Evan Parker Trio / Peter Brötzmann Trio - The Bishop's Move

[Frisco]

Great to see that the 2003 Victo concert featuring the trios of Parker and Brotzmann has been released by the label. I wouldn't attempt to review it, but find the recording just as positive and exuberant as the stage performance.

Nate, you reviewed the performance, didn;t you? It's pretty evident who is playing at what times during the performance, but at times (listening in my car) I was uncertain if and when the two drummers were playing together. I think there was segment with Paul and Hamid playing along with Schlippenbach. But do you have a specific list or rundown of the particular order of events, like when they broke down into trios, quartets, etc...?

[Sergio Zamora]

This I gotta hear!

[gnhrtg]

Yes, pretty good this one, might make it to my year's best list if it still sounds interesting after a couple more spins. Yes there are segments where both Lytton and Drake play - though not always instantly identifiable, Drake's the one running amok on the hi-hats when they're playing as a trio with von Schlippenbach. I mentioned this a couple of times in the WAYLT thread with not much response so thought either that folks weren't much interested or that I'd succeeded in making everyone's (mental or otherwise) ignore list

[Nate Dorward]

Yes, there was a long passage with Schlippenbach at the piano plus both drummers in tandem. Let's see... here's the relevant paragraph.

As with the same-instrument pileups earlier in the week, the climactic double-trio gig by the Evan Parker and Peter Brötzmann trios (not a double bill, but a one-time-only sextet) was an instance of that dubious phenomenon, the “festival supergroup”. Not that it was a bust – far from it. As usual with recent Parker the performance was parcelled out among subsections of the ensemble, like territory carved up by wary diplomats around the negotiating table. The two groups were respectively: Evan Parker, Alex von Schlippenbach (replacing Guy) and Paul Lytton; and Brötzmann, William Parker and Hamid Drake. A brief sextet war-whoop opened proceedings, following which Brötzmann’s gang cleared the stage and left the Parker/Schlippenbach/Lytton trio to do their thing, which they did with characteristic aplomb. Schlippenbach began patiently preparing the inside of his piano with cymbals, at which point Brötz’s crew returned at full blast, so the pianist had to undo all his work and join the melee; Evan immediately walked off into the wings (not from annoyance, I think, simply due to a need to change a reed), and after an awkward transition we were left with a Schlippenbach/Lytton/Drake trio, which – ironically, given the absence of the two marquee names – took up a fair proportion of the concert and was one of the highlights. The drummers were a study in contrast: Lytton setting to work with a Popeye squint, Drake incorrigibly showing off, both clearly enjoying the encounter. The pianist, talking fervently to himself, turned his favourite figures around and around again, as if rotating an object with both hands. After a few more spins of the dial we reached the Brötzmann trio slot, which found Brötz shaking a tarogato in his chops like a dog with a chew toy while Drake and William Parker hit a nice bass/frame-drum groove. Inevitably the whole awkward, enjoyable, fearsome, absurd and impressive spectacle lurched towards an earsplitting sextet climax, followed by a similarly inclined encore. The spirits of Coltrane and Ayler seemed appeased for the moment. As long loud blows go it was a good one, though I still would have liked to hear the trios separately in addition to this shotgun marriage.

Tell me how that squares with the released concert...!

[Frisco]

Hmmmm, I don't recall ever reading that review. I think I just saw you taking notes at the show. Well the entire concert is on disc, except for the encore. I didn't sense anything awkward about the concert or listening to it again on the CD, but perhaps I'm not so perceptive. Which may be good. I thoroughly enjoyed both listens.

[Nate Dorward]

Pat--oh the entire review is up at

http://www.paristransatlantic.com/ma...6jun_text.html

if you're interested. Pity the encore didn't make it to the disc! "Awkward" isn't really a perception, it's an opinion (& comes among a slew of other adjectives... ).

[Nate Dorward]

Just listening to this one, haven't even finished it yet but was curious what people thought. It's a wary meeting, & the brief sextet moments are lumpy (& Evan cuts out very abruptly when Broetz & co jump in after 20 mins or so--I saw Evan walking into the wings to make a reed change but I suspect that it was a little more than that, he cuts out very curtly). But there are plenty of good bits of course, & I note that many posters here seem to like this one a lot. Unlike the concert you can actually hear the piano clearly even during the loud bits.

[Steve Reynolds]

like it quite a bit - more for Peter than Evan on this occassion - Brotz enters with a huge amount of gusto as Parker exits (sounds as sudden on the disc as you say it seemed live). Agree that the portions with the full band are somewhat lumpy or tentative - one knew upon hearing that this concert would take place that the potential for a train wreck existed - at least that didn't happen

fwiw - I saw both trios in NYC prior to the Victoriaville show and all were in good form - with Schlippenbach being the highlight throughout two tremendous sets - I only stayed for one set of the Brotzmann trio as I was tired and not well at the time - now that I'm feeling better I sure wish to see both of the great saxophonists again in the future

as far as the victo set my favorite passage is with Alex and the two drummers sans horns - it sounds like it was a bit unexpected that he play so long alone with them - maybe both of the horn players realized not to interrupt a good thing too soon

the other Parker is rather inconsequential to the proceedings for some reason - I usually hear William best when he is in a more open in less dense surroundings - that is with Hamid and maybe one other player - maybe Fred if Peter isn't in the building

[Nate Dorward]

Yes, actually on both occasions in the middle of the piece where Broetzmann enters Evan exits almost instantly. It's only on the 3 minutes at the beginning & a few minutes at the end where they actually play together, basically a two-horn scrawl. I get the feeling it was an uneasy collaboration between the two principals. Evan sounds good in front of William Parker though--have they collaborated much elsewhere? Just on those SH Jack discs?

The EP/AVS/PLyt trio starts out a bit awkwardly but it quickly gets back into the group's home territory, & I actually wished there were more of just that trio. Evan tells me there's more recorded material from during the preceding tour (portions of two concerts were released as America 2003) & let's hope they get released someday. The piano+2xdrums is excellent too. Truthfully, I find the Die Like a Dog stuff pretty dull here.

[gnhrtg]

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

The EP/AVS/PLyt trio starts out a bit awkwardly but it quickly gets back into the group's home territory, & I actually wished there were more of just that trio...The piano+2xdrums is excellent too. Truthfully, I find the Die Like a Dog stuff pretty dull here.

Pretty much my impression, it's worth hearing Brö when as he enters whıle Evan's playing (the short bit at the beginning) and I move to the swing Drake gets into for a short while during the Die Like a Dog part near the end but apart from that it's really the Parker trio and von Schlippenbach with the two drummers that I dig this record for, some very nice interaction and development there - if the last 15 or so minutes were 5 instead, I'd really have thought more highly of this record.