Ashley Wales

Another fine disc from the Treader label, this time featuring the marvellous Evan Parker alongside John Coxon (Roland MKS 80, piano and harpsichord), Mark Sanders (Drums and percussion) and Ashley Wales (bass drum, riveted tambour and piano). As the title suggests this collection of improvisations is interspersed with brief interlude tracks, whereby Parker takes a backseat in order for his fellow musicians to plot out some experimental, palate cleansing sonics. During the main body of these pieces, when all hands are on deck, there's a frantic sense of kinetic energy pushing the music onwards, with Parker's colourful lead being complemented by Coxon's inventive synth work. There's a steady honing of this formula over the course of the album, culminating in the rampant performances that characterise the final piece, whose squealing electronics are backed-up by insane percussive lurching courtesy of Sanders. By this point Parker's peppy tenor sax has fallen inline with the fiery broth of instrumentation provided by his accompanists, resulting in a collective racket to be reckoned with.