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"The title is apt, because
something is always bubbling under the surface: twisting structure
and abstraction. The music actually swings gloriously hard in places.
The hardest swinging band in improv." Mark Greenaway RUBBERNECK
"An impressive range of moods
and timbres, from spirals of bop melody to fast and bulbous blasts of
abstract anguish, intensified by Fell's gargantuan basslines." Chris
Blackford THE WIRE
"An energetic trio, this group
plays improvised music with relentless passion and virtuosity." John
Baxter OPTION
"The second document of this
stunning British trio. An album of beneficent elasticity, privileged
in its power to excite euphoria in yours truly. Why not join me in
the experience?" Gustave Cerutti IMPROJAZZ
"There's an exceptional level
of communication between the musicians here. When the group is in
full flight the flux of energy is incredible." Francesco
Martinelli IMPROJAZZ
"A fine set of committed,
freely improvised acoustic music which is challenging, evocative and
atmospheric." Michael Kelly JAZZWISE
"Something
Else is a very strong free Jazz trio,
three individually powerful players who together can swing with a
rare ferocity. Beck is the kind of big-toned, roaring tenorist who
might carry most bands in his wake, but Fell and Hession establish
themselves as equals, throwing off truckloads of seething energy and
manic invention. There's plenty of inspired anarchy here, from a
group that's as witty as it is intense and exploratory.
Recommended." Stuart Broomer CADENCE
"Powerful, committed and
expressive free jazz" AVANT
"This live compilation proves
that Something Else
is a trio capable of creating improvisations of immense breadth and
intensity. The rapport between drummer Paul Hession and bassist Simon
H. Fell is one of rarely equalled symmetry, as if each performance is
an improvisational trust exercise. Together, these two create a
whirlwind of activity and constantly shifting surfaces, capable of
sustaining a pulse or reinventing an alternative on the fly. Hession
is one of those rare drummers who can sound like a busy bowling alley
in one second, and then offer a few bars of swinging soup-stirring
around the next corner. Fell makes his presence felt with a tireless
supply of thick walking notes or snickering arco. Physically out in
front, tenor saxophonist Mick Beck is forced to reckon with what is
coming his way, an event akin to attempting to canoe in white-capped
water. Fortunately, Beck’s buoyant range and quick wits allow
him to emerge unscathed as volcanic eruptions and shrill honks send
jagged ripples from within the bell of his tenor. Elsewhere, Beck
belies critics of energy music and proves to be a gifted interpreter
of swinging chord changes. The trio was wise to separate the longer
improvisations with field recordings of the Bells of St. Saens, the
ships of Newfoundland and the fiestas of Andalucia. These interludes
serve as a brief intermission from their exhausting onslaught, while
simultaneously sending a reminder to the listener that music is all
around us, and is not necessarily tempered." Jon Morgan MUSICWORKS
"Deliciously subversive and
exquisitely conceived, this trio of Simon Fell on bass, Mike Beck on
tenor saxophone, and Paul Hession on drums spurts, sputters, and
rocks with unmitigated zeal . . . some amazing free improvisation,
remarkable as much for its diversity as for its virtuosity and
occasional humor. These fellows can swing now and then, and harbor
sophisticated notions of abstraction, too, but Beck is most
comfortable when launching his frequent tirades of blistering sound.
The Ayler influence emerges but Beck also sports his own subtle
voice. Fell is a percussive player, who barely masks a more sensitive
side, while Hession can blow the house with power, or alternatively
turn down the juice, if necessary. As a group, they mesh." Steven
A Loewy ALL MUSIC GUIDE |
