This album documents the meeting of Auckland, New Zealand musician Noel Meek and two UK improv veterans.
As well as running the labels End of the Alphabet and God in the Music labels, Meek has recently recorded with Richard Youngs, Bruce Russell, Lasse Marhaug, Neil Campbell, Patrick Shiroishi, The Slowest Lift, and Sun Araw.
Saxophonist Alan Wilkinson and drummer Roger Turner have both been active in the London improv scene for several decades, which unsurprisingly involved stints with Derek Bailey's Company, and countless familiar names Wilkinson's work includes a long-running trio with Paul Hession and Simon Fell, while Turner has been developing a very personal approach to percussion since the 1970s, notably in duos with Lol Coxhill, Phil Minton, John Russell and Annette Peacock.
The first side consists of a duo performance by Wilkison and Meek, capturing the horn and analogue synth in argument, sympathy and mimicry, with the emotional spectrum ranging from melancholy to shrill hysteria.
Turner's presence on the second set seems to facilitate a more discontinuous, spacious and sonically varied approach, with forays in and out of full-on skronk intensity, culminating in a perfect ending that underlines the levels of concentration and empathy drawn upon throughout.
Bracing, quick-witted, amusing and exhilarating.
Hybrid animals by Gavin O'Brien
credits
released July 11, 2019
Alan Wilkinson: saxophone
Noel Meek: electronics and tapes
Roger Turner: drums
Side A recorded by Tim Fletcher live at The Vortex, July 15, 2018.
Side B recorded by Saint Austral Sound live at Iklectic, July 17, 2018.
An ambitious cross-genre journey from the Richmond Avant Improv Collective, who bring in 17 (!) guest musicians to fill out their vision. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 12, 2021