EXPLODED ON IMPACT John Law Quartet SLAMCD 204

TRACKS

1 Couplets 9m 20s

2 Mothers’ lament 12 54

3 A pissed-off tree 12 22

4 Kaleidoscope 9 50

5 Joy riding 11 09

John Law pno; Alan Wilkinson alto & bari saxes; Roberto Bellatalla bs; Mark Sanders dms.

Tracks 1-4 rec. 17 July1992, Endymion Studios, London. Track 5 17 Feb. 1992 at Porcupine Studio London.

Downtown Music Gallery Sept 30 2005

JOHN LAW QUARTET - Exploded on Impact (Slam 204/UK) Featuring John Law on piano and compositions, Alan Wilkinson on alto & bari sax, Roberto Bellatalla on double bass and Mark Sanders on drums. John Law is a marvelous British pianist who somehow seems to be beneath the radar of recognition. Which is odd considering the company he keeps. His ten discs as a leader or co-leader include 3 solo piano CDs on FMR, a duo with Louis Moholo (Impetus), a quartet with Moholo, Paul Dunmall & Barry Guy (Hat Art), as well as his own quartet with saxists Jon Lloyd or Tim Garland. 'Exploded on Impact' was recorded and released in 1992, one of Law's earliest recordings, all of which have taken place between from 1990-2000. Law's quartet features Alan Wilkinson who has worked with Derek Bailey, Simon Fell & Paul Hessian; Roberto Bellatalla, who we know from his work with Elton Dean and Paul Dunmall and drum wiz, Mark Sanders, is one of England's best and who has worked at length with Jah Wobble, Paul Dunmall, Evan Parker & others. "Couplets" does in fact "explode" open with a powerful Ornette-like rapid and repeating piano line at the center, pushing the the alto sax to burn and keep up with the fire-breathing intensity. Eventuallu it winds down to a series of inspired solos from the piano and then the bass. "Mother's Lament" features some spirited bari sax from Wilkinson and tasty, gospelish piano from Mr. Law, the quartet sails into some scary freer terrain as the piece evolves and then settles down to a peaceful conclusion. The strangely titled, "A Pissed-Off Tree", has Law playing different lines with each hand as it opens and then erupts between intricate parts with free sections thrown in unexpectedly. Eventually things wind down to some a series of inspired solos from the piano and bass & drums together, the flow or thread runs through it all until they go back to the opening theme, then fade out and end. I dig the way "Kaleidoscope" is completely skeletal, yet still tells a story with a minimum of notes. "Joy Riding" begins with just the drums, but soon the quartet swings into quick swinging action with John Law's ferocious two handed attack cascading up and down the piano. The quartet is super tight and burning together with nervous energy. Too much! Please check the colossal John Law Quartet and hear what you've been missing. - BLG

John Law's quartet will not have the privilege of belonging to the artists favoured on the current Jazz FM daytime playlist. It's a little too "out" for radio I'm afraid, owing its existence to the experiments of the sixties and what came after. Five tracks feature pianist Law with saxophonist Alan Wilkinson, bassist Roberto Bellatalla and drummer Mark Sanders. The opener, "Couplets", is a spike, exgy taste of what is to come which features a fine solo by bassist Bellatalla. Later Wilkinson, in a lament for Yugoslavia, the second number, launches into a shimmering baritone saxophone solo which of the material here probably comes off worst. As for John Law, his favoured style for the most part tends to an elaborate detailed mozaic of arpeggios and repeated patterns, especially on thenod to Thelonious Monk, "A Pissed-Off Tree", which is my favourite track here. Mark Sanders' drumming is impressive throughout - always flexible and, with the bassist, capable for swinging even in this 'free' environment. "Joy Riding", the final track has a theme which resembles themusic from the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" but is none the worse for the similarity. Wilkinson here as elesewhere is dutifully excessive - his wildnesses usually work out all right but not on this track. This CD will probably disappear inside the badly tended jungle of new releases and you may never hear of it again. It's worth the trouble to hunt it down. 55.45 playing time; recorded London 2/92 and 7/92. John Gill

The musicians of the John Law quarter seem to be the youngest of the players (... on several CDs being reviewed...) and the ones who still rely most on conventional head-improvisation-head structures even when the head is as agitated and slippery as on "Couplets". Their youth shows in the sheer energy they put out. Law is not as blindingly fast as Cecil Taylor but he still jabs stabbing chords and purplish runs all over the keyboard like a mad classical pianist. Hislush, gospel trills on "Mothers' Lament" sound like a pianist's answer to Albert Ayler. Alan Wilkinson can either wriggle and squeallike Ornette or come up with an aching, heart-rending cry. Bellatalla and Sanders roll and tumble friskily in support, the bassist having a particularly strong drive. No prizes for guessing that Thelonious Monk is the spiritual father of "A Pissed-Off Tree", which starts with Law repeating the traces of a Monkish chord structure over and over before the others join in at full force, Wilkinson in particular howling at the moon. "Kaleidoscope" is the one quiet piece, a tense dialogue for piano and alto that opens into a lovely Oriental melody played in unison showing that Law can put together entire compositions as well as intriguing heads. Jerome Wilson

HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW September 1993 To bring us up to date, a lively if flawed effort from the John Law Quartet: Exploded On Impact, where the leader's piano and compositions never quite seem to ignite his musicians. Still, Mark Sanders does some excellent drumming and following of saxophonist Alan Wilkinson - who appears to be becoming something of a cult - will want a copy; some of his solos are astonishingly emotive and original. Ben Watson