Peter Brotzmann - Historic Music Past Tense Future (2022) Hi-Res

Vital free jazz splatter from three of the genre's most celebrated titans, recorded in the front room of legendary NYC venue CBGBs in 2002.

When the hallowed trio of Peter Brötzmann, Milford Graves and William Parker met in Manhattan in 2002, it had been fourteen years since their last performance together, and it was to be their last. At the time, both Brötzmann and Parker were touring and recording, enjoying a period of enhanced interest in their playing - free jazz was experiencing an unexpected surge of popularity - but drummer Milford Graves had been mysteriously quiet. One of the most idiosyncratic players of the free jazz genre, Graves was spotted on only six recordings between 1999 and 2015 - so this extended set isn't just a rarity, it's a document of historical significance.

It's a blazing set too, all three players sound completely energized, let thru the New York fug by Graves' spiritual clatter that erupts into song on the final side. There's never a reason not to listen to Graves, and hearing him alongside Brötzmann and Parker is a privilege - one that it's clear each player relished. Brötzmann's familiar squeal sounds invigorated alongside Graves' rollercoaster expressionism, and Parker's bass has rarely sounded more suited to a rhythm section. Awe inspiring stuff.