Lean Left – “Live At Cafe Oto” – [Unsounds]

Max Level   11/13/2012   CD, Jazz

Powerful jazz-noise sounds from this international quartet, recorded live in London 2011. The long-running duo of Ken Vandermark (sax, clarinet) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums) is augmented/enhanced/transformed by guitarists Terrie Ex and Andy Moor of The Ex. One guitarist is on the left side of the mix, the other is on the right; together their chaotic electric guitar dialog–a Sonny Sharrock and a half’s worth of chattering, scraping, slashing, and diddling–serves as a wild accompaniment to Vandermark’s fervent reed-blowing and Nilssen-Love’s off the hook drumming. Two long tracks (30+ minutes each) each with noisy sections and quiet sections. Dig in.