Liebman / Evan Parker / Bianco

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Label: Red Toucan Country: Canada

"After decades of playing with musicians from the famous to the esoteric to relatively unknown, there still exists for me a wish list of those who, for one reason or another, I haven't performed or recorded with. Near the top of my list was saxophonist Evan Parker. With the help of an old friend at compatriot, Tony Bianco, we were able to arrange a gig at the Vortex, in London, for the BBC. Of course I have always had the utmost respect for Evan's art, his unique technical mastery and long-standing reputation as one of the masters of the free jazz idiom. As would be expected for such an occasion we said hello, went directly to the stage and improvised two sets. I will remember this evening as one of my best experiences with a peer saxophonist. Tony as always provided the perfect flowing and consistent "carpet" for us to commune together.

As Evan and I both evolved from the Coltrane aesthetic, I think that this meeting could be seen in some ways as similar to the encounter we all know of Newk and Trane on "Tenor Madness" (1957) - different approaches to a common language. (I would imagine, to dedicated jazz listeners, this meeting will also be of some historical value.)"-Dave Liebman