Derek Bailey - Mirakle (2000)

In recent years something of a subproject has developed in the Derek Bailey canon, seemingly at the prompting of John Zorn--the Derek Bailey Power Trio. Prior to this disc was the Arcana group that recorded _The Last Wave_ (Bailey plus Tony Williams & Bill Laswell), & a pair of discs with Japan's The Ruins. _Mirakle_ finds him in the company of Jamaaladeen Tacuma & Calvin Weston, & it's indeed something of a miracle that this encounter turns out well. What's striking to this listener is the amount of interaction among the musicians--on his own ground in free-improv situations Bailey frequently avoids obvious interplay or dialogue, but here there's little sense of parallel paths: check out, for instance, his brilliant bobbing & weaving over & under the head-nodding groove that opens "What It Is". Frequently Bailey simply ignores pitch entirely to scrub rhythmically at the strings to create counterrhythms; or he will let a harsh ringing note hang over the tumult below. Actually, I suspect many blindfolded listeners might suppose this a particularly offbeat James Blood Ulmer date.

Listening to this album one hears a strange meeting of two musical worlds--American funk & English avantgarde improv--& one's sense is expanded of what these styles can do, & how flexible they can be. Tacuma and Weston are terrific--it's remarkable how Tacuma's feline, rubbery lines set up grooves that push ahead without locking things down. The improvisations are basically jams in which the American musicians set a groove up & then the trio picks it apart until it falls to pieces, only to be replaced by another. A common method of proceeding--but what's rare in such jamming, & impressive here, is how the segues never seem to be treading water in search of the next idea: this is music packed with moment-by-moment detail & eventfulness.

A strange, compelling & rather addictive album: rather unexpectedly for an album by Derek Bailey it's, er, a lot of fun. A really fine CD: fans of rarefied Brit-improv will probably hate it, but I suspect James Blood Ulmer fans will love it.... [in amazon customers reviews]

Jamaaladeen Tacuma - bass
Calvin Weston - drums
Derek Bailey - guitar

1. Moment
2. What it is
3. This Time
4. Nebeula
5. Present
6. S' Now

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Derek and the Ruins - Saisoro (1995)

1. Yagimbo (5:59)
2. Shivareyanco (5:58)
3. Quinka Matta (5:02)
4. Odangdoh (5:34)
5. Zomvobischem (5:46)
6. Manugan Melpp (5:37)
7. Dhamzhai / Sytnniwa (21:58)


Derek Bailey: guitar
Yoshida Tatsuya: drums, voice
Masuda Ryuichi: bass

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Anthony Braxton & Derek Bailey - Moment Précieux (1993)

"This one is a real treat: two giants of improvisation in pursuit of that enigmatic 'something' on a Canadian stage in 1986. Braxton, clearly derived from the jazz tradition; Bailey, restless occupant of a self-constructed world of non-idiomatic guitar. "Moment Precieux" was an instant improv classic upon its release twelve years ago and is a welcome reissue to CD format. Two long improvisations provide an illuminating view of these mercurial musicians. Bailey's spiky tones, chordal shards and strange harmonics are a source of constant wonder as Braxton's acidulous horn careers forth, spinning wildly into liquid motion and timbral extremes. "Spontaneity, attention, urgency", to quote Art Lange's accompanying notes, are the treasures available to us. Emotion and tranquility are also here. Emptying one's mind of preconceived notions of what true creativity should sound like is the key to experiencing the many delights of this great concert in full". Matt Krieg

Recorded live at the IV Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (October 4, 1986) for the radio program "Jazz Sur le Vif."

Anthony Braxton: alto and sopranino saxophones

Derek Bailey: electric guitar

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