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Available again - the first SME LP reveals their free jazz roots with only hints
of what was to come. KENNY WHEELER (flugelhorn), PAUL RUTHERFORD (trombone),
TREVOR WATTS (alto sax), BRUCE CALE (double bass) and JOHN STEVENS (drums) improvise
on pieces by Rutherford, Stevens & Watts. (JEFF CLYNE replaces Cale on a couple
of tracks.) In addition, there is a performance from 1967 by TREVOR WATTS (piccolo
& alto sax), EVAN PARKER (soprano sax), CHRIS CAMBRIDGE (double bass) and JOHN
STEVENS (drums).
Reissue of Emanem 4053 (which was a long-overdue reissue - the first since 1966!
- of Eyemark EMPL 1002). 67 minutes.
Price 12 Euros
Transitional sextet and septet performances quite unlike anything before or since, featuring JOHN STEVENS, TREVOR WATTS, BARRY GUY, EVAN PARKER, PAUL RUTHERFORD, KENNY WHEELER and, in 1967, DEREK BAILEY. Not only of great historical interest, but fine music in its own right. The earliest published recordings of Guy & Parker, and one of the earliest of Bailey playing free music. 78 minutes - reissue of Emanem 4020.
Price 12 Euros
The only known recordings of the highly original and influential duo of JOHN STEVENS (percussion) & EVAN PARKER (saxophones) when they were a working improvising band. Also their first meeting with PETER KOWALD (double bass), who was visiting London on vacation. The beginning of a new music. 67 minutes - previously unissued.
Price 12 Euros
Price 12 Euros
A long overdue reappearance of the third Spontaneous Music Ensemble LP. One version of OLIV features Kenny Wheeler and Derek Bailey soloing over a four-person voice and saxophone drone which is eventually joined by a piano/bass/drums rhythm section. The second version is an improvisation by the quartet of John Stevens, Maggie Nicols, Trevor Watts and Johnny Dyani – one of the great early examples of the free improvisation era, and the recording debut of Nicols. Also included are one and a half takes of FAMILIE by an eleven piece group, the earliest recorded example of a large group SME performance. Strongly influenced by Gagaku (Japanese court music), this ensemble comprises two voices, three winds, three strings, piano, guitar, and percussion. 67 minutes - reissue of Marmalade LP 608008 (2384009) plus 31 minutes previously unissued.
Price 12 Euros
Three different groups in performances utilising frameworks devised by John Stevens
sending the music into unexpected areas. From mid-1968 there is the unusual line-up
of
Price 12 Euros
Concert and studio recordings of peace music organised by JOHN STEVENS for himself and TREVOR WATTS with numerous workshop musicians and audience people on saxophones, percussion and voices mostly contributing a flexible drone. Only Stevens could have organised music as outrageous as this - must be heard to be believed. Reissue of the major work of A 001 with an additional similar piece. 65 minutes.
Special price 8 Euros
Special price 12 Euros
4024 STEVE LACY "Saxophone Special +" (1973-4)
4027 DEREK BAILEY "Fairly Early with Postscripts" (1971-98)
Contemporaneous examples of some of the pieces described in the classic manual, SEARCH & REFLECT, by John Stevens. Outrageous sounds produced by a workshop orchestra directed by him in 1973 - an SME-type improvisation; instrumental & vocal drones; a mechanically rhythmic yet unpredictable piece; and an all-out improvisation featuring non-vocal mouth sounds, vocal sounds & instruments. This is followed by what is perhaps the pinnacle of Stevens' attempts to make music with a large (21 strong) group made up of both experienced improvisers (including Evan Parker & Trevor Watts) and workshop musicians. This 40 minute performance from 1975 starts off with just the 11 workshop musicians for a few minutes, and then everyone joins in for a long mainly sustained section, before ending with an all-out improvisation. The 1981 London concert features two more of Stevens' didactic pieces, performed by nine or ten musicians.
141 minutes. This double-CD is a reissue of Emanem 4039, A LP 003 (later on Emanem 4062), and SFA LP 092 (later on Emanem 4150). One lesser orchestral piece has been omitted from 4062, as have the trio performances from 4150.
Price 18 Euros
5014 OTHERWAYS & FREE SPACE "Life Amid the Artifacts" (1973/84)
4096 BOBBY BRADFORD "Love's Dream" (1973)
JOHN STEVENS (percussion, cornet, voice) and TREVOR WATTS (soprano saxophone) at the legendary Little Theatre Club - as close as one can get to two musicians improvising as one. Non-repetitive music at its most minimal and essential. Reissue of Emanem 303 (a formative influence on John Zorn among others) with extra material from the same sessions. 58 minutes.
Out of stock
The whole of the sensational 85 minute concert featuring the quintet of
Out of stock
The 1977 Derby concert performance by the SME quartet with JOHN STEVENS (percussion, cornet, voice), NIGEL COOMBES (violin), COLIN WOOD (cello) & ROGER SMITH (guitar) features an extended (!) tribute to Anton Webern. The CD also contains also 1984 and 1988 London concert recordings bu the trio without Wood. 69 minutes - previously unissued.
Special price 8 Euros
A fiery improvised quartet session organised by JOHN STEVENS, with PAUL RUTHERFORD, EVAN PARKER and BARRY GUY. This was previously issued on View LP VS 011 and Konnex KCD 5049 with the title 4, 4, 4,. Added to this are two previously unissued duo performances by Rutherford & Guy and Stevens & Parker, which contrast with each other and with the quartet. 78 minutes.
Price 12 Euros
Two recordings from the beginning and the end of the longest-lived version of the SME - the trio of JOHN STEVENS (percussion, cornet or mini-trumpet, voice), NIGEL COOMBES (violin) & ROGER SMITH (guitar). The 1978 Newcastle concert was considered by the musicians and others to be the best performance by the trio, while the 1992 studio is also very fine. The original issues on Emanem 4150 and Konnex KCD 5049 were taken from cassettes. This reissue, taken from the original tapes, has considerably improved sound and about 8 more minutes of music. 64 minutes.
Special price 8 Euros
The longest lasting and most controversial edition of the SME was that featuring JOHN STEVENS (percussion, cornet, voice) with two vastly under-rated acoustic musicians: NIGEL COOMBES (violin) & ROGER SMITH (guitar). This selection has an extended home performance from 1980, and three concerts from 1991, one of which has NEIL METCALFE (flute) and JOHN RANGECROFT (clarinet) added to the trio. 76 minutes - previously unissued.
Price 12 Euros
As well as his pioneering work with the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, John Stevens
continued to explore the jazz idiom. This group with three fine young musicians
active on the London jazz scene, was one of his best as well as being one of his
last.
Special price 8 Euros
4065 FRODE GJERSTAD / JOHN STEVENS / DEREK BAILEY "Hello Goodbye" (1992)
Special price 8 Euros
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or complete discography