Based in New York City since the late '70s, the Roulette collective has been sponsoring new music events for years. By the time this compilation was released in 1992, Roulette had organized nearly a thousand performances, many featuring some of the most outrageous cutting-edge music. This CD collects excerpts from some of the best concerts during a seven-year period, and unsurprisingly, the uniformly stellar performances sparkle with excitement. Whether a
Billy Bang solo violin tribute to
Albert Ayler, the premiere of one of
John Zorn's game pieces,
David Weinstein's deconstruction of national anthems, or the shimmering beauty of vocalist
Jeanne Lee and trumpeter
Wadada Leo Smith in tandem, the 14 tracks should delight anyone open to adventurous sounds. The 30-page leaflet, with detailed essays, adds to the pleasure. ~ Steve Loewy