It's always something of a double-challenge to listen to Prévost's various non-AMM ensembles. While one of AMM's positions, formulated in 1965, was that despite loving American avant jazz, they acknowledged being four (later five) white English blokes and it made no good sense to attempt to emulate the Coltranes, Colemans and Taylors of the world. Instead, they'd use the lessons learned there to explore and expand their own personalities and histories. Perhaps Prévost never entirely bought into this notion as is evidenced by his early post-AMM-split duo with Lou Gare and his more recent workshop ensembles and small group recordings. Still, it's difficult for listeners familiar with AMM not to get something of a tinge of regression with releases such as this one. Not that it's by any means "bad" — not at all. Just that one may be left wondering, "Why?"
Chant, who has worked with Prévost for quite a long time, is heard on tenor and soprano saxophones, Edwards on bass and Prévost, of course, on percussion (largely a normal drum set here), certainly a traditional enough grouping. They play, to be overly blunt about it, free jazz. In fact, I was often reminded of a classic recording in this configuration, Sam Rivers' "Streams" on Impulse! from 1973. Though this trio doesn't engage in solos as such, it's difficult not to place the horn up front and the interplay, while necessarily stemming from a more European free improv base, has more than a little in common with that stellar date.
Which, of course, raises the question: Why do essentially the same thing some 40 years later? It's a question that listeners more in tune with Prévost's work with AMM will automatically ask themselves if they listen at all. Others, fans of free jazz, will find an enjoyable 73 minutes here, the first section more rambunctious, the second more nervously agitated at first, then smoothly flowing. They wax and wane, maintaining interest throughout, playing with a goodly amount of virtuosity but managing at the same time not to draw attention to technique. All three are in fine form, Chant reaching special highs on soprano during the second track, strongly supported by Edwards and Prévost; in fact, there are a few minutes there as juicy as you're likely to find in this neck of the woods, period.
At the end, it's AMM fans be wary, free jazzers jump right in.
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