Sound, Space and Structures

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The impressive collaboration between John Escreet s Trio and the luminary saxophonist Evan Parker on Sound, Space and Structures is truly revelatory. It provides a wonderful example of an innovator without boundaries working with equally passionate musicians of the next generation who plan to keep rattling expectations. The Doncaster-born Escreet moved to New York in 2006. His deft approach to piano brought him quick attention from press and peers and allowed him to perform alongside many of jazz s most celebrated musicians, including Antonio Sanchez, Chris Potter, Tyshawn Sorey, Ambrose Akinmusire and David Binney. Escreet s own projects have focused around his Trio and Quintet – called the John Escreet Project – and have increasingly branched out into the worlds of modern classical and electronic music. Escreet has been a long time fan of the master improviser Evan Parker. A perfect opportunity for an initial meeting presented itself when Parker was invited to curate a week at John Zorn s performance space, The Stone. He invited Escreet and his Trio to perform with him on September 18th, 2013. As Parker was in town for another week, Escreet arranged a recording session at Sear Sound on September 25th. The recording session generated a number of very different pieces, which Escreet edited down to nine tracks for release, showcasing each individual and the results of their tremendous congregation.

REVIEW
4 / 5 **** New York-based British expat pianist Escreet often writes intricate music for speed-of-light improvisers, his structures spun around the nucleus of his superb trio with bassist John Hébert and drummer Tyshawn Sorey. But this lean, purposeful set, for a quartet augmented by British sax pioneer Evan Parker, is entirely improvised. A thundering piano/drums opener eventually turns to free-jazz showers of sound; Hébert and Escreet shadow Parker’s looping soprano sax cycles, and prepared-piano pluckings accompany deep outbreaths of the tenor sax. A dark piano reverie joins with violin-like patterns, and an exhilarating piece of flat-out free swing testifies to the quartet’s new-found empathy. Plenty of interesting contexts have been devised for Parker’s sound, but this is special, and it would be intriguing to hear it live. –The Guardian, Thursday 20 June 2014