First solo recordings from Lou Gare, founding member of AMM.  "Toward the end of his fine short essay for Laminal, AMM's 30th Anniversary set, Jim O'Rourke asks in relation to the experience of simultaneously hearing the record and viewing the accompanying photograph of AMM's The Crypt, "where was the saxophone?" Here, almost 40 years later, it is. Solo exposed, unfettered, no strings attached. A long way from where it was, or might have been, then, and has been carried, blown, viewed qua saxophone, and not (for a time with AMM played bugle-like with bottom end pads and keys removed) since. Fecund, heavy with ideas and the weight of everywhere and everything it's been in between...Without cease, traces, quotes, paraphrases and retellings run through this music, shaping and propelling its form and ideas. The appearance and development of melodies, motifs and often standards which are then worked, stretched, worried at, broken down, put back together and played with before being let drift away, is, Lou suggests more influenced by Indian music than the jazz tradition. Two examples here are "Loose Blues" and "Good Morning Mr. Rollins" which appears to acknowledge an unplanned musical meeting with a sound and through it the idea of an old musical acquaintance, as if unexpectedly bumping into someone on the way to do something else." - Seymour Wright.  --- Lou Gare / tenor saxophone --- Recorded at Firefly Studios, Thowleigh, Devon, England on 13th and 20th April 2005. Recording engineer Richard Knapp. Front cover photograph by Penny Gare. 

The inventive and lively community of students at the University of East Anglia's sadly defunct School of Music designated improvisation as the 'theme' for the curriculum in 2005, and invited John Tilbury and Edwin Prevost to Norwich to give lectures, workshops and the first AMM concert in East Anglia. Simon Waters (senior lecturer at the time) writes: "Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the experience for me was it's immediate memorability. Even before replaying the recording I had a clear aural memory of the sequence of events / sounds - a response shared by the audience - and I found myself anticipating the musical development with an eerie accuracy. There's something extraordinarily 'composed' about their activity, albeit composed in real-time. I think it's the unequivocal quality of what they do that makes this performance so immediately memorable." --- John Tibury / piano Eddie Prévost / percussion --- Tracklisting: 1. track 1 - 8:33 2. track 2 - 13:33 3. track 3 - 8:15 4. track 4 - 12:30 5. track 5 - 11:44 --- Recorded at a concert given at the School of Music, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England on 14th February 2005. Recorded by Simon Waters. Front cover Janice Tilbury. 

Leveraging the concept of the geometrically impossible Penrose Triangle, the trio of Sebastian Lexer (piano), Eddie Prevost (percussion) and Seymour Wright (sax) perform three permutations of duos and one full trio. --- "On Impossibility In Its Purest Form, the trio of Prévost with prepared pianist Lexer and saxophonist Wright sound like they are working within the confines of the listener’s own cranium. Like craftsmen, they gently prepare and scrape at those bony surfaces, filling gaps, adding minimal embellishment. The more open-minded will find the restrictiveness paradoxically liberating, the trio ultimately carving out a door to a whole world of colour, shade and texture." - The Liminal "Each performance begin in nothingness, eventually finds a kind of convergence, then elongates that moment, stretching it in time and space until there is room in one’s awareness for little else. In a sense dauntingly abstract, the work is also visceral, with both Wright (he can sound like a duck without being specifically mimetic) and Prévost exploring harsh reed and bowed metal sounds, in contrast to the refined and unpredictable little sounds that Lexer seems to prefer. That harshness may articulate either the struggle of a music that is made out of nothingness and which will return to it, or the impossibility of the moment and the insistence on its potential for habitation." - Point of Departure --- Recorded at The Welsh Chapel, Southwark Bridge Road, London in July and October 2011.

"The idea of music can inhibit musical development. The musical practice that Seymour and I share, and aspire to develop, is the experimental. It is an open engagement with the materiality, in our case especially materials that can make sounds. It is, I suggest, a mixing of materiality without general sensibility of enquiry. We wish to know the nature of things, we wish to invest ourselves into the nature of things. We observe responses to sounds and we want to develop a processive philosophy in which the investigative ethic is given full rein. We know from our experience that new human relationships can develop within such a collaborative practice. This is the art to which we apply our imaginations." - Eddie Prévost --- Eddie Prévost - roto toms  Seymour Wright - alto saxophone --- Recorded at Trinity College of Music, Greenwich, England on 2nd of April 2008 by Sebastian Lexer. Mastered by Sebastian Lexer. Cover art by Paula Wright. 

Recording of the long overdue meeting of Prévost & Schlippenbach.  On Eddie Prévost's drum solo - "...absolutely masterful dissertation in jazz drumming with roots in Roach and Blackwell; it might be one of the finest jazz percussion solos on record. He does take something from the AMM experience in that he dwells in a handful of specific areas for minutes at a time, not flying willy-nilly over his set (thus recalling Jerome Cooper's wonderful solo performances from the 70s). So he begins with brushes on drumheads, gradually adds in cymbals, proceeds to sticks on toms and rims, has a brief episode with the full set, then eventually concentrates on the cymbals to end things. Throughout, he maintains a quick rhythm with a light touch, a thread that helps the entire piece cohere beautifully. His melodic touch is astonishing-Roach would be proud. This track alone makes purchase of "Blackheath" mandatory." - Brian Olewnick  "In his early period, Prévost was jokingly referred to as the "Art Blakey of Brixton", while Schlippenbach emulated the Jazz Messengers during the early 60's. "Art Blakey was one of our idols," says the pianist. We transcribed and copied the songs of Jazz Messengers records in the Manfred School Quintet.” - Christoph Wagner.  --- Eddie Prévost / drums Alexander von Schlippenbach / piano  --- Recorded at a concert given at Blackheath Halls, London, England on 30th March 2008 by Sebastian Lexer. Mastered by Sebastian Lexer. 

"Acoustic instrumentation at its most traditional meets digital processes even as they are still being developed. The warmth of a vibrating string meets itself mirrored back altered significantly by computer transformation. Keys sometimes depressed, at other times they sit untouched, bypassed my musicians leaning over them. Old ways of doing things meet new ways." - The Watchful Ear --- Sebastian Lexer / piano + Christoph Schiller / spinet --- Recorded by Giovanni La Rovere and Tom Mudd at As Alike As Trees Festival, 2011, The Rag Factory, London. Mixed and mastered by Sebastian Lexer. Design by Myuh Chun. 

The piano is doomed, in my opinion, said the younger. The piano-tuner also, said the elder.The pianist also, said the younger.  Samuel Beckett in Watt "Right from the beginning a sensitivity is brought to bear on the sound-sources. Tapping. Rooting around for sounds. Prospecting for sounds. Testing the ground. Sound-diviners. We are experiencing the birth pangs of melody. I no longer share Beckett's gloomy prognosis. In the hands of Sebastian Lexer, with his piano and his computer, good music is being created. Is there any other criterion?" John Tilbury, May 2009.  "While reed instruments are all about air and pressure, the piano is essentially about sustain. The silky elegance one usually associates with the instrument is a result of careful engineering, so that one string sounds seamlessly after the previous one. On "Dazwischen", the whole mechanism is opened up to the forces of chance and chaos, picking up all kind of ethereal vibrations - a true ghost box." - Derek Warmsly, The Wire --- Sebastian Lexer / piano +, Max/MSP --- Recorded at the Electronic Music Studios, Goldsmiths, London, on 16th November 2008.  Max/MSP programming, recording and mastering by Sebastian Lexer. 

"It is easy to throw the usual rapturous applause at anything AMM do, but there isn’t a more fully refined and explored musical relationship than Prévost and Tilbury’s, and while I seek and desire newly broken ground in how music sounds or is made as much as anyone there is still room to admire and celebrate the way two masters at their particular art go about creating something this thoughtful and beautiful.  While familiarity breeds recognisable patterns and musical traits AMM continue to make music that oozes tension, beauty, anger, aggression and a vitality that is perpetuates itself in a thoroughly, nakedly human manner, and that’s enough for me." - The Watchful Ear (Richard Pinnell) --- John Tilbury / piano Eddie Prévost / percussion --- E1 was recorded at The Rag Factory, Spitalfields, London on Sunday the 6th of March, 2011 at the 'As Alike as Trees' festival of improvised music. SE1 was recorded at a concert given at The Purcell Room, London, on Sunday the 27th of November, 2011. It was part of 'The Engine Room', Morley College's Festival and Conference celebrating the life, works and legacy of Cornelius Cardew.

Reverberant and detailed solo cello pieces which sound largely conventional at first, but twist gently into abnormality. Tony is totally underrated. Listen if only to hear the last Observation, which exhibits Tony's extended technique - full of string crossing, double stopping & simultaneous pitching.   “This is improvised chamber music that manages to draw on the intimacy of the tradition without sounding overly cerebral or precious ... The results are a thoroughly captivating charged and inspired session.” — Cadence  --- Tony Moore / cello --- Recorded at the Basement Studios, Amsterdam by Rob Garner on 16 and 17 August 1993. There is no double tracking or change in the recorded order. Cover is a detail from a portrait of Tony Moore by Josep Vallribera.

Flawlessly recorded in 2008, this is Eddie Prevost and John Tilbury with guest John Butcher in quiet mood; every tiny sound counts and every shade of timbre has space to make its presence felt.  "The tiniest sound is amplified by intention. Other noises are transformed into counterpoint. The music begins. Tentative suggestions are offered, politely ignored, admonished or not noticed. Serendipitous slips of the wrist are canonised -- pursued by conflagrations and spectacular shell bursts. Momentum is achieved. The music has an energy with which the musicians can wrestle, deflecting its trajectory or being thrown inconsequentially aside. Tempo defied temporality. Logic limps away. As suddenly as the turbulence arose it subsides, hovering portentously, unpredictable and uncontrollable in all those ways a serialist doesn't trust. The musician waits, trying to anticipate and out-think the unthinking but thinkable direction the sounds will take. Construction overtakes the constructionist, who can only nod approvingly as the piers and girders of musical form slot automatically into place. Here is the invisible handshake, enjoined before a motion was ever formulated. The music makes itself -- just as man makes himself. Here are volition, intention, determination tempered by acceptance of eventuality. Here is definition by action. I am what I am because I do what I do, acted upon and acting upon. The sound returns. The contra-bass drum resounds, its deep vibration sympathising with the solar-plexus. The echo grows weaker and richer at the same time, as its lingering residue settles into the crevices of perception. The drummer raises the beater; then slowly and with conscious care withdraws the intention. No more sound is need." - Eddie Prevost --- Eddie Prevost / percussion John Tilbury / piano John Butcher / soprano & tenor saxophone --- Recorded at Trinity College of Music, Greenwich, on 13th January 2008 by Sebastian Lexer. Mastered by Sebastian Lexer. Cover 'Lamberton Court' by Andrew Prevost. 

Brotzmann/Bailey peer Alan Wilkinson on alto and baritone, Joe Williamson, who's worked with Chadbourne, Tony Buck, etc on the double bass, and AMM / Matchless bossman AMM alumni Mr Eddie Prévost in a short, single  --- Alan Wilkinson / alto saxophone, baritone saxophone  Joe Williamson / double bass   Eddie Prévost / drums   --- Recorded at Freedom of the City Festival, London, 2006, by Sebastian Lexer. Photograph by Stefano Tedesco. 

Interlace/Ongaku presented this live show at the Shunt Lounge in the labyrinth under the London Bridge station in November of 2006. Three groups performed: the e-a improv quartet of Tom Chant, Ross Lambert, Sebastian Lexer and Matt Milton; the trumpet/Indian harmonium duo of Jamie Coleman and Mark Wastell; and the AMM duo of Eddie Prevost and John Tilbury. --- Ross Lambert / guitarSebastian Lexer / piano, computerTom Chant / soprano saxophone, tenor saxophoneMatt Milton / violinSeymour Wright / alto saxophoneMark Wastell / harmonium Jamie Coleman / trumpetEddie Prévost / percussionJohn Tilbury / piano --- An Interlace/Ongaku presentation at Shunt Lounge, London Bridge on 9th November 2006. With kind support of Shunt Lounge and EMS Goldsmiths’ College. Title taken from John Ruskin, Modern Painters Vol.V Part IX ‘Of Invention Spiritual’ 1860

Improvisations by Paris based ensemble, Hubbub.  --- Frédéric Blondy / pianoEdward Perraud /drumsJean-Sébastien Mariage / guitarBertrand Denzler / saxophoneJean-Luc Guionnet / saxophone --- Tracklisting: 1. Part I - 14:452. Part II - 16:583. Part III - 14:434. Part IV - 6:32 --- Recorded in concert at Culturel André Malraux, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France on December 4th 2001. 

Music for dance, by AMM. Recording of the concert given together with the dancer Fine Kwiatkowski at Musique Action festival produced by CCAM, Vendoeuvre-les-Nancy, France on 24th May 2001.  --- John Tilbury / piano Keith Rowe / guitar  Eddie Prévost / percussion created together with the dancer Fine Kwiatkowski --- Tracklisting: 1. Part 1 - 8:52 2. Part 2 - 6:35  3. Part 3 - 4:29 4. Part 4 - 7:52 5. Part 5 - 12:05 6. Part 6 - 8:26 7. Part 7 - 10:37 --- Recorded by Francis Detz and Francois Cacic at Musique Action festival produced by CCAM Scene Nationale de Vandoevre-les-Nancy, France on 24th May 2001. With thanks to Domonique Repecaud. Cover design by Keith Rowe. 

Recorded in Glasgow, Scotland May 2000, at the free radiCCAls festival, curated by Evan Parker. First AMM CD since 1996 recording. One continuous 58-minute piece --- Keith Rowe / guitar John Tilbury / piano  Eddie Prévost / percussion --- Tracklisting: 1. Tune one - 8:38 2. Tune two - 15:053. Tune three - 3:264. Tune four - 6:385. Tune five - 2:396. Tune six - 10:44 ---- Front cover artwork: Page fragments, 2001 by Jim Harold.

Sakada is: Mattin (computer feedback), Rosy Parlane (computers and radio) and Eddie Prevost (percussion). "Undistilled was recorded at live performances in London and Rotterdam in 2002. Components are a restricted range of percussion (Eddie Prevost), electronic sounds confected earlier for intuitive, tweaked release (Rosy Parlane), and nervous hyper-attention to every noise present, allowing spontaneous digital transfiguration of some (Mattin). The product is a formidably dense mesh of textures and a subtle alignment of urgency and stasis, persistence and interruption. A sound-body exalting in its raw and varied outer abrasions, tormented by heaving intestinal bass and pierced irregularity by silver screeches, yet somehow concealing a few inner surfaces of all but languid smoothness. Needless to say (or to continue demonstrating), it is wholly incommensurable with any attempt at verbal description." --- Mattin / computer feedback Rosy Parlance / computer, radio Eddie Prévost / percussion --- Track 1 recorded at Audit Club, London on the 20th of January, 2002; track 2 recorded at Worm, Rotterdam on the 27th of February, 2002; track 3 recorded at the Baggage Reclaim, London on the 24th March, 2002. Front cover by Mattin

Solo percussion from Matchless founder, Mr. Eddie Prévost "Alone in the studio, it is just me trying to breathe life into the materials I have chosen at hand. I am looking, hoping, that something unexpected will crop up. The gongs, chimes, bells, skins, strings and resonating boxes are a rich environment. You never know for sure what you will dig up. I bow, scrape, pluck and hit direct and glancing blows in my engagement with the materials with which I have to work. I might even draw blood. The point is to mix myself with this stuff. Make it something other than it seems. Make something other of myself too." - Eddie Prévost --- Tracklisting: 1. Stridorings - 18:522. Dance music of an imaginary people - 20:413. Mostly bowing - 15:124. Statutory [sic] drum solo 10:03 --- Recorded on the 16th of July, 2001 at Gateway Studios, Kingston, England by Steve Lowe. Front cover artwork: detail from Keith Rowe's Pollock '82 - percussion version.

Recorded live in London's beautiful Union Chapel in 1987. The organic control of sound on this is spectacular - pretty much a must for serious listeners worldwide. --- Eddie  Prévost / percussion Keith Rowe / guitar, electronics John Tilbury / piano Rohan de Saram / cello --- Recorded at the Union Chapel, Islington, London by Ray Beckett on 10th January 1987. Front cover artwork: 'Rousillon - The Other One' by Malcolm LeGrice.