The Music Improvisation Company

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Music Improvisation Company was a British free-improvisation group that began around 1968 and whose first album came out in 1970 on ECM Records. The line-up consisted of saxophonist Evan Parker, guitarist Derek Bailey, Hugh Davies with home-built electronic instruments and percussionist Jamie Muir. On two tracks guest singer Christine Jeffrey sang along. The record was recorded in three days in August 1970, with Manfred Eicher as producer.

Music and breakthrough

The music was deliberately not written in any existing style. The musicians knew jazz well, but they used whatever element they wanted, and gave it shape in the moment. The result sounded dissonant and disjointed, and was ahead of its time in free improvisation. One critic called Evan Parker's bubbling outbursts of indeterminate melody the highlight, while Bailey chose a more anonymous approach, cutting rapidly in and out of the music. In 1976 the compilation album 1968 - 1971 was also released.

Influence

The group is important to the history of improvised music in Europe. Many of the musicians went on to play a major part in free improvisation. In pop history it stands at the edge, with the experimental music that lets rock, jazz and electronics come together without fixed rules. Dragon Path is a good place to try this out.

Listening

• 
  Dragon Path · The Music Improvisation Company, 1970
• 
  Third Stream Boogaloo · The Music Improvisation Company, 1970

Discography

Studio albums

• 1970The Music Improvisation Company
• 19761968 - 1971

See also

• European free improvisation