JAXON FACES THE JURY – Improvisations by David Jackson and Le Jury

Description

I am proud to present this, Amethyst Records’ second release. It is a collection of improvisations taken from a three-hour session in October 2002.

David Jackson is the legendary Van der Graaf Generator saxophonist. Taking advantage of his week-long visit to Bergen at the beginning of October 2002, I booked a recording session at NRK Bergen with David Jackson and Le Jury.

Le Jury are an improvising trio outfit comprising pianist Einar Røttingen, accordion player and composer Jostein Stalheim and myself.

This CD is the edited result of that magical session. The playing is 100% ex-tempore. No discussion whatsoever took place before we began to play. Some astonishing music and improbable sounds arose as if from nowhere. We were fortunate to have it all expertly recorded by sound engineer Njaal Mangersnes and subsequently mastered at AIR studios in London by Matt Colton. The cover design is another fine job by Isabel Odriozola.

I believe this is extraordinary music and hope that you will share the wonderment and exhilaration the four of us felt that cold morning of October 3rd 2002 in the Bergen NRK headquarters.

Ricardo Odriozola, October 7th 2012 (rev. August 2025)