*2022 stock.* In early 2020, Rick Countryman was reunited with his mentor and friend, Sabu Toyozumi. It was the occasion for several concerts, most often with Simon Tan, some of which were recorded. The one who is the subject of this album was held at the Tago Jazz Cafe in Cubao (Quezon City-Philippines); it was published less than four months later on the legendary Japanese label ChapChap, co-sponsored by free music in the Archipelago champion and discerning music lover, Takeo Suetomi. The latter has in store superb treasures which he tries to distill over time according to his means, which gives weight to his choices in favor of current nuggets.

We thus find in this recording all that makes the interest of the canonical trio Toyozumi-Countryman-Tan, namely the rough hypersensitivity of the sax, the bewitching and always surprising percussions and a bass in pivot self-confident, by no means overwhelmed by the vertigo lavished by the other two traveling companions. They are accompanied this time by a musician not part of the band, the tenor Yong Yandsen, who came from Malaysia and is therefore almost unknown with us. The arrival of this tenor shifts the balances by refocusing the voices towards the brass instruments, which leads the other two to shift their playing. On the other hand, this new melodic power challenges the alto's discourse and brings additional energy to a trio that was not lacking, however, for free jazz that upsets everything in its path.

When the alto touches the bass, when the tenor whistles in the treble, the listener may feel a little lost. The roars of one respond to the hoarseness of the other. The phrases enter into furious interactions. For his part, the master of the barrels does not need to be superlative: the timeliness of his strikes, their dynamics and the renewal of percussive figures make him omnipresent.

"Unity of Opposites" is just a sequel to "Voices of the Spirit". It begins with curious sentences whose origins cannot be clearly discerned: the tenor... or the bow. Both ! A festival of exploration of breaths, whistles, clicks on the tenor, which continues with a breathtaking game of sketches between the alto and the drums, supported by a dark, haunting bass, and punctuated by the tenor with groans, sustained and frayed notes. The latter decides to get out of the woods and the collective incandescence returns. Rick Countryman seems to have crossed a course, as if he had found the wind of the open sea and was now running unhindered. A tenor - drums duo, a solo drums, an alto - drums duo, Sabu Toyozumi is everywhere, imperial.

Figures, materials, inventions are exacerbated on the sax. Yong Yandsen summons Kaoru Abe and Evan Parker. Sabu Toyozumi takes us to the opposite by making music of a speech with holes. Simon Tan frees himself from any support. Rick Countryman frees himself from all attachments and challenges gravity. In this third play, "Cosmic Breath", the group literally propels us into an orgiastic atmosphere.

The pleasure of finding the sorcerer Sabu? Yong Yandsen's catalytic effect? The affirmed emancipation of Simon Tan? The butterfly wing on the other side of the planet, say in Lozère? The fact remains that this convergence makes the creativity and expressiveness of Rick Countryman's speech fly high.

This album is a permanent outpouring, a high frequency geyser. Perhaps this formula of the canonical trio augmented by a strongly catalyzing guest brings new wonders. If this idea appeals to the trio, other treasures will be to be discovered. - Guy Sitruk, Citizen Jazz