Schlippenbach Trio - Elf Bagatellen (FMP)

A germane choice given the site’s recent forced hiatus, this disc is also long overdue occupant in this slot thanks to its role in the naming of these environs. As far as I know, this group still holds the title for longevity as a working free improv collective. The trio is also a model of the superfluous nature of idiomatic boundaries and the advantages attainable by players who spend regular time apart. Parker, Schlippenbach and Lovens only convene infrequently and the intentional arcs of absence make their meetings all the more musically momentous when they do occur. It’s a sensibly modified implementation of Derek Bailey’s Golden Improv Rule. On this studio date from the spring of ’90 the trio moves swiftly and effortlessly between the nebulous jurisdictions of jazz and free improv. The mix of brief bagatelle-sized pieces with more predictable longer form fare makes it a standout. Schlippenbach’s opening “Aries” and its immediate neighbor “Beelzebub’s Tales: Revised” deploy delicate piano meditations tinged with hues of mellow Monk. Flanked by Paul Lovens precision brushes, Evan Parker’s soprano multiphonics pull from the free improv spectrum as genre boundaries continue to blur and dissipate. The instrumentation echoes Cecil Taylor’s classic 60s Montmarte ensemble with Lyons and Murray, but the players capitalized on decades of hindsight, evincing a far more inclusive dynamic range, operating within studio acoustics that cleanly corral all the action. Even split-second outbursts suggest spontaneous consensus born from an abiding rapport and while there’s a fair share of racket, it never feels perfunctory or premeditated. Also impressive is Schlippenbach’s ability to preserve a melodic center whether he’s clamoring about under the hood of his piano, as on “Analogue: Scaled” or constructing a relatively straightforward jazz line. All in all, a favorite from a trio whose severely finite discography is both intentional and meaningful.