TAYLOR'S FREE UNIVERSE
File Under Extreme
Marvel of Beauty
MOBCD007


File Under Extreme is a pretty remarkable recording. Not since my first encounters with the music of Roger Trigaux’ Present, Univers Zero and Art Zoyd have I heard such a distinctive and seamless blend of jazz, metallic progressive rock, free improv, and late 20th Century European classical music. Yet – unlike the malevolent, yet highly orchestrated, sounds of the Belgian "dark wave" – the music from Taylor’s Free Universe seems, at times, almost gleefully unhinged (though no less brooding and dark).

Fans of European progressive rock will surely recognize Karsten Vogel’s name. Now an elder statesman of the Danish jazz scene, the multi-reed player figured prominently in Burnin’ Red Ivanhoe and Secret Oyster: two of Denmark’s best-known psych / progressive rock groups. In the context of Taylor’s Free Universe, Vogel is clearly the jazz guy. His full-throated tone and melodic inventiveness on various saxophones is reminiscent of Elton Dean’s. Guitarist Robin Taylor, by contrast, is clearly more conversant with the outer reaches of avant-progressive rock / noise stylings (exemplified by players as diverse as Terje Rypdal, Robert Fripp, and David Torn) than he is with jazz. Nominally the leader of the group, Taylor is quite generous with solo space, and shares composing credits (where applicable) pretty much equally with Tassone and Vogel. Despite playing a “processed violin,” the classically-trained Tassone uses little in the way of effects, preferring instead to let his well-articulated lines and clarion tone speak for themselves. Bassist Segerberg and drummer Mathiesen both possess mega-chops, but use them judiciously.

Taylor’s electronics and treatments play a key role throughout the disc. Even the most conventionally jazz- or fusion sounding moments on this CD (and there aren’t many of those) seem to be filtered through a bizarre alien haze. Though the high-energy pieces, such as Vogel’s aptly-titled “Free Bop” and the drum machine driven “More Germanism,” are my favorites, the group’s atmospheric, brooding soundscapes have a lot to offer as well. “Germanism” and “Less Is More” are highly-focussed studies in tension and more tension. Only during Vogel’s “Aspects of a Myth” does the band seem to lose its focus – the result is well-played, but somewhat less compelling than the rest of the disc. Despite this slight lapse, File Under Extreme is a fine CD, largely cliché-free, and with a lot to offer fans of challenging jazz / rock / new music fusion. I’d be very interested to hear what further sounds emerge from Taylor’s Free Universe in the future. This is definitely a band to watch.


Track Listing: 1. Germanism; 2. Stand Apart; 3. Free Bop; 4. More Germanism; 5. Age Concern; 6. Less Is More; 7. Evaluation; 8. Aspects of a Myth; 9. Bonus Tragg


Personnel: Robin Taylor, electric guitar, electronics, treatments, keyboards (1); fuzz bass (1, 4); tapes (4); percussion (5); Karsten Vogel, soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, keyboards (8), tape collage (8); Pierre Tassone, electric violin; Johan Segerberg, double bass, electronics; Kalle Mathiesen, drums, sampler.