Wilkinson - Edwards - Noble Live At Café OTO (Live)

Album Review

Live at Cafe Oto, this trio's second release on Bo'Weavil Recordings, is a powerful, fierce, at times humorous free improvisation set. There is a strong jester's side to Alan Wilkinson's music, and that gets featured a lot in this live performance. He regularly takes the saxes (alto or baritone) out of his mouth to scat, yodel, or scream. This has a double effect: it cracks up the audience, relieving tension built up from the trio's intensity, but it also whips bassist John Edwards and drummer Steve Noble into a frenzy. The short (under 40 minutes) set consists of two numbers. The opening half-hour "Spellbound" switches back and forth between intense and densely abstract European free improvisation à la the Evan Parker Trio and slightly more swinging Coleman-esque free jazz. The piece shows a couple of lulls, but it generally sustains the listener's interest, thanks in particular to Edwards' fabulous playing as the not-so-straight straight guy of this occasionally comical outfit. The closing "Recoil" is downright mad, with Wilkinson screaming his lungs out in mock-scat fashion at first, before things heat up to a singeing high-energy jam. This set was recorded at Cafe Oto, London, in July 2008. The recording is rather ambient, with the audience's presence being felt (but not in an intrusive way). This CD is not this trio's finest hour, but a fine document to add to the group's short discography. ~ François Couture, Rovi