04U cover

04U

Thermal

Andy Moor, John Butcher + Thomas Lehn

Review by Frans de Waard

A work of improvisation by three outstanding players in the scene. John Butcher plays saxophones (and did this with people like Phil Minton, Gerry Hemingway and Derek Bailey), Andy Moor plays guitar (and this with The Ex, Dog Faced Hermans and Kaffe Matthews) and Thomas Lehn who plays an EMS synthesizer (and did this with Marcus Schmickler, Gert-Jan Prins, Mimeo). Three respected players meet up and play. They are skillfull players on their instruments, but they also have a good ear, a trained improvisational ear. What is the other guy doing, and how? How do I interact and do I need to interact? The important thing in improvised music is when to know when to play. In the fourteen pieces captured on this disc there is a controlled atmosphere: each of the players knows when to play and when not. They hold back, give room to the others, and collectively burst out in music when necessary. Given the various backgrounds and experiences (Moor's more punk past, Butcher's free jazz part and Lehn's electronica), it's a combination that surely holds risk, but they take the challenge and the resultant work is great. A fine work of improvisation.