best known as mainstays of the Instabile Orchestra. store-like collection of instruments, and replete with Parker’s multidirectional propulsion, abetted by the warning: “Caution: Contains tonal initiatives for Tiziano’s widescreen drumming, allows Cavallanti to the venturesome listener”, the program is presented as take off in whatever direction he wishes, most usually being the sonic equivalent of observing nuclear energetic Ayler-inspired overblowing. The trio also scientists working with the most advanced technology. quotes liberally from Ayler’s songbook, notably at the Several of the tracks exist in Beta form: an idea is Book of Sound conclusion of “Shadows Of The Night”. Each set briefly exposed, then quickly abandoned without //William Parker (Leo) follows a similar trajectory, from an atmospheric start making a statement. More notable are those tracks Medicine Buddha featuring Cavallanti’s flute in tandem with Parker’s where the interface adds unique timbres to the reed Billy Bang/William Parker (NoBusiness) insistent bowing through to spirited, even ecstatic, duet: the meeting of bass flute and bass recorder on The Vancouver Tapes (feat. William Parker) interaction. Audience conversation intrudes towards “Tone Venture #6”, for example, doesn’t wallow in UDU CALLS (Long Song) the end to betray the origin as a bootleg tape, but the subterranean weightiness but instead advances the by John Sharpe slightly murky sound doesn’t disguise the chemistry theme with such elephantine grace that the final sonic Long a fixture of the Lower East Side scene and the between the threesome. image is relaxed and pastoral. “Tone Venture #10A” annual , by now bassist William Parker also avoids cavernous heaviness; Robinson’s sluggish should need no introduction. His presence on a date For more information, visit leorecords.com, contrabass sarrusophone snorts may be hefty enough guarantees restless momentum, which nonetheless nobusinessrecords.com and longsongrecords.com. Parker is to shake a skyscraper, but the looping echoes from adheres to the traditional values of swing and time, at Greenwich House Music School Feb. 21st with Mitchell’s wind machine and sounds from little albeit in constantly changing permutations. For Parker, and The Stone Feb. 25th with Warren Smith. See Calendar. instruments add airy counterpoint. Balancing alto, free music means that you are free to do whatever you tenor and mezzo-soprano sax plus jazzophone between want with no limitations. The only criterion is that it them, Mitchell and Robinson emphasize the brassiness has to work. Three new discs present Parker in a range of their horns on “Tone Venture #12B” and the resulting of settings, all meeting that standard. line is moderato and almost playful. Comparable Parker has been part of a revolving cast of trusted exultant textures characterize “Tone Venture #14” as collaborators flanking tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman soprano and tenor saxophone plus baritone rothophone on a stream of releases over the last few years. On Book tremolos blend into an interface that suggests a bagpipe of Sound, pianist Matthew Shipp completes the lineup dueting with a songbird. Even “Tone Venture #11B”’s for an invigorating program of six improvisations from minnow versus whale face-off from sopranino and an October 2013 studio session. Both Shipp and Snakeheads & Ladybugs contrabass saxes reveals more than contrasts. Perelman are distinctive stylists, who, nonetheless, Jack Mouse/Scott Robinson (Tall Grass) Propelling an underlying rhythm, the duo pushes both operate within the syntax of , if not the overt Tone Ventures horns to their highest and lowest limits. structures. Their collective experience liberates them /Scott Robinson (ScienSonic) by Ken Waxman to explore whatever path they choose, secure in the For more information, visit cdbaby.com/cd/ knowledge that the response will be simultaneously Scott Robinson has spent more than 30 years proving jackmousescottrobinson and sciensonic.net. Robinson is at supportive but unpredictable. Shipp and Parker don’t that one can be a jack of all trades and a master of all. Brooklyn Conservatory of Music Feb. 7th with Rob Garcia and miss a drummer at all, combining in a rhythmic quilt Having gigged with associates as different as Buck Jazz Standard Feb. 26th-Mar. 1st with Rufus Reid. See Calendar. that both prompts and responds to Perelman in a push- Clayton, Joe Lovano, and Lionel pull tension. That’s well illustrated in “Adsummum”, Hampton, he’s more than adaptable. A crusader for where Shipp’s nagging motif pulls Perelman into its obscure instruments, Robinson is proficient on such orbit while Parker runs interference with a twisting sound makers as the C-melody and bass saxophones, contrapuntal line. This is some of Perelman’s most contrabass sarrusophone and baritone rothophone as relaxed and powerful playing, often eschewing his well as cornet, clarinet and tenor saxophone. Like a trademark falsetto for gruff reiteration and breathy tailor’s showroom mirrors, these duo CDs illuminate lyricism. Parker shines especially when his upper various facets of Robinson’s sonic versatility. register sawing intertwines in sweet consonance with Having played with Stan Kenton, Clark Terry, Gary Perelman’s outpourings, nowhere more so than in the Bartz and Peanuts Hucko—to pick random names— closing of finale “Veritas Vos Liberabit”. drummer Jack Mouse’s resourcefulness is never in Medicine Buddha captures a 2009 recital from the question. However, his dozen short duets with Robinson Rubin Museum of Art, reuniting Parker with on Snakeheads & Ladybugs are freely improvised, without effervescent violinist Billy Bang. Notwithstanding being . Imagine what would have resulted had Bang’s essential joie de vivre, the beginning of their prebop stylists been given absolute freedom to record concert is low-key but starkly beautiful as Bang soars what they wished. This unique world view is most achingly over Parker’s portentous scraped drone. It’s transparent on “Backwards Glance”, which honors an arresting opening, all the more compelling for being Gene Krupa and Benny Goodman’s duet on “Sing Sing completely extemporized. The most effective moments Sing”. Mouse’s bass drum accents may emulate Krupa’s come when both men are wielding their bows. Parker but his skillful cymbal work is undoubtedly post-swing is a past master at imaginative yet propulsive while Robinson’s repeated tongue flurries come from underpinning and he partakes in abstract interplay not Bud Freeman. “Free Bop” is actually with Bang throughout this set. Like his early mentor more free swing, especially when Robinson caresses the Don Cherry, he also absorbs influences from outside theme, although the drummer’s pinpointed rolls put a jazz and varies the pace on Japanese flute, inspiring harder edge on the performance. With a couple of Bang to pluck oriental-tinged pentatonic patterns on exceptions that’s how most of the CD evolves. Mouse’s “Sky Song”, and dousn’gouni on “Bronx Aborigines” comfort in outputting nearly every sort of beat reaches in hypnotic consort with Bang’s thumb piano. Parker’s an apogee on tracks such as “Orcan”, as he duplicates final “Buddha’s Joy” finds Bang dancing around the tabla in tandem with Robinson’s breathy reed line, and author’s infectious groove and rightly elicits rapturous “Dual Duel”, one of the few instances where his rhythm applause. This set forms a fitting tribute to Bang, who is as firmly in the bop mode as Robinson’s staccato reed died in 2011. bites reference The New Thing. Unconventional The Vancouver Tapes documents Parker’s experimentation takes over twice: the title track and appearance at the 1999 edition of that city’s Jazz “Shapeshifter”. On the former, the two demonstrate Festival, his first-ever encounter with the Italian how understated percussion pacing can crystallize tenor pairing of drummer Tiziano Tononi and reedplayer saxophone yelps and warbles into agreeable chromatic Daniele Cavallanti. A generous 76-minute program swing while on the latter Robinson shifts back and forth encompasses two sets, revealing a threesome who from cornet to C-melody saxophone in a mellow line as punch above their weight in a rousing free jazz bout. old-timey modern as it is contemporarily antique. Milanese Cavallanti and Tononi are longtime Tone Ventures is far different. Recorded at colleagues, waxing homages to Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Robinson’s own ScienSonic Laboratories studio with Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman, though perhaps Roscoe Mitchell, who has likewise mastered a music

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