Live Improvisations
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Live Improvisations
| type = live
| artist = Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson
| cover = Frith&Hodgkinson AlbumCover LiveImprovisations.jpg
| released = {{Start date|1992}}{{efn|name=release-date}}
| recorded = May 1990
| venue = London, Sheffield, Leeds Bridge End
| genre = Experimental music, free improvisation
| length = {{Duration|m=52|s=48}}
| label = Woof (UK)
Megaphone (US)
| producer = Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Fred Frith
| type = live
| prev_title = Dropera
| prev_year = 1991
| title = Live Improvisations
| year = 1992
| next_title = Helter Skelter
| next_year = 1992
}}
}}
Live Improvisations is a 1992{{efn|name=release-date|This album appears to have been released in 1992, even though the liner notes say "All music copyright Hodgkinson/Frith 1990", and several sources list the release date as 1990.}} collaborative live album of improvised music by English experimental musicians Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. It was recorded in May 1990 in England and was released on Woof Records in the United Kingdom and Megaphone Records in the United States.
Background
Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson's first performance together was when they supplied music for a dance recital in 1968 while they were students at Cambridge University. They had never played together before and Frith said "[Tim] had an alto sax, and I had my violin, and we just improvised this ghastly screaming noise for about half an hour." Surprised by their performance, and to keep the momentum going, Frith and Hodgkinson formed a band, which went on to become the English avant-rock group Henry Cow.
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}
}}
Writing in a review at AllMusic, Rick Anderson described the improvisations of Frith and Hodgkinson on this album as "cacophonic", but added that "none of it is ugly; in fact, much of it is downright lovely". Anderson rated the album as "[h]ighly recommended".
Track listing
All tracks are untitled, composed by Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson, and performed in England.
| class="wikitable" |
| Track
! Venue ! Date ! Length |
|---|
| style="text-align: center;" |1.
| Club Integral, Conway Hall, London | 12 May 1990 | style="text-align: right;" |33:20 |
| style="text-align: center;" |2.
| Purcell Room, London | 13 May 1990 | style="text-align: right;" |2:08 |
| style="text-align: center;" |3.
| Purcell Room, London | 13 May 1990 | style="text-align: right;" |1:17 |
| style="text-align: center;" |4.
| Purcell Room, London | 13 May 1990 | style="text-align: right;" |3:13 |
| style="text-align: center;" |5.
| George IV, Infirmary Road, Sheffield | 10 May 1990 | style="text-align: right;" |8:23 |
| style="text-align: center;" |6.
| Termite Club, The Adelphi, Leeds Bridge End | 11 May 1990 | style="text-align: right;" |4:27 |
Source: Discogs, Fred Frith discography.
Personnel
- Fred Frith – guitar, violin, vocals
- Tim Hodgkinson – keyboards, alto saxophone, clarinet
Source: Discogs, Fred Frith discography.
Recording notes
All tracks recorded by Michael Gerzon.
- Track 1 recorded on a 4-track
- Tracks 2, 3 and 4 recorded on a DAT
- Tracks 5 and 6 recorded on a Sony Professional
Source: Discogs.
Footnotes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite AV media notes |title=Live Improvisations |first1=Fred |last1=Frith |author-link1=Fred Frith |first2=Tim |last2=Hodgkinson |author-link2=Tim Hodgkinson |type=vinyl |year=1992 |publisher=Woof |location=London}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/Fred-Frith-Tim-Hodgkinson-Live-Improvisations/release/1680901 |title=Live Improvisations |publisher=Discogs |access-date=31 May 2013}}
}}
{{Fred Frith}}
{{Tim Hodgkinson}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Live Improvisations}}
Category:1992 collaborative albums
Category:Experimental music albums by English artists
Category:Live free improvisation albums
Category:Fred Frith live albums
Category:Tim Hodgkinson albums