Not

One would believe that, trapped between table guitar torturer Jean-Marc Montera and turntablist Erik M, the soprano saxophonist Michel Doneda could only disappear, drowned by the noise. What happens here is the exact opposite: the acoustic instrument draws the electronic ones on his playground, leading the way. Montera's metallic wails often become one with Doneda's sustained notes or frenetic tongue work. To add to the confusion, Erik M has found a niche in the expanding community of avant-garde turntablists by eschewing kitsch music references, preferring experimental music LPs as his primary sound source. As Doneda engages into an inspired solo, Montera will join in playing slide guitar and Erik M will vari-speed and sample an Anthony Braxton solo record. There you have it: three saxophones, only one of them is real: but which one? Apart from this entertaining game, the music found on Not offers a lot of other perplexing sonic collisions. Montera can also work out dark textures (like Keith Rowe) and Erik M also uses electro-acoustic LPs and various speech-related sources. Not fully engaging, this album is nonetheless a nice assemblage of cutting-edge improvisations. All track titles are words starting with the three letters N-O-T. Not was recorded live over two concerts in Paris in July 1999. ~ François Couture, Rovi