''Tetralogy'' is a two-CD live album by trombonist Paul Rutherford. Drawn from archival tapes, it was recorded in 1978, 1981, and 1982, in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...

, and was released in 2009 by

Emanem Records Emanem Records is a record company and independent record label founded in London, England in 1974 by Martin Davidson and Madelaine Davidson to record free improvisation. Its headquarters moved to New York City (1975–76), New Jersey (1979 ...

. The album presents Rutherford in a variety of contexts: two solos, one with electronics, and one without; a brass quartet that features trombonist

George E. Lewis George Emanuel Lewis (born July 14, 1952) is an American composer, performer, and scholar of experimental music. He has been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians ( AACM) since 1971, when he joined the organization ...

, French hornist Martin Mayes, and tubist Melvyn Poore; and a trio with bassist Paul Rogers and drummer Nigel Morris.

Reception

In a review for '' All About Jazz'', John Eyles called the album "One of 2009's very best," and stated that the tracks "give a good impression of Rutherford's talents and the breadth of his musical vision... Listening to this moving music, it is like he is still with us." Troy Collins of ''Point of Departure'' wrote: "these sessions detail how the trombonist incorporated innovative techniques, a distilled knowledge of jazz idioms and humor to thoroughly creative ends." A reviewer for ''The Free Jazz Collective'' called the recording "an interesting album for fans of Rutherford," and commented: "The non-electronic solo performance and the brass quartet alone would have made a great record. Now, it sounds more like a collection, rather than a unified listening experience." Writing for ''Paris Transatlantic'', Nate Dorward described the solo set without electronics as "prime-cut," and remarked: "The density of event is extraordinary, the ideas cut into each other at a bruisingly rapid clip and every so often squashed down in half-strangled protestations, as Rutherford spars joyously with the quirky amplifying properties of his surroundings."

Track listing

; CD 1 # "Elesol A" – 17:56 # "Elesol B" – 8:17 # "Elesol C" – 6:39 # "Braqua 1A" – 23:44 # "Braqua 1B" – 6:36 # "Braqua 2" – 12:47 * Tracks 1–3 were recorded in London on August 20, 1981. Tracks 4–6 were recorded in London on August 23, 1981. ; CD 2 # "The Great Leaning 1A" – 11:30 # "The Great Leaning 1B" – 15:22 # "The Great Leaning 2" – 10:58 # "One First 1" – 8:10 # "One First 2" – 6:08 # "One First 3" – 11:49 * Tracks 1–3 were recorded in Pisa on July 13, 1978. Tracks 4–6 were recorded in London on June 16, 1982.

Personnel

* Paul Rutherford – trombone, euphonium, electronics, voice, tambourine *

– trombone (disc 1, tracks 4–6) * Martin Mayes – French horn (disc 1, tracks 4–6) * Melvyn Poore – tuba (disc 1, tracks 4–6) * Paul Rogers – double bass (disc 2, tracks 4–6) * Nigel Morris – drums (disc 2, tracks 4–6)

References

{{Authority control 2009 live albums Paul Rutherford (trombonist) live albums Emanem Records live albums Live free jazz albums