John Edwards/Emil Karlsen/Dominic Lash: Action Theory

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Dominic Lash (el g)
Emil Karlsen (d)
John Edwards (b)

Label:

Spoonhunt/Bandcamp

July/2024

Media Format:

CD, DL

RecordDate:

Rec. 9 January 2024

Dominic Lash is best known as an improvising double bassist with strong ties to the likes of Alexander Hawkins and Pat Thomas – but he has, of late, also developed a practice as an electric guitarist, as evidenced on this trio date released on his own Spoonhunt label. Here, double bass duties are handed over to hard-working doyen of UK improv, John Edwards, while drums are supplied by UK-based Norwegian drummer Emil Karlsen who has, in recent years, emerged as an in-demand improviser, working with John Butcher, Maggie Nicols and others.

It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that these five studio tracks – ranging from five to 14 minutes in length – sound very much like what we might call 'Classic British Improv'. Each piece is an information-rich journey full of lightning-swift interactions and rapidly changing moods, ranging from quiet, insectoid clatter to sudden irruptions of boiling energy. It’s to Lash’s credit that, within this context, he manages to avoid sounding overly indebted to Derek Bailey, often cranking the guitar way up into ecstatic overdrive with tight, rapid strumming that works particularly well with Edwards’ lachrymose arco. Anyone who enjoys the sound of restlessly jangling nervous systems will surely find this 49 minutes well spent.

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