steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

1,2,3,4

"Total Improv!" CDR

4boxs

Genres: improv, ambient, free jazz

Oct 13 - 19 2003

1,2,3,4 are a new free jazz group who like to experiment with electronic concepts and ambient, droning instrumentation.  Total Improv! is the sextet's recent album and it is a dark, calm album, albeit one that is unsettling and very experimental.  The starting number is a ten minute ambient piece, "A Pleasant Conversation Concerning the Weather," that is effective and yet quite unmemorable.  The best pieces are the very electronically enhanced "Are you Feeling Better" and the avant-garde mess of sounds entitled "Comfortable".

All in all, this is a good free jazz album that blends regular instrumentation with electronic effects and manipulation.  For improvised music, it's somewhat unusual, but still remarkably enjoyable. 

84%

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 6 tracks, distributed by the label, released 2003]