From: Christopher.Carne@brunel.ac.uk (Christopher J Carne)
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote
Subject: Company Week
Date: 28 Jul 92 12:14:19 GMT
Distribution: rec.music.bluenote
Organization: Brunel University, West London, UK


"Company Week" is an annualfestival of improvisation organised by
guitarist Derek Bailey centering around a small group of musicians
playing in different combinations. Unfortunately I was only able
to get to one of the evenings, but the quality of the music on offer
made me highly regretful of this fact. 

The first grouping was:

Jin Hi Kim - Komungo
John Butcher - Saxes
David Shea - Turntables
Oren Marshall - Tuba

On the whole a well integrated set with the different sound qualities
of the various instruments fitting in well. I was familiar with Jin Hi
Kim's work from her association with Henry Kaiser, but all the others were 
unfamiar names. The komungo (a large stringed instrument) provided the
main percussive thrust in alliance with some of the turntable stuff. Oren
marshall expolited the melodic tones of his tuba as a contrast. The   
turntables were played pretty sensitively and pulled the whole group
together. I was less impressed with John Buthchers saxophone playing.
On the whole he seemed to be content with Evan Parkerish overblowings,
but didn't seem to me to be anywhere as good as Parker. Given the
drive of the rest of the group he just seemd to be mucking about.


The second grouping:

Derek Bailey - Guitar
David Shea - Turnables

The highlight of the evening. The set started off very quietly and
meditative with Bailey coming on like a dissonent Bill Frissell  
and Shea providing an atmospheric backdrop. The set gradually building 
to a great wall of noise Shea providing great electronic screeches and
Bailey all over his guitar making a sound that leaves Sonny Sharrock
trailing far behind! After this set I would rate Bailey as one of
the great guitarists, perhaps not as experimental as Frith or as
versatile as Kaiser but for sheer ability and improvisational slill
he easily earns his place in the top ranks. I was also impressed by how
well the turntable works in an improvised setting, Shea proving a 
perfect compliment.

The third grouping:

Reggie Workman - Bass
Tony Oxley - Percussion
Matt Wand - Tape Switchboard

It's always nice to find that the greats don't have feet of clay.
Workman really shone in this grouping, by turns percussive playing
with Oxley to provide a highly rythmic sound at times bowing
his bass giving a complete contrast to Oxley's busy percussion.
Oxley, a regular Cecil Tayor sidesman, also excelled a nice blend
of rhythmic drive and percussive noise. Matt Wand provided various  
'samples' of music, noise and spoken words that were fun but occasionally
distracted from the music, he also had something that provided beeps
and percussive sound, and this was really annoying. But on the whole
a really good set.

So, a good night out. There was remarkably little of the ugh factor
that is inevitable with improvised music, which says much about the
quality of those involved. It's a shame though that there were so
few people there to see all these fine musicians. Earlier in the week
Keith Jarrett plyaed a sell out concert at the Royal Festival Hall.   
Sometime people make me wonder...  



Chris
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote