Lol Coxhill

Lol Coxhill’s life in improvisation has taken him through the whole pantheon of expression in the music scene in Europe, with appearances with groups as wildly diverse as punk rockers the Damned, world jazzers Moire Music and pretty much everyone else in between. This recording features Coxhill’s soprano saxophone in a series of duets and one solo improv. His collaborators are Hugh Davies on invented instruments, John Russell (acoustic guitar), Henry Lowther (trumpet) and Pat Thomas on sampler. What is readily apparent is the enormous empathy Coxhill brings upon meeting each individual; his approaches sway back and forth from leading and following in seamless interplay. The duet with Russell sets off the ornery percussiveness of the acoustic guitar, with Coxhill’s long sustains interspersed with short interjections. Meanwhile, his pairing with Pat Thomas’s sampler showcases a more extended harmonic approach that melds well with the electronics. The solo excursion is a 20-minute trip that, surprisingly, touches more than briefly on the jazz tip. As a matter of fact, one can infer the lineage of Coxhill’s musical life as one that has never forgotten its jazz roots. This is beautiful and varied music from a consistent, curious musician. (Emanem)