Situations

Personnel: Andrea Centazzo (percussion); Lol Coxhill (soprano saxophone); Franz Koglmann (trumpet, flugelhorn); Giancarlo Schiaffini (trombone).
Liner Note Author: Andrea Centazzo.
Recording information: 07/1978-06/1982.
Two groups perform here, the first (represented on seven tracks) is from a fascinating session with Italian percussionist Andrea Centazzo, Austrian trumpeter Franz Koglmann, and British soprano saxophonist Lol Coxhill, and the second (on four cuts) has Italian trombonist Giancarlo Schiaffini replacing Koglmann. The numbers with Schiaffini were released previously on the Ictus label as an LP entitled Moot. The primary interest is the rare combination of Coxhill with Schiaffini and Koglmann. All the pieces appear freely improvised, although credits are given to compositions by Centazzo. While there is a tendency to drift, particularly on the Koglmann cuts, Centazzo pulls it together with some very exciting, though subtle, demonstrations. Koglmann and Schiaffini are both deliberate performers, although the trombonist ups the ante with some of his well-known rapid-fire attacks that mesh well with Coxhill's approach. Due to the small number of players and the absence of piano and bass, there is plenty of room for individual expression that should please admirers of all of these under-recorded giants of the international free jazz scene. ~ Steven Loewy