by Eugene Chadbourne
There isn't much that could happen short of a serious illness that could make this session come out anything less than brilliant. The 1982 live date presents three European avant-garde music masters interacting on an intense and wildly entertaining level. Fans of Lindsay Cooper will really appreciate locating a copy of this somewhat rare vinyl release. She is a fine composer as well as one of the few bassoonists in progressive rock, who was later robbed of her physical ability to play this challenging instrument by a debilitating illness. Bassist Joëlle Léandre by herself could carry the entire album, and her vocalizing on "Heads Will Roll" is a memorable moment. Tracks such as "Un Journee" and "Forgotten Faces" are full of the surprises great improvisers come up with, from dusty little corners to entirely unknown rooms. This is a nice live recording done by the experienced Jean-Marc Foussat.