Spontaneous Music Ensemble
Karyobin
Free Improvisation
Chronoscope Records 1993

Spontaneous Music Ensemble (***E) was the brainchild of drummer John Stevens and over the course of its almost 30 year history he was its one constant. Founded in 1965 with saxophonist Trevor Watts, it was one of the very first free jazz improvisatory groups to appear in England. In addition to American musicians pioneering the movement, Stevens had heard and been inspired by the non-idiomatic improvising ensemble AMM and forged a concept midway between the two: music that was freely improvised to a very high and abstract degree but which also retained something of the "jazz sound." One of its main concepts was an extremely open, leaderless aspect where a premium was placed on careful and considered listening on the part of the musicians. Saxophonist Evan Parker observed that Stevens had two basic rules: (1) If you can't hear another musician, you're playing too loud, and (2) if the music you're producing doesn't regularly relate to what you're hearing others create, why be in the group? This led to the development of what would jocularly become known as "insect improv" -- music that tended to be very quiet, very intense, arrhythmic, and by and large atonal. At its best (as on albums such as Karyobin), the performances achieved a telepathic unity and sensitivity that few other freely improvising bands could boast. The personnel of ***E varied widely over the years from a duo of Stevens and Watts to a 20-piece orchestra. Its members included a who's who of the British avant-garde, including Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, Barry Guy, David Holland, and Julie Tippetts. Several South African expatriates also joined the group on occasion, among them Johnny Dyani and Mongezi Feza, adding an element not normally associated with such a supposedly austere genre. Stevens' premature death in 1994 brought this exciting chapter in the history of improvised music to an unfortunate and early close. In addition to Karyobin, Spontaneous Music Ensemble's work can be heard to excellent advantage on the two volumes Quintessence I & II.by Brian Olewnick AMG

This CD reissues the second album by the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, retaining two musicians from the initial 1966 set (trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and drummer John Stevens) and adding Evan Parker on soprano, guitarist Derek Bailey and bassist Dave Holland. The young British all-stars (all virtually unknown at the time) stretch out on the six-part "Karyobin," playing quite freely in an idiom influenced a bit by their American contemporaries but already on its way to developing a more European sound. Bailey is mostly in the background with the key voices being Wheeler and Parker, but all five musicians make their contributions. The music is episodic and ends inconclusively but rewards repeated listenings. An important early recording for these five future greats. by Scott Yanow AMG

Bass – Dave Holland
Drums – John Stevens
Electric Guitar – Derek Bailey
Soprano Saxophone – Evan Parker
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Kenny Wheeler

1 Karyobin Pt. 1 8:04
2 Karyobin Pt. 2 5:37
3 Karyobin Pt. 3 6:24
4 Karyobin Pt. 4 6:23
5 Karyobin Pt. 5 12:41
6 Karyobin Pt. 6 9:52
Recorded at Olympic Sound Studios 18/2/68.
016
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