Lawrence Casserley / Simon Desorgher

While the intrusion of laptops and homemade electronic gadgets into "proper” improvised jazz seems to be on the increase, many of these interlopers are still pushed to the periphery of their respective outfits. From their timeout corners most manage only the odd crackle or sine wave to stain the acoustic eminence. Lawrence Casserley strikes a blow for the wire jockeys by forcing the acoustic instruments to come to (and through) him. The ColourDome is an actual structure used in the long running Colourscape Festival, directed by Casserley and Desorgher since 1980. An air-supported labyrinth of colourful PVC, it provides an environment for spectators to inhabit and experience sound. In addition, the duo use this structure to improvise new ideas. Here, flautist Desorgher is joined by UK saxophone giant Evan Parker and violinist Philipp Wachsmann. On the other side of the coin, Casserley’s usual instrumental processing is abetted by David Stevens. The end result is most successful, with the acoustic instrumentation and mutations simultaneously inhabiting space. Occasionally this balance is lost and we hear the sound of someone wandering adrift in the ColourDome. What would Mel Gibson do? Sorry.