Hebden / Reid / Gustafsson

Live At The South Bank [2 CDs]

Label: Smalltown Superjazzz Country: Norway

"The late Steve Reid, veteran jazz drummer and percussionist and Kieran Hebden (Four Tet), the British electronic musician/producer young enough to be his grandson, present the fifth and final installment of their momentous synergy. The music on this double LP was recorded in concert on June, 20 2009 in the foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Hall at London's Southbank Centre, as part of the Meltdown Festival curated by free jazz legend Ornette Coleman. For this marathon workout, Reid & Hebden were joined by Swedish power saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, whose fiery blowing style had inspired Kieran to seek out a drummer like Steve to work with in the first place. Live at the South Bank stands as a memorial to a thrilling and productive partnership sadly cut off in its prime."

"Includes a download code and serves as Chuck Johnson's inaugural placement into the pantheon of acoustic guitar players where he rightfully belongs."-Smalltown Superjazzz

"For such adventurous jazz players, this Europe-only double live album was almost a prerequisite, a hard-blowing session far outside the confines of your typical American label. So it's fitting that Four Tet's Kieran Hebden and the recently deceased Steve Reid (drummer for Dionne Warwick and Sun Ra) have the last of their collaborations released in such a fashion. Joined by the similarly un-categorizable Swedish reedman Mats Gustafsson, Live at the South Bank is an onslaught of sound: While Reid builds and defuses the rhythms, Hebden loops thumb pianos, electronic jags, and jet-engine roars, as Gustafsson veers from Dixieland drone to Ayler cry. None of the three go gently into that good night."-(8/10 Spin Magazine)