Bagman, an imaginary character dreamt up by this experimental jazz trio, roams around in the figurative soundscape, collecting sonic debris. From a piano played on the inside and outside, electronics, saxophones, drums and junk objects shape a frenetic musical environment. Captured live at Cafe Oto in London, Pat Thomas (Piano, Electronics), Raymond Strid (Drums) and Sture Ericson (Tenor, Soprano Saxophones) assemble fragmented sounds in haphazard, creative and thrilling directions. After years of playing together, the three musicians formed the trio Bagman in 2018, capturing a huge spectrum of dynamic, disruptive music in their improvisational sessions. Bordering on noise music, the trio always returns to wandering melody and their endlessly experimental, spontaneous roots. Pat Thomas, a mainstay on 577 Records’ extensive catalog, having previously released Shifa Live at Cafe Oto (2019), Shifa Live in Oslo (2020), Bleyschool (2019), Educated Guess, Vol. 1-2 (2021-2022), Dikeman/Thomas/Edwards/Noble Vol. 1 (2022)—this will be his first collaboration with Swedish musicians Raymond Strid and Sture Ericson.
Recorded September 22, 2019 by Shaun Crook at Cafe Oto, London, UK
Mixed and mastered by Petter Hölaas (Intelligent Sound AB) and Raymond Strid
Cover photography by Malik John Eriksson
Graphic design by Sergio Vezzali
Graphic files preparation by Mark Smith