Recorded in 1968 at Lile Eule club in Bremen, Germany, the Peter Brotzman Octet's MACHINE GUN is a Rosetta Stone for continental free jazz. Featuring such soon-to-be improv legends as saxophonist Evan Parker, reeds player Willem Breuker, and of course Brotzman himself, MACHINE GUN is a mind-blowing study in unbridled musical energy. The playing is simply furious, and hits a fever pitch from note one, letting up for nary a second over the course of the album's three extended tracks. Yet despite the seemingly chaotic timbre of the proceedings, there are moments that genuinely swing here, making it clear that Brotzman and his boys are part of the jazz tradition even if their intent may be to drag that tradition into shocking new realms. Atavistic Records reissued the complete sessions in 2008 on their Unheard Music Series imprint, and included a pair of alternate takes and a live performance of "Machine Gun." Format: Vinyl Genre: Pop
