Dividuality

Albumbeschreibung

Released in 2001, Dividuality is a late arrival in the chronicle of Evan Parker's involvement with electronics. It may have been made available four years after the fact, but better late than never. Live electro-acoustics are better heard in small groupings, where they have a chance to cut through and are easier to trace back to their point of origin. For this, Dividuality is perfect: Parker and Barry Guy use more ample movements than usual and allow room for Lawrence Casserley's transformations to develop. A set of duets constitute a chance for even more up-close scrutinizing. In "Frondescence" you can hear the two acoustic players pausing regularly to listen to their distorted images. The electronicist works seamlessly. It is easy to forget his presence for a moment, that is until one hears something obviously humanly unfeasible or an ethereal, impossible overtone. Listeners accustomed to the saxophonist and bassist's free improv dynamics will enjoy hearing them through Casserley's prism. The crystal-like spirals and shards of sounds he transmutes (the title of one of the strongest moments on the CD) out of the acoustic material give an unusually eerie aura to the music, even when compared to the other CDs Parker recorded with live electronics in the mid- to late '90s. On the other hand, the performances don't come through as being particularly involving or striking. Dividuality offers an occasion where the familiar becomes unfamiliar once more. That alone is priceless.

© François Couture /TiVo