Scottland's large improvising ensemble of around 20 musicians, merging backgrounds in free improvisation, jazz, classical, folk, pop, experimental musics and performance art, in a 2-CD release of a piece commissioned by the BBC and featuring pianist Marilyn Crispell and saxophist Evan Parker, written using graphic scores, through composition, photographs and artwork.
Format: 2 CDs Condition: New Released: 2018 Country: UK Packaging: Digipack - 4 panels CD 1 recorded at the Centre For Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, on December 1st, 2013, by Gus Stirrat.
CD 2 recorded at City Halls, during the Glasgow International Jazz Festival, in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, on June 29th, 2014, by Jim McEwan.
"Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra is a large improvising ensemble of around 20 musicians from diverse artistic backgrounds ranging from free improvisation, jazz, classical, folk, pop, experimental musics and performance art. Since its inaugural project in 2002 the Orchestra has established an international reputation and garnered critical acclaim for its innovative projects and its exploration of improvised music. A host of collaborations with world renowned improvisers and other ensembles have expanded the band's artistic horizons and given rise to musical connections throughout the world.
Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra perform in venues around the UK and Europe and have now established their own annual festival in Glasgow which provides a platform for improvising musicians and artists. Alongside their composing, recording and performing activities they are committed to an ongoing programme of education and outreach activities including workshops, lectures and master classes."-GIO Website
"Work on Parallel Moments Unbroken began in the Summer of 2013 when I was commissioned to compose a new piece by the BBC, which was broadcast on their Jazz on 3 radio show. The piece was written specifically for a large improvising ensemble and soloist and I'm delighted that Marilyn and Evan, two of my favorite musicians, are the featured soloists on each of the two versions recorded here. I devised the piece itself using a collection of graphic scores, through composed sections, photographs and artwork, all based on past musical experiences and relationshopswith the musicians involved. An 'assembly' of these was created individually for each one of the musicians performing the piece, allow me to channel them in a specific musical direction while also giving them space to create their own unique and immediate responses as they drew on inspirationfrom their directions and reacted to the sounds around them. A number of other guests, who are not regular member sof GIO but part of out extended family, also joined us for these performances and huge thanksgoes to them as well. Indeed, I would like to thanks all the musicians in GIO and our guests for playing on this CD and giving their time and creativity so generously. Both performances are etched in my memory as joyous celebretory events full of music, wonderful collaborations, intense discussions and late-into-the-night socializing. I hope listening to this music conveys soem of that adventure."-Raymond MacDonald, November 2018