Larry Stabbins & Mark Sanders - 2025 - Cup & Ring

(58:54; Discus Music)

Larry Stabbins (alto saxophone, concert and alto flutes, bass clarinet) and Mark Sanders (percussion) have both been performing in improvisational outfits of different sizes for decades and hear we have them working together on 19th September 2024. Somewhat unusually, the CD is pretty much in the order it was recorded as opposed to being chopped around, so one can hear how they were working through the ideas. This was recorded after Stabbins had taken a 10-year absence from music, at which point he switched to alto saxophone,  took up the bass clarinet, and developed his flute and alto flute playing to ensure he had a wider set of sounds at his fingertips and also so he was not repeating anything he had done previously.

Although both players are wonderful musicians, there does appear to be some separation between the two, as naturally it falls into one providing melody and control and the other providing support. That may not be as it was in the studio, but it certainly is how it comes across when listening to it. I listen to quite a lot of improvised (or live composing) music these days, and it is often exciting and, on the edge, but here I feel they have created music which need to be experienced in the live environment as opposed to listening to it repeatedly on an album. One which needs to be heard prior to purchase.  

Kev Rowland, September 2025

Links:
https://www.larrystabbins.com/
https://www.marksanders.me.uk/
https://discus-music.org/