plays extremely percussive with staccato lines on both baritone and alto (plus some wild-ass singing which usually annoys me in a "why are you wasting my fucking time with this bullshit" kind of a way, but it works extremely well here). No this is the schizz as they go from finding one common ground to another without driving it into the fucking ground (attention Ken Vandermark) and then seamlessly morph into something else equally as engaging. Seriously I just started laughing periodically through this thinking "This is so fucking good".

I was told by Nate that this rhythm team is outstanding with other horn players. This was the only one I could find on Amazon (for an incredibly cheap amount plus the suckers sent it to me very quickly) but I know there's at least one with Alex Ward that's supposed to be very good. Maybe I should check out some other Bo'Weavil recordings in view of this because in addition to the great disc they also have some interesting liners about how this can't be compared to the actual live experience but they understand how everybody doesn't have the ability to drop every fucking thing and travel to see these guys; hence the disc. This grabbed me in an incredibly convincing manner; I wouldn't bullshit you if this was just some extremely hard blowing that blew me away for being that but otherwise left me feeling cold. This is the real deal.

[CraigP]

So you liked it then? I haven't heard Wilkinson yet; for some reason I hesitate to get too much into the British scene but you've piqued my interest.

[Steve Reynolds]

those who hesitate can be lost....the British improv scene of the past 40 years is *the* improv scene in many ways

don't forget Exploded on Impact which are John Law tunes with the *great* beast of the baritone and alto screaming over the top - from 1992

will hear this one...

Edwards is the roughest crankiest bassist there is - more grit and fury than any other upright player - The Two Seasons with Evan & Sanders remains my favorite sax-bass-drums trio record....

[Captain Hate]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

don't forget Exploded on Impact which are John Law tunes with the *great* beast of the baritone and alto screaming over the top - from 1992

Ack; I'd forgotten all about that one, which was one of my greatest "mistakes" ever in that I meant to order something else but wrote down the wrong number. Proof that God works in mysterious ways. I should revisit this as well; not that I haven't enjoyed it in the past but now that might be further enhanced.

[Uli]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

those who hesitate can be lost....the British improv scene of the past 40 years is *the* improv scene in many ways

...

hehe, don't neglect the Italians and the Swedes now, Steven.

Heard the reviewed date from the net once and liked it quite a bit. It's good to know how jazzy it may get at Cafe Oto.

Here a nice cut with Edwards anad the *great* Marshall Allen

[Steve Reynolds]

great one, Ulrich

[Darryl G. Thomas]

I bought this one because of Cap's recommendation. I've been listening to mostly mainstream, straight ahead stuff through the spring and summer, so at first I was thrown for a loop. But after a few listenings I grew to dig it.

It's not that it's the most extreme free jazz I've listened to but it takes a couple of listens to get my ear back.

Good recommendation Capt!