Eddie Prévost

Eddie Prévost

Eddie Prévost in 2010 at Kings Place, London
Background information
Birth name Edwin John Prévost
Born (1942-06-22) June 22, 1942
Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England
Genres Jazz
Instruments Percussion
Years active 1965-
Labels Matchless Recordings
Associated acts AMM

Eddie Prévost (Edwin John) (born Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England, 22 June 1942) is an English percussionist noted for founding and participating in the AMM free improvisation group.

Early years

Of Huguenot heritage, Prévost's silk weaving ancestors moved to Spitalfields in the late 17th century. Brought up by single parent mother (Lilian Elizabeth) in war-damaged London Borough of Bermondsey. He won a state scholarship to Addey and Stanhope Grammar School, Deptford, London, where to-be drummers Trevor Tomkins and Jon Hiseman also studied. Music tuition, however, was limited to singing and general classical music appreciation. Enrolled in the Boy Scouts Association (19th Bermondsey Troop) to join marching band. As a teenager began to get involved with the emerging youth culture music; skiffle, before being introduced to a big jazz record collection of a school friend with rich parents. With a bonus from the florist, for whom Prévost worked part-time after school, purchased his first snare drum from the famed Len Hunt drum shop in Archer Street (part of London's theatre land).

After leaving school at sixteen Prévost was employed in various clerical positions whilst continuing his musical interests. Although, by now immersed in the music of bebop, his playing technique was insufficient for purpose. New Orleans style jazz ('trad') offered scope for his growing musical prowess. He played in various bands mostly in the East End of London. It was during a tenure with one of these bands he met trumpeter David Ware, who also shared a passion for the hard-bop jazz music. In their early twenties they later formed a modern jazz quintet which ultimately included Lou Gare, who had recently moved to London from Rugby and was a student at Ealing College of Art and a member of the Mike Westbrook Jazz Orchestra.

AMM

AMM was co-founded in 1965 by Lou Gare, Eddie Prévost and Keith Rowe. They were shortly joined by Lawrence Sheaff. All had a jazz background. They were, however, soon augmented by composer Cornelius Cardew. Thereafter, Cardew, Gare, Prévost and Rowe remained as basis of the ensemble until the group fractured in 1972. Other more formally trained musicians were to enter the ranks of AMM after Cardew's departure. Those to make significant contributions were cellist Rohan de Saram and, in particular, pianist John Tilbury. The latter was a friend and early associate of Cardew and later became his biographer.

AMM philosophy

In contrast to many other improvising ensembles, the core aesthetic of the ensemble is one of enquiry. There was no attempt to create a spontaneous music reflecting, or emulating, other forms. The AMM sound-world emerged from what Cardew referred to as "searching for sounds". For Prévost, the following would become the core formulation which he would explore during his subsequent musical career and explain and develop in various writings (see bibliography) and workshop activities.[1]

We are "searching" for sounds and for the responses that attach to them, rather than thinking them up, preparing them and producing them.

In the 1980s, in response to various workshops and lectures, Prévost first formulated the twin analytical propositions of heurism and dialogue as defining concepts for an emergent musical philosophy, whilst acknowledging Cardew's construction (above). This line was explored and constantly redefined much through the London workshop experience, as his articles and his books show. (see below: The London Workshop). His 2011 book — The First Concert: an Adaptive Appraisal of a Meta Music — is described as a view "mediated through the developing critical discourse of adaptionism; a perspective grounded in Darwinian conceptions of human nature. Music herein is examined for its cognitive and generative qualities to see how our evolved biological and emergent cultural legacy reflects our needs and dreams. This survey visits ethnomusicology, folk music, jazz, contemporary music and "world music" as well as focusing upon various forms of improvisation — observing their effect upon human relations and aspirations. However, there are also analytical and ultimately positive suggestions towards future metamusical practices. These mirror and potentially meet the aspirations of a growing community who wish to engage with the world — with all its history and chance conditionals — by applying a free-will in making music that is creative and collegiate." (back cover of First Concert)

History with AMM

When, in the early 1970s, Cardew and Rowe began to devote their time and energy to espousing the political doctrine of an English Maoist party a fracture occurred in the ensemble leaving the rump of Lou Gare and Eddie Prévost, who continued in a duo form making various concerts and festival appearances and leaving a legacy of two recordings. At the end of the decade a rapprochement was attempted and for a short while the quartet began playing together again. It did not last. Lou Gare departed and moved from London to Devon. While Cardew's commitment to politics made his complete withdrawal inevitable. It was during this period Prévost took an Honours Degree at Hatfield Polytechnic, exploring and developing his interests in history(especially East Asian) and philosophy. Musically, this left Rowe and Prévost playing together. Their recording for German ECM label "It had been an ordinary enough day in Pueblo, Colorado" is the single example of their duet period. By the late 1970s a reawakened association with John Tilbury was cemented into his permanent place in AMM. He is featured on all subsequent AMM performances and recordings (as is Prévost). In 2002 a more lasting schism occurred leading to Rowe departing from AMM and leaving Tilbury to continue with Prévost.

Percussion

The investigative dynamic of AMM leads a musician to seek out new material. It is the fabric and constitution of stuff that is considered as more important than any historical or cultural heritage. It is Prévost's constant exploration's that has produced the range of sounds associated with his work, particularly within AMM and its extension to the many workshop ensembles. This philosophy leads to what Seymour Wright has so aptly described as the "awkward wealth" of investigation.(citation) It is a position of constant examination and artistic redress.

Drumming

Drumming with AMM was principally replaced by discreet percussion work which by and large relied on sound and texture rather than rhythm. At the time of the Gare/Prévost period this position was reviewed. However, it was plain the AMM aesthetic, characteristic of the early formative period, was to have its effect. The "searching" method prevailed. And, whereas a saxophone and drums duet led to a more jazz-like expectation (amplified by Gare's reversion to a more rolling and modal post-Rollins kind of approach). Prévost's playing was noted to have acquired some unusual qualities. This lead one reviewer (Melody Maker) to remark in 1972: "His free drumming flows superbly making use of his formidable technique. It's as though there has never been an Elvin Jones or Max Roach."

Drumming however, was to take a back seat in Prévost's musical output as AMM developed and began to acquire and enhance its innovative reputation. And, apart from rare musical outings he did not commit himself, more fully, to the jazz drum kit again until 2007/08. Although, continuing to play percussion, a jazz-inflected project with Seymour Wright and Ross Lambert in an ensemble called SUM was the precursor of a period more devoted to drumming. Apart from various ad hoc ensembles, this led to various recordings including a series a CDs entitled Meetings with Remarkable Saxophonists. At date this consists of four volumes featuring Evan Parker, John Butcher, Jason Yarde and Bertrand Denzler respectively.

The London workshop

Over the years Prévost has conducted many improvised music workshops. However, as a result of a seminar he conducted at The Guelph Jazz Festival, Canada in 1999, Prévost began to formulate a framework for a workshop based upon a more thorough working of AMM principles and practice. He wrote:

"I had, of course, already had long previous experience of improvisation and experimental music mostly through my participation in AMM and working closely with the composers Cornelius Cardew and Christian Wolff. From this experience I had begun a working hypothesis in my book 'No Sound is Innocent'. However, there is always more to discover. On my long flight across the Atlantic, I intuited more could be found out. Not through introspective, if rational, thought alone but, through discovery or experimentation: praxis. It can, of course, be very discomforting to watch a proposition die in practise. No theory is worth its salt unless it is fully tested. The best ideas – this experience suggests – emerge through activity. Hence, the working premise of the improvisation workshop had to be based upon an emergent set of criteria constantly tested within the cauldron of experience.

In November 1999 I made it known that a free improvisation workshop would start weekly in a room at London’s Community Music Centre, near London Bridge. Originally, under the auspices of the London Musicians’ Collective, [...] these premises were found and minimal lines of communication to possible interested parties were opened. The first Friday evening (not thought to be an auspicious evening of the week because people ‘went out’ to have a good time) duly arrived. The room was available precisely because no one ever hired it on a Friday! I waited. Edwin Prévost, The First Concert: an Adaptive Appraisal of a Meta Music, (2011) p.115/6

Since then the workshop has continued weekly. It has a strong collegiate atmosphere. Those who participate are themselves formulating and refining a programme of enquiry and empathy. The working premise is one of 'searching for sounds' (Cardew). The emphasis is upon discovery and not on presentation. It is a place to risk failure and develop an open and continuing processive relationship with the materials at hand and other people. As hoped and anticipated, Prévost's continual presence is no longer required. In his occasional absences senior colleagues (in particular Seymour Wright and Ross Lambert) more than adequately move the project along. To date there have been over five hundred people who have attended the weekly workshop in London, representing over twenty different nationalities. This activity is further augmented by occasional forums for discussion and London's Cafe OTO programmes ensembles drawn from the London workshop every month. There have also been occasional extended periods of collective workshop musical experimentation. And, in 2010 there was a residential workshop held in Mwnci Studios on the Dolwillym Estate, west Wales. (see various other texts: including Philip Clark's Wire piece)] There are now workshops based upon this general premise functioning in Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Japan, Brazil and Mexico. Mostly started by alumni of the original workshop in London.

Intermediate and experimental compositions

Cardew's 'Treatise' etc. Cardew's introduction to AMM in 1966 owes something to his search for musicians to perform his (then unfinished)193 pages long graphic score, 'Treatise'. The AMM musicians (at the time Lou Gare, Eddie Prévost, Keith Rowe and Lawrence Sheaff) seemed perfect candidates to embrace this bold work of imagination. And, with others (including later AMM member John Tilbury) all participated in the premier performance at the Commonwealth Institute on 8 April 1966 (check year!). But the initial impact of Cardew's induction into AMM was to bring a halt to his compositional aspirations. However, over the years since, AMM has had a long relationship with particular indeterminate and experimental works particularly those of Cardew — especially after his death in 1983. Most prominently 'Treatise'. Other favourites were 'Solo with Accompaniment', 'Autumn '60', Schooltime Compositions' and the text piece Cardew wrote particularly for AMM, 'The Tiger's Mind.' These pieces (which for a long time had been neglected within 'new' musical schedules), and occasionally others by Christian Wolff and John Cage, were sometimes played in conjunction with an AMM improvisation. Some concert promoters were, it seems, more interested in these pieces being played than the principal musical output of AMM. Hence, Prévost's ambivalence about the inclusion of such material in concert programmes. The creative search for primary performance material was diverted, in such works, in keeping with the demands of the notation or compositional scheme. This inevitably prevented the musician from (to use Cardew's own words) "being at the heart of the experiment". (Cardew, 'Towards an Ethic of Improvisation; CC R p. 127).

Matchless Recordings and Publishing

In 1979 Prévost began the recording imprint of Matchless Recordings and Publishing. Although there had been some interest by commercial labels to take on the new improvising music of the late 1960s onwards, it proved not to be satisfactory or long-lasting. Together with a number of similar initiatives, e.g. Incus Records in Britain and ICP (?) in the Netherlands, Prévost sought to take control of their own work. In the early years this was slow and painstaking work. Some years little was produced and few small sales accrued. Gradually however, Matchless recordings began to be the documenting and disseminating base for a developing body of work. Most of the AMM output is featured on Matchless and this has diversified (more so in recent years) to include other associated artists and ensembles.[see matchlessrecordings.com] In 1995, following the same principal for internal control over the output, production and dissemination of material, the publishing imprint Copula was inaugurated. The first publication was Prevost's No Sound is Innocent. Later followed by Minute Particulars in 2004. 2006 saw the publication of Cornelius Cardew: A Reader (edited by Prévost) which was a collection of Cardew's published writings accompanied by commentaries by a number of musicians associated and inspired by Cardew. This volume was an essential companion to John Tilbury's comprehensive biography Cornelius Cardew: a life unfinished which was also published by Copula in 2008. The most recent book to appear on this imprint is Prévost's The First Concert: An Adaptive Appraisal of a Meta Music (2011).

Eddie Prévost is the cousin of the ex-docker shop-steward and left-wing political activist also named Eddie Prevost.

Discography with AMM

see AMM

Other recordings

1969
SILVER PYRAMID
Music Now Ensemble performing Eddie Prévost’s text/visual piece Silver Pyramid including Lou Gare, Cornelius Cardew, Eddie Prévost Keith Rowe and others many of who became part of The Scratch Orchestra. Recorded at the Roundhouse in London on 4 May 1968 as part of a Music Now festival. Released as a CD in 2001
Matchless Recordings MRCD40

1976
NOW-HERE-THIS-THEN
Eddie Prévost Band
Gold/Hawkins/Mattos/Prévost
Spotlite SPJ 505

1977
LIVE VOLS 1 & 2
Eddie Prévost Band
Gold/Hawkins/Mattos/Prévost
Matchless Recordings MRLP1 & 2
re-released on a single CD in 1993 MRCD01/02

1983
CONTINUUM
Eddie Prévost Quartet
Mattos/Prévost/Stabbins/Weston
Matchless Recordings MRLP07
new CD version MRCD07 released in 1999 with additional material from 1985

HANDSCAPES
Akemi Kunishoshi-Kuhn Trio
Akemi Kuniyoshi-Kuhn piano/Marcio Mattos double bass/Eddie Prévost drums

1984
SUPERSESSION
Guy/Parker/Prévost/Rowe
Matchless Recordings MRCD17

1985
MILLER’S TALES
Steve Miller Trio
Steve Miller piano/Tony Moore double bass/Eddie Prévost drums
meets Lol Coxhill
Matchless Recordings MRDLP09

RESOUNDINGS
Peter McPhail saxophones/flute/Tony Moore double bass/Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRLP08
new CD version MRCD08 released in 2000 with additional material from 1986

FLAYED/CRUX
Prévost/Organum
Silent Records SR8704
re-released as a CD in 1995 by Matchless Recordings MRCD27

STEVE MILLER TRIO MEETS ELTON DEAN
Elton Dean saxello, Steve Miller piano, Tony Moore double bass, Eddie Prévost drums
Reel Recordings RR007

1989
PREMONITIONS
free jazz quartet
Harrison Smith saxophones,b.cla./fl./ Paul Rutherford trombone
Tony Moore cello/Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD18.

1990
GOD
God
Pathological PPP106

SPHYX
Organum: Chrisyoph Heemann, David Jackman, Jim O’Roirke, Eddie Prévost, Dinah Jane Rowe
Robot Records RR -30

1990/92
THIRD DAY STRAIGHT MADE PUBLIC
Jim O’Rourke guitar /Eddie Prévost percussion
Complacency CPCD9302

1992
BEYOND THE PALE
E(xperimental) A(udio) R(esearch)
Sonic Boom/Kevin Martin/Kevin Shields/Eddie Prévost
Big Cat Records ABB96CD

MEMORIES FOR THE FUTURE
free jazz quartet
Harrison Smith saxophones,b.cla./fl./ Paul Rutherford trombone
Tony Moore cello/Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD76 (released 2009)

1993/95
PHENOMEMA 256
E(xperimental) A(udio) R(esearch
Sonic Boom/Eddie Prévost/Kevin Martin/Tom Prentice/Scott riley/Peter Bain/Alf Hardy
Space Age Recordings
Orbit 005LP

1994
BAND ON THE WALL
Marilyn Crispell piano / Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD25

ALPHA LEMUR ECHO TWO
Jim O’Rourke, Eddie Prévost, Michael Prime
Mycophile SPOR 05

1996
LOCI OF CHANGE - Sounds and Sensibility
Solo percussion
Matchless Recordings MRCD32

1997
MILLENNIUM MUSIC - A Meta Musical Portrait
E(xperimetal) A(udio) R(esearch)
Kember/Prévost/Prentice/Bain
Atavistic ALP72CD

MOST MATERIALL
Evan Parker saxophones / Eddie Prévost percussion
Matchless Recordings MRCD33 (double)

TOUCH
- The Weight, Measure and Feel of Things
Eddie Prévost Trio
Tom Chant soprano saxophone / John Edwards double bass / Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD34.

EN.TROPO.LOGY
Simon Picard tenor saxophone/John Wolf Brennan piano, prepared piano and electronics/
Eddie Prévost drums and percussion
For 4 Ears CD1036 (released 2000)

THE KONER EXPERIMENT
Experimental Audio Research Sonc Boom, Kevin Martin, Eddie Prevost, Kevin Shields, Thomas Koner and Andy Mellwig
Mille Plateaux 36

1998
CONCERT, v.
Eddie Prévost drums & Veryan Weston piano
Matchless Recordings MRCD37

THE ISSUE AT HAND
Such
Yoshikazu Iwamoto shakuhachi/John Tilbury piano/ Eddie Prévost percussion
Matchless Recordings MRCD38 (double)

2000
ORE
Derek Bailey and Eddie Prévost
Arrival Records ARC001

2000
Entropology - The Science of Sonic Poetry with John Wolf Brennan & Simon Picard
FOR4EARS Records CD 1036

2001
THE VIRTUE IN IF
Eddie Prévost Trio Tom Chant soprano saxophone / John Edwards double bass / Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD34.

ALL ANGELS CONCERTS
Eddie Prévost solo percussion track on a double CD compilation of concerts held at ALL Angels church, London as part of an ongoing series organised by Rhodri Davies and Mark Wastell

SEVENTH OF MAY 2001
A double CD that contains the performance of 7 May 2001 at freedom of the city festival, London on 7 May 2001. Contains an Eddie Prevost solo and the Eddie Prévost Trio
Matchless Recordings MRCD47

MATERIAL CONSEQUENCES
Eddie Prevost solo .percussion
Matchless Recordings MRCD48

2001/2002
CHRISTIAN WOLFF
early piano music
John Tilbury, Christian Wolff, Eddie Prévost
A double CD featuring the early piano music of Christian Wolff. Solo pieces by John Tilbury, two piano and four hands by John Tilbury and Christian Wolff plus a trio piece with Eddie Prévost on percussion.
Matchless Recordings MRCD51

2002
UNDISTILLED
Sakada Mattin, Rosy Parlane, Eddie Prévost
Three sets recorded at Audit, London Worm Rotterdam and Baggage reclaim, London in 2002
Matchless Recordings MRCD49

NONE (-T)
9! Nathaniel Catchpole, Jamie Coleman, Alex James, Ross Lambert, John Lely, Sebastian Lexer, Marianthi Papalexandri, Eddie Prévost, Seymour Wright
Matchless Recordings MRCD54

FREEDOM OF THE CITY
Anton Lukoszevieze and Eddie Prévost
Recorded and videoed at freedom of the city festival 2002.
Published in a compilation DVD to accompany: Blocks of Consciousness and Unbroken Continuum, Editors Brian Marley and Mark Wastell, Sound 323, 2005

2003
SAKADA
Rhodri Davies, Eddie Prévost, Mattin, Margarida Garcia, Mark Wastell
Recorded at freedom of the city festival, London 3 May 2003

SAKADA: ASKATUTA
Xabier Erkizia, Mattin, Eddie Prévost
Recorded at a concert given at Arteleku (Donostia-San Sebastián) Spain 22 August 2003
Therhizomelabel rech 14

A BRIGHT NOWHERE
Conditions Nathaniel Catchpole, Jamie Coleman, John Edwards, Alex James, Eddie Prévost
Matchless Recordings MRCD55

THE BLACKBIRD’S WHISTLE
Eddie Prevost Trio, Tom Chant, John Edwards, Eddie Prévost
Matchless Recordings MRCD56

IMPONDERABLE EVIDENCE
Evan Parker and Eddie Prévost
Matchless Recordings MRCD57

2004
DISCRETE MOMENTS
John Tilbury and Eddie Prévost
Matchless Recordings MRCD58

ACOUSTIC TRIO
John Coxon, Eddie Prévost, Ashley Wales
Treader tdr004

2005
INTERWORKS
John Butcher and Eddie Prévost
Matchless Recordings MRCD66

PST
PrévostSchiaffiniTilbury Live in Rome
Edwin Prévost percussion, Giancarlo Schiaffini trombone, John Tilbury piano
Audiorium AUD 04512

2006
ENTELECHY
Eddie Prévost tam-tam solo
Matchless Recordings MRCD67

SO ARE WE, SO ARE WE
Alan Wilkinson baritone and alto saxophones. Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD68

ALONG CAME JOE
Alan Wilkinson baritone and alto saxophones, Joe Williamson double bass. Eddie Prévost drums.
Matchless Recordings MRCD69

2007
A CHURCH IS ONLY SACRED TO BELIEVERS
Nicholas Christian electric bass, Matt Milton violin, Eddie Prévost percussion, Bechir Saade bass clarinet
AL Maslakh Recordings 10

2008
GAMUT
Eddie Prévost Toto toms and Seymour Wright alto saxophone.
Matchless Recordings MRCD72

BLACKHEATH
Alexander von Schlippenbach and Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings mrcd73

2009
INVENIO ERGO/SUM
Ross Lambert electric guitar, Eddie Prévost drums, Seymour Wright alto saxophone
Matchless Recordings MRCD75 (double)

2010
PENUMBRAE
Jennifer Allum violin and Eddie Prévost bowed percussion
Matchless Recordings MRCD79

FTARRI COLLECTION 2
Second track (of two) features: Eddie Prévost percussion and Sachiko M sinewaves
Recorded at Ftarri doubtmusic Festival, SuperDeluxe, Tokyo September 19, 2010

2011
ALL TOLD — Meetings with Remarkable Saxophonists Volume 1
Evan Parker tenor saxophone, John Edwards double bass, Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD81

IMPOSSIBILITY IN ITS PUREST FORM
Sebastian Lexer piano+, Eddie Prévost percussion, Seymour Wright alto saxophone
Matchless Recordings MRCD83

ALL BUT — Meetings with Remarkable Saxophonists Volume 2
John Butcher tenor and soprano saxophones, Guillaume Viltard double bass, Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD83

ALL TOGETHER — Meetings with Remarkable Saxophonists Volume 3
Jason Yarde alto and soprano saxophones, Oli Hayhurst double bass, Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD86

ALL-IN-ALL (en tout et pour tout) — Meetings with Remarkable Saxophonists Volume 4
Bertrand Denzler tenor saxophone, John Edwards double bass, Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD88

2012
WORKSHOP CONCERT — at Cafe Oto on Monday 21 May 2012
Jennifer Alum violin,Ute Kangiesser cello, Grundik Kasyansky theramin/electronics, Dimitra Lazaridou-Chatzigoga zither,Eddie Prévost percussion, Daichi Yoshikawa electronics
Matchless Recordings MRCD87

TRI-BOROUGH TRIPTYCH — three duets
Sebastian Lexer piano+, Evan Parker saxophones, Eddie Prévost percussion
Matchless Recordings MRCD89

ALL CHANGE
Tom Chant tenor and soprano saxophones, John Edwards double bass, Eddie Prévost drums
Matchless Recordings MRCD92

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Cornelius Cardew, 'Towards an Ethic of Improvisation', Cornelius Cardew A Reader, (2006) p.127
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