Search - Tony Bevan, Steve Noble, Paul Rogers :: Bigshots

Fine improv from three underrecognized musicians

N. Dorward | Toronto, ON Canada | 01/07/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the less-celebrated releases from Derek Bailey's Incus imprint, but is very much up to snuff. Bevan is a fine tenor saxophonist (subsequent to this recording, he's shifted to the baritone), who owes no obivous stylistic debts: he's certainly not an Evan Parker imitator. Paul Rogers is simply one of the most exciting bassists in the UK. Steve Noble is a remarkable drummer who's not so much interested in the kinds of all-over, fractured time of Paul Lytton or Paul Lovens as in a spacious but quick-witted, sometimes devious running commentary. He sometimes plays very quietly on here, & occasionally very loudly. The opening track is one of my favourite moments in recent UK improv--here, as on many of the tracks, Rogers is the glue that holds everything together, with his throbbing, elemental bass.The one problem with this disc--& it's why I've docked it a star--is the off-kilter balance, which has Bevan sounding sometimes like he's virtually in another room. This is very disappointing, given that otherwise the sound is pretty good here, but it doesn't detract too much from what's a very engaging disc."