Jazz breaking news: Matthew Shipp Begins Two-Night Vortex Residency

In a 45 minute-long improvisation the pair scanned their extensive collective musical memories for the right path ahead. During a set equally weighted by the ebb and flow of collective spontaneity small threads developed into quilts of entwining material, connected but sufficient unto itself. Shipp who towards the 35-minute mark with the aid of bounced down Far Eastern-sounding resonances from the chiming strings of the Steinway opened up the sound palette towards a nihilistic enormity. He habitually leaves your expectations about what improvising is confounded with a technique characterised by scrabbling reverse flow cyclical runs, and so it was here as he layered coat after coat of chordal texture that Parker responded to with notes coming thick and fast. Yet rarely was this a project-and-react situation that duo concerts however free often are let down by. The two seemed to have the other’s spirit in their mind’s eye constantly. The set was recorded for future release and the sound recordist sitting on stage with his headphones on was, like the musicians, a picture of concentration. Duo performances suit Parker well whether with a very different player such as Stan Tracey or here with Shipp who for many years now has been seen as one of the key improvisers taking the music forward by creating a language of his own, at once very abstract yet tender. – Stephen Graham

Matthew Shipp continues at the Vortex tonight joined by Paul Dunmall, John Edwards and Mark Sanders. For last minute tickets go to www.vortexjazz.co.uk