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The Emanem label specialises in releasing new and reissued music in the new music/free improvisation genre. For example, this album by English soprano saxophone player Lol Coxhill was originally released at the time it was recorded, in 1978, but as you can imagine, that was vinyl-only. This reissue on CD is filled with additional material, so it is obligatory for those who have that very rare original album and still want to hear more from those collaborations.
For the people who don't own this - and that will be almost everyone - the story goes like this: In 1978 Lol Coxhill worked with two people on two forms of duets. The recording starts off with a 39-minute duet between sax and electronics. Coxhill improvised on his sax, the sounds were manipulated by Simon Emmerson, Coxhill reacted to those new sounds, Emmerson responded, etc., etc.. Back then, the electronics weren't as sophisticated as today, but the addition of those electronic manipulations is quite intriguing and creates a dense, frightening, and, for that time, completely new experience. Some passages sound brutal and harsh, only to surprise a few seconds later with lyrical melodies and beautiful constructions. Which, of course, transform just as easily once again in atonal chaos. Difficult stuff, but fascinating and sometimes really pretty.
The next 34 minutes are filled with a duet by Coxhill and pianist Veryan Weston, a duo that still performs and records today. These recordings sound more outdated than the first, and the production lacks definition and sharpness. Contrasts aren't as obvious as they ought to be, and that's a bit of a shame, for Coxhill and Weston create a wonderful world of free improvisation where the piano lays a beautiful open foundation with lots of space for the atonality of the soprano saxophone. Suddenly, between all the improvisations, they commence in an exceptional version of Gershwin's Embraceable You, a very welcome reference between the impulsive tones that fill the rest of the recording.
We have to thank Emanem for reissuing this album, especially because the first half of the album contains obligatory material for not only the possessors of the original album, but for everyone who wants to hear the first impressive steps into live electronic manipulations of acoustic sounds.
http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/lol-coxhill/digswell-duets/1480/
Meer Lol Coxhill op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/lol-coxhill
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