ReRec.   Lol Coxhill, Charles Hayward, Hugh Hopper, Orphy Robinson
& guest cornet Robert Wyatt : Clear Frame (UK,2007)***'

In this (jazz) improvisation, the participants succeed in giving each other the space needed for their own entity and significance, so the group hangs well together. It is a rather free improvisation  of which the given titles are, if you wish more or less, undeliberate or not, directions or descriptions of the general energy in the different sections : “clean state”, “Tin Plate”, “Noise Gate”, “Void Crate”, “High Rate”, “Better Late”, “Paperweight” and “Figure Eight”. The drum gives some kind of fundament of general rhythms (recorded first ?), which follow the organic time line with its balancing evolution, or directs in cooperation with the cooperative bass, while the fuzzed bass gently pushes and penetrates directions, the sax lives on the free moments, while the vibraphones / steel pan add more, colouring layers of free moments or adds as well a few extra rhythmic pulses. The improvisations have much continuum, but there are a few breaks for different sections. The last track goes a bit in 8-circles, not knowing where to go to or to stop or whereto include, so instead makes it an ode to infinity with its final moments. A great session, of rather free, improvised and jazz styled music.

Participants are Lol Coxhill (soprano sax player known for numerous improvised & solo works ; he appeared also on 1984 by Hugh Hopper), Charles Hayward (drummer for Quiet Sun, This Heat, Camberwell Now,..) Hugh Hopper (bass) & Robert Wyatt (cornet) (both Soft Machine legends and solo), Orphy Robinson (here for vibraphone, steel pan, FX, percussion, from Courtney Pine, Jamaica Allstar).

Info : http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazzon3/pip/cn1yy/
& http://wyattandstuff.blogspot.com/2008/01/clear-frame.html
& on http://blog.myspace.com/...
German info : http://www.taktlos.com/lol-coxhill-clear-frame/
Label info : http://www.rermegacorp.com/...
"CANTERBURY" STYLED : SOFT MACHINE RELATED
review page 2

Hugh Hopper, Picard, Franklin, Hayward ('07)
Soft Machine Legacy ('07)
Elton Dean & The Wrong Object ('05/'07)
Clear Frame ('07)

<-more on page1

Moonjune Rec. Elton Dean & The Wrong Object :
  The unbelievable Truth (UK/B,rec.2005,pub.2007)****'

One of the last concerts Elton Dean did was not supposed to be such an instant meeting directly on stage, but that was more or less what happened, although Elton Dean had prepared and learned Michelle Delville’s compositions, and also The Wrong Object had rehearsed some of Elton Dean’s compositions. The Wrong Object had “warmed up” with their own repertoire and the usual Zappa covers before they invited Elton Dean on stage. If this was that concert this surely created immediately some magic. Hearing this concert and especially the first and last tracks if not all it is hard to understand how Elton Dean soon was going to break down and not continue with them, because here he gives himself completely, providing some of the most convincing jazz I have heard since a long time.

Seven For Lee” is a smooth track that gives the opportunity of the band for sax and trumpet to improvise with a free choice of heights and moods. “Millennium Jumble” written by The Wrong Object I assume must have had its portion of inspiration from Soft Machine and the works of its members. It starts with a beautiful pedalled guitar, skilled jazz drums by Laurent Delchambre, who uses greatly both hands to form different rhythmic themes with them. Beautiful sax contribute and is added, silently improved and stimulated by Michelle Delville’s guitar, bass and of course further drumming, a marvellous track both in composition, sound and execution. “Baker's Treat” is a beautiful and moody change (with a reference to Chet Baker, of course). The track “The Unbelievable Truth builds up with great composting energy, using a beautiful fuzz bass sound in it too, and a wild and vivid sax, and a great electric guitar solo. This shows once more a skilful band that learned certain skills from founding their interest in people like Zappa and Soft Machine, amongst other influences. “A Cannery Catastrophe” is more complex with rhythms, which give it its own specific complex drive, welcomely grounded by the correct bass and guitar balance against the wild sax excursions with it. “Cunnimingus Redux”, with reference to the great Charles Mingus, has of course some bass fundament with melodic/rhythmic themes worked out with much fire founded from deep within. Last Elton Dean’s composition, The Basho Variations” refers to the poet Basho. It first is a rather "becoming-wild" form of loose themes on vibrant water of changing rhythms, until it finds some more recognisable jazzy tunes, in babbling sax/trumpet triplet form, coming to a perfect conclusion, with a, for me, comparable to Mingus-like vision on jazz. A remarkable concert.

Audio : "Seven For Lee" (Dean), "Millennium Jumble" (The Wrong Object), "The Unbelievable Truth" (Delville), "Baker's Treat" (Dean), "A Cannery Catastrophe" (Delville), "Cunnimingus Redux" (Delvile), "The Basho Variations" (Dean)
& one track on http://www.myspace.com/wrongobject
Video : montage here & here & here
Info on The Wrong Object's homepage : http://www.wrongobject.com/dean.php
Info on Elton Dean : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_Dean
& http://www.btinternet.com/~stephen.yarwood/elton.htm
& http://calyx.club.fr/mus/dean_elton.html
Info on The Wrong Object : http://www.united-mutations.com/w/wrong_object.htm
More info : http://www.ejn.it/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=567
Label info : http://moonjune.com/MJR009.htm
Other reviews : http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25566
& http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-18843.html
& (with audio) : http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=23126
& http://www.ejazznews.com/...
& http://melosprogbazaar.com/index.php?topic=2659.0

Another release of The Wrong Object on http://psychemusic.org/belgium2.html#anchor_121
Moonjune Rec.   Hugh Hopper, Simon Picard, Steve Franklin, Charles Hayward :
  Numero D'Vol (UK,2007)***°

This interacting cooperation on bass (Hugh Hopper), sax (Simon Picard), keyboards (Steve Franklin), drums (Charles Hayward) sounds in between contemporary jazz and free improvisation. Simon Picard on sax takes care of very moody jazzy improvisations. Hugh Hopper sounds very inventive, almost progressive, and at first listen, at times I found the limited colours of some keyboards sounds (which are at times melodic-soundscape-droning or melodically disharmonious, to be meant as adding "contemporary" effect) not doing complete justice to the full potential of Hugh’s ideas, to where this might lead if fully understood. It is as if the beautiful bass sounds on its own often tends to expand from its borders, at one time even a bit with Magma-esque powers (on “On the spot”), without doing so really, because the space where the improvisation is done keeps its limits in jazz, although because of this style approach, it still expands this with free and contemporary moods. But I still wondered what would have become of this if there were more weird effects on the keyboards (the piano improvisations didn’t need this), or more adventurous drumming had come to it. But of course, this is a more jazzy improvisation, and actually, this still sounds right in its own right. It is because of pushing its limits and borders movements that it is also able to create a feeling for a new or at least contemporary jazz format, while the moody sax keeps it nicely human and confirms the present warmth.

An interesting improvisation, but I still wonder with it, that if Hugh Hopper under more pressing and challenging circumstances, would come up one day with more ambitious surprises in a group entity, with rightful experimental sound-encompassing interactions and ideas built up with his approach of that still shows ambition and vision.

Audio : "Numero D'Vol", "On The Spot","Earwigs Enter","Boots","Bees Knees Man",
"Twilight"
Label info : http://moonjune.com/MJR014.htm
Review : http://ssl.adhost.com/jazzloft/baskets/pos.cfm?CD=12574
Moonjune Rec.       Soft Machine Legacy : Steam (UK,2007)***°/****

This new recording proves the group can exist with well fermenting energy also without the great and missed Elton Dean. The group hangs together well, and gives a very experienced live feeling. All tracks sound, even within its arranged complexity, rather improvised. The endless following each other up inspirations sound to a degree also a bit intellectual (like jazz can be), or esoteric, while improvising on, often not too much on anything specific : this is very much a world on its own. Especially on "Dave Acto" the band expands in a loose and free and a bit more freaking jam, while the last track, because of the electric guitar jam is a bit more "rocking" than being within certain jazz associations.

Theo Travis because of the group’s vivid energy entity, here proves to be a great and absolutely convincing replacement for Elton Dean. This release, as a new form for the band gives a new meaning to the name Soft Machine Legacy.

Audio : "Footloose", "The Steamer"
& on  http://www.myspace.com/softmachinelegacy

Other reviews and descriptions : http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=26685
& http://www.squidco.com/...
& http://ssl.adhost.com/jazzloft/baskets/pos.cfm?CD=12576
& http://www.waysidemusic.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=MOONJUNE+016
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