The Necessary and the Possible

This is a beautiful live recording by a free improvisation trio that was formed for the 2008 FIMAV Festival. They had all worked together previously, although not this closely: Joe Morris with the Hession/Wilkinson/Fell trio in the late '90s, Alex Ward in Simon H. Fell's orchestral pieces and SFQ groups since the early 2000s, and all three in a Fell orchestral piece premiered at the 2007 Huddersfield Festival. As a trio, they had performed a couple of sets in the U.S. a few days prior to this festival appearance. It sounds like they have been going at it as a unit for years. Just listen at the tight trialogue developing at the onset of "Ils Improvisaient" — a community of souls and fingers — or the restrained yet constant energy of "Ils Improviseront." This trio is particularly strong at avoiding trading dialogues while the third wheel drones alone: the discourse is three-voiced, Morris' acoustic guitar, Fell's bass, and Ward's clarinet constantly engaging each other. The set's highlight is the third piece, "Ils Improvisaient," where the trio hits a level of chemistry rarely seen, the kind of moment that is the reward most prized by any free improvisation fan. The Necessary and the Possible, Rovi