John Stevens Trio - Live at The Plough

Magnus Eriksson, Svenska Dagbladet

In the 60s the drummer John Stevens identified the British free jazz with his group Spontaneous Music Ensemble.
In the 70s Mike Osborne, Alan Skidmore, and John Surman created unique music in a sax trio without rhythm section.
When Stevens met Osborne and the young bassist Paul Rogers at the pub The Plough 1979 something unique also arise, which first now is released on record.
John Stevens playing is close to serial. There are cascades and indicated lines of melodies, the rhythm is secondary.
Osborne swings away in free associations and self-willed beautiful improvisations, often high up in the register. But the music is concrete; the ideas materializes with carnal evidence.
And it never stands still. The ideas follows one after the other in a high tempo, which opens up the music also for listeners who haven't swore free jazz eternal loyalty.