There’s so much circular breathing on here that it might make you pass out. The looping, droning, bass saxophonist crossover artists Colin Stetson teamed up with Swedish free jazz baritone saxophonist Mats Gustafsson — whose work with Sonic Youth and Jim O’Rourke surely grant him “crossover status” too — for a live album of saxophone duets. Stones was recorded at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in 2011, where Stetson and Gustafsson first met, and features a completely improvised set between the two.
“It was completely magic”, remembers Mats. “All was there, the communication, the interaction, the music, the mystery…” Since you’ve memorized “Tenor Madness” already, it’s worth picking up the best sax duo record that’s been released in, well, a while.
Stones is out now in Europe and is slated for North American release on January 8th. Watch footage of Stetson performing “Judges” on WNYC’s Soundcheck below.
Stones Tracklist:
01. Stones That Rest Heavily
02. Stones That Can Only Be
03. Stones That Need Not
04. Stones That Only Have
